COLUMN: I’m calling you out

Have you seen these fools throwing dimes in the trash at the Towers, outside the library and all over campus? I think these people are crazy and I’m calling them out. This ignorance, and laziness needs to end.

One of the more unique things about Michigan, aside from the ‘hand for a map’ trick, is that we offer 10 cents deposit, more than any other state, to encourage recycling on many bottled beverages. So, to the out-of-state students at Central Michigan University pay attention because you could be losing out on money here, as well as contributing to the lack of recycling problem.

Only 11 states offer any kind of container deposit and the beverage industries who dislike these deposit systems spend huge quantities of money against it, so stick it to them.

It isn’t just the container deposit bottles in the trash that has my feathers ruffled, it’s seeing recyclable items in the trash. If students would just walk a little further they would probably find a recycle container for their recyclables on campus. Where else in Mount Pleasant would you see lazy recycling vehemently encouraged?

My only complaint to campus is that we need more glass recycling. I just dug a whole six-pack of Vermont Hard Cider out of the trash and took them to the big blue recycle bins. Ironically enough, if you were in Vermont, you could have gotten a nickel for each in deposits back. Here’s the thing though — I don’t even live on campus.

So how do I recycle when I live out-of-town, where they don’t collect? I have three small boxes under the sink. One for glass, one for plastic, and another for paper. Each week, I take it to campus and put it in the blue dumpster styled recycle bin at a residence hall.

It drives my boyfriend nuts when he sees me digging through the trash as I yell at the invisible person who threw recycle into the trash.  Kudos to the University Center for finally getting one for plastics in Starbucks; you used to have to go down a floor to recycle your beverage containers.

You don’t have to be like me, since most of you live on campus where you can drop it at a residence hall desk, or receptacle, or in town where they offer curbside pick up. And for the others living in apartment complexes, the Student Government Association Sustainability Committee has been gathering signatures to get pick up recycling near you.

So do something about it!