Recycle?

  I will readily admit that I don't recycle much. It's not that I hate the world; it's not that I don't care; it's not even that I don't know how. It's pretty clear that there are recycling bins right there for my use in the BOC, right next to the trash can. I never use them.

  Why? I just don't think about it. I'm in a rush to get to my next class, my mind is mulling over the assignments I have due, the exams I have to study for, what plans I have for the evening…not if the contents in my hand are recyclable. So I toss them in the trashcan and continue with my day.

  I know I'm not the only person that does this, though I may be one of the few that will choose to admit it in the campus newspaper. What troubles me, of all things, is the fact that I do recycle at home. We have a separate trashcan for plastics, we crush all of our cans and take them in for a little money and we even take the clothes and things we don't want to Goodwill.

  So, what's so different when I'm at school? I don't have my mother constantly reminding me to put things in the right bin. That's what makes the difference—the fact that there's no push to recycle.

  Recycling on campus, and off campus, really isn't as hard as it would seem. As I've already mentioned, there are the clearly marked recycling bins in the BOC—I've included a photo for any of you that are like me and can't see what's right in front of your eyes.

  Another way to support recycling is purchasing products that use recycled materials. The Muskingum University bookstore has a selection of pens to offer that are made from recycle plastics, and my personal favorite, the Pilot B2P (Bottle 2 Pen), which is crafted out of a recycled water bottle.

  Ultimately, there is a lot of opportunity to recycle and help the planet—some of which you can find here. There are websites, places off campus, and unique ways to recycle—things even I myself wasn't aware of. The challenge is making the conscious decision to do these things, rather than taking the ‘easy way out' and throwing all of your trash—in the trash.