John Robinson

02/08/2020

Professor Ramos Eng 102

Proposal 

Recycling Problems at Crafton Hills College

When you see a blue bin around Crafton Hills College labeled “recycling” what do you think it means? Well I can tell you that it certainly does not mean that the water bottle that you place inside of there is getting recycled. Instead what actually happens is the blue recycling bins are the brown/black trash bins are all thrown into the exact same place. Abel Gaitan, a student at Crafton Hills College, had a chance to ask Maria, one of the custodians, about how recycling was handled. We were surprised to find out that there is only one recycling container on campus that is locked up by parking lot C. The only items recycled are paper and cardboard according to a Queen Bean student store employee (Personal interview John Robinson). This is an issue because it means that recyclables are being put into landfills contributing to greenhouse gases according to a study on  Environmental Benefits of Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling wrongful waste disposal is a leading cause to greenhouse gas. by Household and industrial recycling are one of the key ways we can help save the planet according to the organization Project Drawdown. My solution to this issue is Project F.O.R.C.E.E. a club working to start proper recycling as well as other issues to help Crafton Hills College reduce its greenhouse gas contribution and its recycling issue.

What is Project F.O.R.C.E.E. and what does it stand for? F.O.R.C.E.E. stands for Friends and Organizations Reinforcing the Community Ecosystem and Environment. This project is going to tackle the ongoing issue of waste and recycling at Crafton Hills College, Global Warming has increased dramatically “ The 10 warmest years in the 140-year record all have occurred since 2005” as well as multiple studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals show that 97 percent or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree: Climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities.” (NASA 2020) Project It is clear that there is a change in the earth and that human activity may be the cause for it. We can start today on how to change the world and our ways for a better tomorrow. Project F.O.R.C.E.E. is at Crafton Hills to start the change and actions that we will need to help save the world for future generations.

The first step is going to be implementing Proper recycling bins that will have 3 sections to allow education on the different kinds of recycling. These containers can be made out of the thrown away boxes and materials the the Queen Bean on campus throws so many out of. Recycling  and promoting reusing of items that don’t need to be thrown away. These bins will be placed outside every main building and students will have the opportunity to earn community service and possibly in the future be able to make a few extra dollars by providing students job opportunities. The recable items will then be cashed into a recycling plant that would then go to fund the club and make green improvements around campus like a solar powered charging station. The project will be focusing on the reuse and recycle process that will help make Crafton Hills a cleaner establishment. 

The second thing the project will try and tackle is the food waste that the college produces. By placing composting bins with a guide on what can be composted students will be able to take the compostable items from the student store and queen bean and use that to make compost for the college community garden. Composting is the process of reusing organic material that would normally decompose and turning it into nutrient rich soil or fertilizer.

The compost would then be delivered to the community garden to help improve the gardens growth process. The community garden plays a part in couches cupboard by growing fresh fruits and vegetables for students in need. This is not only a great way of reusing items but a way to give back to the community.

The last and most difficult task is to find people who are passionate enough to help drive Project F.O.R.C.E.E. into what it needs to be. According to David Burd,  a graduate from the University of Richmond top of his class, aka Lil Dicky in his world famous song “Earth” “But these days, it’s like we don’t know how to act All these shootings, pollution, we under attack on ourselves” This song focused on earth and how individuals need to change and stop doing damage to the earth. We do so many things that damage the environment everyday as stated before wrongful disposal leads to greenhouse gasses. People need to say no to greenhouse gasses and yes to the green light to change. Project F.O.R.C.E.E. can only prosper and grow if there are individuals who are willing to step up and take the initiative to change for the better tomorrow.

Project F.O.R.C.E.E. is just the beginning of the greater journey to help change Crafton Hills College recycling crysis as well as the future of the world. Taking action today can lead to a better tomorrow and if we do not do it who will? Community service by allowing students to volunteer composting bringing in reusable items and volunteering time to pick up recycling bins is a great way to give back to the community. While at the same time possibilities for jobs for students to earn money and help improve their daily lives by combining work and school. Composting by reusing items that are improperly discarded will help make us a greener community. Establishing a proper recycling system that isn’t all tossed into one place will improve the environment as well as provide money to help improve the campus. Waste management and conservation to reduce waste can help save the earth. These are all just minimal tasks that we will be able to tackle today and pave the road for a future tomorrow for students, faculty, families, and the world. Project F.O.R.C.E.E. 

Works cited

“Composting.” Drawdown, 20 July 2017, http://www.drawdown.org/solutions/food/composting.

Frischmann, Chad. “100 Solutions to Reverse Global Warming.” TED, 

http://www.ted.com/talks/chad_frischmann_100_solutions_to_reverse_global_warming.

“Composting.” Drawdown, 20 July 2017, http://www.drawdown.org/solutions/food/composting.

“Industrial Recycling.” Drawdown, 18 July 2017, www.drawdown.org/solutions/materials/industrial-recycling.

Hora, T. HoraMatthew T., et al. “Reframing Student Employability: From Commodifying the Self to Supporting Student, Worker, and Societal Well-Being.” Taylor & Francis, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00091383.2020.1693839?journalCode=vchn20.

Ram, V.G., et al. “Environmental Benefits of Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling: Evidence from an Indian Case Study Using Life Cycle Assessment.” Journal of Cleaner Production, Elsevier, 27 Jan. 2020, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095965262030305X.

“Scientific Consensus: Earth’s Climate Is Warming.” NASA, NASA, 21 Jan. 2020, climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/.

Personal Interview Abel Gaitan.

Personal Interviews John Robinson