According to greenwaste.com, Americans throw away 25,000,000 plastic beverage bottles each hour; in effort to spread awareness about waste prevention and promote recycling on campus, the Student Government Association (SGA) collected several bins of garbage. In return, they were awarded recyclable bottles.
After being one of several schools who received a government grant, SGA hosted “Bottle for Bottle” the first of many recycling events to come. Members set up a table in the Student Union and worked in shifts from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Thursday. The good of the day was to encourage students to recycle plastic bottles, paper and aluminum wastes, in exchange for a recyclable bottle stamped with the SGA logo and an emblem reading “Keep Louisiana Beautiful.”
The SGA Campus Beautification Liaison, Stephanie Travis explained the importance of recycling and provided reasons why students should take up the habit during their college years.
“Recycling on campus is important, but it’s not just on campus; it’s recycling in general,” said Travis. “Recycling is really beneficial to our environment. We can’t keep filling up landfills; we’ve got to become more sustainable, and movement for more sustainability is to recycle. So I feel like it’s great for people to start young so that they will continue through when they have families, and college is the prime time to do that. Anything that you think is recyclable is recyclable. And a lot that you think isn’t recyclable is.”
Many students brought several items and felt more comfortable after seeing their peers take part.
“I decided to recycle because I really wanted one of these water bottles,” said Casey Ausman, senior visual art major. “And because I think it’s good to see other people doing it; it makes it OK for you to go over there and not feel like a weird outcast.”
The SGA hopes students will continue recycling throughout the semester and beyond. With the purchase of 25 new bins, recycling will be more accessible to students on campus. Although they have been ordered, Hurricane Isaac delayed their delivery.
“I think just having it visually there is a good incentive because I know a lot of people, especially in college, care enough to take the initiative,” said Maude Cusimano, junior art history major. “Especially in the art department there seems to be a lot of just accumulated trash that doesn’t need to end up back into our environment. I wish there was more recycling through university housing, where I live at.”
Several campus offices are participating in recycling paper products through shredding, and the sustainability manager and employees of Physical Plant ensures the wastes are picked up for recycle.
“If you call physical plant they will come and pick it up,” added Travis. “So you might have to hold on to it for 30 more minutes or so, but they will come get it eventually.”
Nursing student Kristin Hammant will enjoy seeing more recycling activity on campus after being a student nearly five years and seeing recycling bins disappear and reappear.  
“I’m taking an environmental health class, and I’ve learned so much about recycling,” said Hammant. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to come and bring my recycled water bottles and get a reusable water bottle in return.”
SGA plans to offer more recycling events in the future and participate in activity on National Recycling Day annually. For more information and statistics on recycling in the U.S., visit www.greenwaste.com.