By Samantha Kilpatrick
KU has been made environmentally friendly with the help of the group on campus, Students Promoting Acts of Recycling. However, the campus can go a step further by placing recycling bins next to every trashcan.
The north side of campus has a total of four recycling bins, which is better than not having any at all. However, by adding a recycling bin next to every trashcan, students will be encouraged to recycle their plastic bottles rather than just throwing them away.
Kaili Soisson, a member of SPARK, was asked about the idea of adding recycling bins next to every trashcan. “We would love to see that happen,” said Soisson. She also mentioned how the members of SPARK looked into the prices of them and came to realize the expense of it.
The goal is more than attainable as long as majority of the campus is on board with the idea and willing to help raise money for it. Soisson agreed that if KU wanted to add the recycling bins, SPARK would love to help raise money for the cause.
“We would love to help in any way we can,” said Soisson.
One aspect they have accomplished within the last year was adding recycling bins in the downstairs area of South Dinning Hall. Along with that, SPARK also placed boxes in the trash room of the residence halls to collect water bottles.
“We collected 12,403 water bottles,” said Soisson. “And that was in three weeks.”
The purpose of that was to make students aware of the amount of water bottles thrown away and how they can be reused.
SPARK also works closely with the members of hall council to make billboards for the residence halls to give students information about recycling.
It took hard work for the members of SPARK to turn KU into an environmentally friendly campus, but also from the KU students in general. It’s important that the tradition of bringing awareness to the university remains, which is why adding a recycling bin next to every trashcan can encourage people to recycle and not waste products.
Making the campus into an environmentally friendly place was without a doubt a challenging task, but as Soisson said, “It’s a difficult road, but worth traveling.”