Dan DaranciangWashington University fraternities are trying to start a student-run recycling program they hope will help the environment and local schools – but there’s one hurdle in their way.
The recycling program, “Greeks Care,” calls for all materials collected to be sold to a local company called Recycling Challenge, which will compensate the Greeks per pound. The dollars earned will be donated to the Greeks in Motion program, which will in turn distribute that money to local schools.
The Greeks cannot work with Recycle Challenge, however, because the University already has an exclusive contract with a recycling provider. The University is negotiating to get out of the agreement.
“Once the University sees what recycling program we want, we can proceed. We would like to see our recycling benefit the community as much as possible,” said Patrick Biddix, a member of the Greek Life Office who oversees the House Managers.
In the interim, the Greeks are collecting recyclable items, sorting them and making sure they’re put in the right place. They have also started a program to educate students about recycling.
“When a chapter chooses to be a part of the program, they educate their members about it. During meetings, the coordinating person talks about the importance of recycling,” said Biddix.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is in charge of piloting the program, with senior Joshua Jones, the fraternity’s house manager, spearheading the program’s efforts. Satyam Khanna, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Joshua’s freshman-year roommate, was the one who originally approached Dean Jill Carnaghi with the idea for a Greek recycling program. Materials and pilot programs began in March 2005, and in April, Greek Life partnered with Student Union for funding. This October, they came up with an educational component for the program and set a launch date for it.
Besides making sure the program remains completely student-run, Jones said he wanted to expand the program. “We want to take [the program] to the next level by spreading it to other campuses and by having the cans benefit charity,” he said.
In the short term, the leaders hope to create a recycling initiative that members run in the Greek community, to provide responsibility and awareness of the environment in the Greek community, and to participate and to cooperate with other recycling programs on campus. Additionally, the fraternities would like to expand the program to the sororities sometime next semester, and perhaps eventually include the entire campus.
The fraternities are working with Green Action, a campus organization that raises awareness and educates students about recycling and the environment. Green Action has helped the fraternities by supporting them in their endeavor and by telling them how to make their program more effective. This union is overseen by junior Jonathan Lane, a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon and of Green Action, who serves as a link between the two groups.
Max Frankel, a sophomore and Alpha Epsilon Pi’s house manager, just joined the endeavor this year, but already has a definite vision of what he would like the program to accomplish.
“I would like to see the program expand into the entire campus. We’re the catalyst all throughout campus for student-run recycling,” said Frankel.
“It would be a great idea to get students involved. Having students in their own dormitories be in charge brings recycling to the forefront. When something is student-run, awareness becomes bigger,” said Frankel.
Jones also has high expectations for the program. “I hope people participate,” he said.