by Kaity Kopeski
Online Editor
Walk into any computer lap on campus and one might notice a new addition in the form of a blue plastic recycling container, which is probably overflowing. These new containers are part of SIFE’s recycling project.
The project actually started last year by the I.T. Services, who placed a few cardboard boxes in the computer laps. I.T. asked the Bryan chapter of Students In Free Enterprise to take over the project, which was a “perfect opportunity for SIFE,” according to Executive Vice President Bonnie Fowler, a junior.
One of the main events for SIFE is the regional SIFE competition held in April in Atlanta. While there, Bryan SIFE members will compete against other schools by presenting their projects. There are six categories, and for each category SIFE students present a project. One category is “Environmental Sustainability,” which the recycling program falls under.
Since SIFE took over, the project has expanded from a few cardboard boxes to 22 plastic bins that are dispersed throughout Mercer Hall and the library.
In addition to the bins, SIFE has a recycling-only dumpster located between Mercer and Huston dormitory. There is also a dumpster for paper behind the cafeteria. According to the recycling project leader, junior Amy Whisman, the cafeteria was previously throwing away 40-50 boxes a day. Now, those boxes are being recycled.
Since the program began this semester, the response has been positive, according to Marketing Vice President Cami Plaisted, a junior.
“The bins fill up really quickly, so students are really on board,” she said.
Faculty is also on board with this new project. Plaisted said numerous administration members have shown interest in receiving bins.
Plaisted said she hopes the program will expand, but expansion depends on having more people able to help.
Gathering and recycling 22 boxes of paper is fairly time consuming. Whisman, who usually gathers the paper by herself, said it takes a couple of hours.
Thankfully SIFE doesn’t take the paper off-campus. Rather the company, Waste Management, collects the paper and cardboard from the recycling dumpsters.
All the proceeds from the recycling go to MainStreet Dayton, an organization focused on promoting Dayton businesses.
Whisman said she is looking forward to next semester when she expects SIFE membership to rise from 16 to nearly 30 students.
This increase in membership is due to the fact that SIFE is now offered as a one-hour class.
With new members, SIFE hopes to expand not only the recycling project but their other projects as well.
SIFE class is open to all majors, and Plaisted said she encourages students from all different studies to consider taking this class, because it adds “richness” and “diversity” to the group.
“It’s a lot of fun too,” she said.