Students teaching sustainability
TerraCycle Include USA
There are many global environmental issues today that affect lives and communities. Washtenaw Community College has a student club called Students for Sustainability that do their part locally.
“I’ve heard about [environmental] clubs here before, but they weren’t sustainable; that’s what I’m trying to do,” club President Joe Chapman said at the club meeting held Wednesdays at 4 p.m. Chapman, 21, political science and economics major has an interest in environmental policy.
The club puts up information tables in the Student Center as much as they can, to educate people about things like environmental concerns and upcoming sustainability events. Chapman and fellow members also go to classrooms to advocate for environmental events and issues.
A big topic that they talk about during their tabling is what can and can’t be recycled here at WCC. A lot can be learned from the club on this subject, for instance, on-campus, the only recyclable chip bags are Frito-Lay and Sun-Chips.
The club is trying to take steps to expand what can be recycled on campus. Soon candy wrappers will be added to the list of recyclable items. This is due to a very helpful company called TerraCycle.
TerraCycle is a small business based out of Trenton, New Jersey that makes recycling containers and connects specialty recyclers with people recycling things that people wouldn’t always think are recyclable off hand.