Recycling a top priority for students
Survey says: Utah State University needs more ecology education and a better recycling program.
“We’re doing these surveys to show administration that students are interested in AggiEcology,” said Ashley Stolworthy, Associated Students of USU public relations vice president.
Last week three tables outside the Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, Taggart Student Center Patio and fine arts/engineering areas had members of the new Student Relations Committee handing out AggiEcology surveys to passers-by.
“I feel well-informed,” said Maria Davis, a pre-nursing junior.
The AggiEcology informational report has been passed around to administration, ASUSU members and other organizations, said Scott Shine, natural resources senator. He added that the administration wants feedback from the student body about the level of interest they have in environmental awareness.
“[That way] we can see where we are now and where we need to improve,” Shine said.
A total of 293 students turned their surveys in and overwhelmingly felt increasing environmental understanding at USU is very important.
“I think it’s also important for students to know what’s already going on around campus to help the environment,” Shine said.
Thirty percent of the paper used in computer labs is recycled, the new Engineering Building was built with an environmentally conscious attitude and there is research in all the colleges about environmental preservation. Shine is proud of the programs and awareness already on campus, but said there is always room for improvement.
“We’re applying to the National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Program in a few days and we’ll be the first school in Utah to get in this nationwide program,” he said.
Tuesday night, ASUSU appropriated $200 to the College of Natural Resources so they could apply to this program and Shine said it would help improve USU’s environmental awareness.
“They’ll need to review our application but we’re really excited for the chance to get in,” Shine said.
Projects are present in the College of Engineering, Huntsman Environmental Research Center and the Ecology Center, which offers extensive graduate research to students. The English department even has a nature writing magazine, Petroglyph.
Students are eager for changes on campus, according to survey results. Over-whelmingly, they chose recycling as the number one area needing improvement at USU.
“There are recycling bins all over campus and in all the computer labs,” Davis said. ” What I’d really like is if there could be bins at apartments and homes off campus for recycling.”
She said she is aware that off-campus housing pertains to city recycling guidelines, but feels that teaching students who don’t know as much about environmental preservation could really help the campus awareness as well.
In order of importance after recycling, students ranked energy conservation, environmental education, water and land use and building designs as areas needing improvement at USU.
“Students were excited when they were taking the surveys and took time doing them,” Stolworthy said.
The Student Relations Committee is working this year to get in touch with the student body. Stolworthy said the input from the AggiEcology surveys will be presented to the administration in the coming weeks.
Shine is excited for the future of USU’s environmental awareness and happy with the strides the university is currently taking on the road to a cleaner environment.
“There is always room for improvement,” he said.
-ireneh@cc.usu.edu
Batteries await recycling at the USU Recycling Center. (Photo by Aaron Hogan)