One of the serious problems that Dining Services faces is the abundant use of the plastic to-go containers. Students are prone to use these containers even if they plan to stay in the dining hall. Dining Services goes through 4,000 cases, each containing 250 plastic medium-size containers, each year. "Our challenge is to get students to use china plates," said Helen Wechsler, the director of dining services. "The plastic containers cannot be recycled unless they are washed." Dining is also attempting to cut down the number of cardboard cups used by offering reduced refills for students who purchase special cups. This program, however, has not proven to be as effective here at Boston College as it has at other colleges and universities.
Ecopledge members agree that students should use refillable water bottles and coffee cups. Plastic water bottles are the most prominent piece of trash in landfills. Ecopledge is working on a campaign to supply all students with metal water bottles and to drink tap water.
The Boston area uses Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) water, which happens to be some of the cleanest water in the country. This water is filtered into a new purification system that uses ozone gas and is heavily regulated by the EPA. On the other hand, bottled water, such as Poland Spring, may not undergo the same amount of analysis and regulation. Also, the chemicals in a plastic Poland Spring bottle break down after multiple uses, presenting a health risk to drinkers.
Recycling on campus has proven to have a positive impact on several people. Ecopledge students promote recycling at football games. The employees, who direct parking during the games, hand out personal bags. These bags are then left in the tailgating area and picked up by a certain charitable organization, such as the Boys and Girls Club. All proceeds go to that charity. Bins have been added outside the stadium as well.
Another charity that benefits from Boston College's recycled cans is "Cans for Cancer." Steve Bianchi, an officer in BC Police Department, collects cans from the Mods and donates them to that cause.
Today, students on campus are more aware about recycling than ever before. "I have personally noticed a shift here at Boston College. People are more environmentally aware now with global warming and climate change," Cava said. Ecopledge has grown exponentially. With the increase in environmental concern, the amount of recycling has also expanded. Just three years ago, only 13 percent of waste was recycled. Now, 55 percent of the campus's waste is recycled. With the help of several dedicated employees and the members of Ecopledge, that percentage may keep growing.
Deirdre Manning, the manager of utilities, said, "Students need to do their part. We live in an environment where there are limited resources. Recycling benefits both the environment and Boston College."
Spring Break
