The College last year recycled more than 38 tons of paper, much of it through the efforts of students like Meghan Haley-Quigley ’11 and Erin Delman ’12.
The two students – members of U Sustain and the Environmental Club – were responsible for organizing the College’s new cardboard recycling program.
They were on hand for an April 2 ceremony at which Jody Paige, paper manager for Schenectady recycling firm D.A. Predel, presented President Stephen C. Ainlay with an award and certificate to recognize the College’s efforts.
“This initiative would not have been possible without our students,” Ainlay said. “This is a wonderful project that is a win-win for everyone.”
Paige presented some encouraging statistics. In the last year, Union’s paper recycling program saved 267,190 gallons of water from the manufacture of new paper, he said. It also spared 114.5 cubic yards of landfill space. The College received about $1,100 for the paper, and saved $3,245 in disposal costs.
Union’s paper recycling effort places it in the top 20th percentile of American colleges, according to Jeffrey Corbin, an assistant professor of biology and leader of U Sustain.
The paper recycling effort is coordinated by Terry Miltner, assistant manager for Cleaning Services. With help from the students, he installed cardboard recycling bins in residential buildings.
Haley-Quigley, Delman and others marshaled their fellow students to use the bins, an effort that increased cardboard recycling by about 50 percent.
“It’s fun to walk down the hall on cardboard day,” Delman said. “And we’re amazed to see that we could make such a difference as students.”