Recycling at BHS
January 23, 2012
Filed under BHS and Community News, Opinion
I am not what society would consider a “green freak”, not to any extent. I fall asleep with my reading light on, I leave the water running while I’m brushing my teeth and I am the first to blast the heat when the thermostat goes even a degree below 60. I’m not proud of my environmentally unfriendly behavior, but society has evolved so much that certain “bad habits” come almost second nature to most. While the history of these “bad habits” is still somewhat unknown, what is known is that our society has become oblivious to the simple actions that affect our environment. We leave our computers on 24 hours a day so we can constantly check our emails, Facebooks and Twitters. We forget about our phone chargers that are plugged into the outlet, even when our phone isn’t charging. The amount of electricity we consume surpasses the line, changing from over usage to just plain wasteful. And that’s just one example of how we are careless as a whole society.
While I may be guilty of committing these acts once in a while, I do attempt to even the scales; I make an effort to use both sides of the paper in my notebooks. I buy the objects at supermarkets that come in dull brown recycled boxes as opposed to their shiny, more attractive yet less biodegradable doppelgangers. I’ve even purchased a toothbrush from Trader Joe’s that’s made from recycled yogurt cups. Doing something good for the environment makes me feel empowered, as if I were personally purging toxins from the air in an effort to ensure that future generations can take a deep breath and live without fear of choking on fumes.
Brewster High School’s contribution to the fight for a greener future is its recycling program. Recycling in our school consists of a simple choice between a black garbage can and a blue recycling bin for paper materials. In the lower level, two black garbage bins are located in the center of the cafeteria for students to recycle plastic water bottles and aluminum cans. Despite the school’s whole hearted attempts to make BHS greener, the two large bins are often ignored and the blue recycling bins always manage to contain a banana peel or another piece of trash instead of the appropriate materials.
When asked why students choose to ignore the clearly labeled recycling bins, some replies have often been that the school doesn’t recycle the materials anyways, so what’s the point. This is a common misconception amongst most BHS students. What most students don’t know is that there is a prosperous example of a thriving recycling system lead by Mrs. Ferris and her students. Both she and her students work their hardest to empty out the bins, separate the materials and make sure the items are properly recycled. While the class’ efforts are collectively effective, we all need to do our part. Earth saving actions such as recycling may seem insignificant individually; but if we all work together to make recycling easier and more effective in our school, we can truly make a difference in our society.
Therefore, I challenge Brewster High School, to make a change. I challenge you to make the honorable choice when choosing between the trash and the recycling bin and to think about putting your trash into the correct bins. Embrace our school colors and make Brewster High School a truly “green” school. Because if everyone did their part, if everyone completed one little action, each action will eventually add up.
- G. Treiling