Module 5 Seek to Understand First

 

Welcome back my earth-loving recyclers. I know last week we focused on the amount of trash that can be recycled in a school. However, this week I wanted to review opposing issues that could hinder a school's recycling program. I found several articles that discussed the pros and cons of recycling in general and I wanted to take this week to focus on the cons associated with recycling in schools. For instance, some people argue that schools in rural areas might find it expensive to find someone to haul the recycled materials away (Bradley, 2012). Another quick note I found is that even though schools have a recycling program, they might not have the manpower or resources to manage the program. A teacher in New York City stated “For him, on top of teaching multiple other science classes and modules like Astronomy and Astrobiology, being a sustainability coordinator isn’t a top priority” (McGee, 2019).

            It might be quick for me to assume that if you have made it this far, you might have similar values and belief systems as me. However, I know that there are several factors at work when it comes to starting a recycling program in a school. As we note from the EPA “Despite the fact that individuals and communities are recycling more than ever, each person in the United States continues to generate about 4.4 pounds (EPA, 2003; 2001 data) of municipal solid waste per day” (EPA, 2020). This is being noticed that we are still generating waste that could be recycled in our schools. Some argue that the costs are too high to start a recycling program, it can reduce the quality of products, or that the sites we send our recycled goods are not hygienic (Howell, 2020).

            The question remains what is your argument for not promoting or pursuing a dedicated recycling program in the schools of your area? What feelings or emotions do you feel in support or against this cause? Is your school one that doesn’t have room in the budget to build or sustain a viable recycling program? These are all questions I would ask my readers if they are students, parents, educators, or even administrators. If it is a budget issue or a problem with the servicer that hauls your materials then I’m sure there are subsidies that can provide aid.

            I have challenged my readers to find their mission statement, to ask the schools in their areas about current recycling programs, and finally to reach out if they have concerns or issues.  This week I challenge myself. I challenge myself to listen to any issues or concerns you might be having with the district your school currently resides in. I want to hear about the issues you are currently having with starting or changing the program your school has now. My only challenge for you (the reader) is to reach out via email or comment on this post about how you have currently gotten involved in your area.

           

References

Bradley, A. (2012). The importance of SCHOOL RECYCLING. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://nerc.org/nerc-blog/2012/06/05/importance-of-school-recycling/

EPA. (2020, October 29). Frequent questions on recycling. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/frequent-questions-recycling

Howell, N. (2020, December 22). The pros and cons of recycling. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://earthandhuman.org/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-recycling/

McGee, L. (2019). Why don't people recycle in NYC schools? Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://inewsnetwork.net/6512/investigations/why-dont-people-recycle-in-nyc-schools/

Media Reference

Google. (n.d). [image of pros & cons: Recycling] Retrieved February, 16, 2021 from https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Feschool.iaspaper.net%2Frecycling%2Frecycling-generates-jobs%2F&psig=AOvVaw3B5faPqis2d6X8xflLvUoI&ust=1613622102287000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCLjK2YaJ8O4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAc