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You may have noticed Matt Stringer's name in your e-mail inbox recently, writing to encourage recycling on campus.  Stringer, a French major in his junior year who plans to go to medical school after graduation, has been instrumental in the recent recycling revolution on campus.  The changes that were made include reducing the number of bin types and simplifying the bin decals.

"Since freshman year, I've been concerned about the ineffectiveness of the recycling program.  I remember standing in front of one of the old bin sites being very confused as to which bin I should toss my coffe cup and thinking, 'this system could be a lot simpler."  So I sat down with Terry Hawkridge, assistant director at the physical plant and we came up with a plan for a new system.  The Hamilton Environmental Action Group has also been really helpful."

The new system seems to be working.  "I definitely noticed a difference as soon as we made the change.  Previously, I would walk around campus and see each of the bins with all sorts of mixed garbage in them.  Now people are sorting their trash!  We have a long way to go, but the difference is incredible"

"Unfortunately, if a recycling bin is contaminated with garbage or food it has to be treated as trash.  People were confused and placed an item in the wrong bin causing the whole bag to be thrown out.  To make matters worse, the students would see janitors mixing the bags of trash with bags of recycling and everyone lost faith in the system.  It was a vicious cycle.  I've talked to some of the janitors, and they strongly support the recycling program on campus, so the ball is our (the students) court!"

One of the most surprising things about the new system is the apparent lack of time that Stringer has had to invest to make a difference.  "It took me roughly six hours of working with Terry to implement the system. Now I spend 20 minutes a day responding to e-mail questions from people around campus."  This allows him to remain active in his other pursuits, tutoring French at Clinton Elementary School, working in the Emerson Gallery, competing on the Ultimate Frisbee team, and playing in Sand Mountain Dragway, one of Hamilton's most popular student bands.

"In places where I see that people have not been recycling, I make little posters and hang them in that area to encourage sorting.  This is one way that individuals can make a difference, and I hope that other people do the same."

A lot of people wonder if envelopes that have plastic windows or stapled paper can go in the paper Bin.   According to Matt both can go in the paper bin but wax-coated paper is trash and also the paper packaging for the computer and copymachine paper has a wax liner so it's trash.  Soda cups from the diner must be thrown out because they are waxed.  Paper plates with food on them must be put in the garbage as well.  The styrofoam cups from the dining halls (after they have been emptied) and any container numbered 6 or lower can be recycled in the container bin.

In the future, Matt hopes to work with Bon Appetit to ensure that the paper and plastic plates, cups and utensils around campus are made from recycled materials.  There is an incredible amount of paper and plastic waste that comes from the Howard Diner, the Little Pub, and from special events around campus such as barbeques, receptions and catered refreshment stands.  Most of these materials are contaminted with food so they can't be recycled but I think at the very least we could make sure we are buying products made from recycled materials.  Stringer says, "Education is the most imporant part of this system so I will be giving a short talk during orientation next year to make sure the incoming freshman understand the system.  I don't consider myself to be a radical tree hugger or anything, I just think that this is a simple solution to an obvious problem"  Matt was also very adament about acknowledging the efforts of Terry Hawkridge and his workers at the physical plant.  "Without support from the Phsyical Plant, none of this would be possible!"

Questions and comments about recycling at Hamilton should be addressed to Matt at mstringe@hamilton.edu.  Faculty and administrators who would like a small bin for paper in their office can request one from Matt.

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