Defiance College Recycling (DCR)
Most of us have heard of DC Recycling and what the project entails. Defiance College Recycling is one of many 701 projects that we have on campus. The project was first started by an individual where she would collect recyclable items in her dorm room. Since then, the project has expanded and is now located in the basement of McReynolds Hall. The purpose of the project is to help create a more friendly environment. The organization is ran by students, Madysyn Creighton, Rebekah Groden, and myself, who are in managers of the project.
Those who are apart of the project work together to collect, sort and take items to Werlor, the local Recycling/Waste Center. Each resident living on campus is given a recycling bag so they can recycle throughout the year. Around campus there are bins located in each academic building in order to recycle. Every Sunday through Wednesday, there is something that DCR is doing. However, what is done each night changes. Sundays, recyclables are collected from all resident halls. Monday nights, is collection from all academic buildings. Tuesdays and Wednesday consist of sorting all materials that have been collected. When sorting, cardboard is broken down, pop cans are crushed, and plastic lids are taken off so that the bottles can be smashed. After everything is sorted, it is then weighed before loading up the trucks and taken to Werlor.
What can be collected varies upon the product. For plastics, located on the bottom of the item there is a recycling symbol with a number. Plastic items that can be collected must have a number between one and five on it. Cardboard is also collected along with paper, tin, and aluminum. What can not be collected is food, shiny paper, plastics with a number six or above, greasy pizza boxes, candy bar wrappers, silverware, cafeteria cups, and Styrofoam.
There are a variety of students who participate in DCR. Jennifer Nashasky had stated that she likes collection days because she “enjoys seeing how much people actually recycle.” Another student also enjoys being apart of DCR. Kelsey Brenneman reported that she takes part in the project for service leadership hours and “to help the environment.”
Currently, us managers are working towards getting small trash bins for each of the Grand Ave apartments so that they can collect, and putting a few bins along the walk ways. Please continue to support DCR when school starts back up in January!
Written by Ray Ramos
