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What can I recycle on campus?
Is ___ recyclable? Where?
What's the deal with the wind turbine?
What happened to all the Gustieware?
What can I recycle on campus?
There are two types of recycling bins on campus: commingling and paper. Don't put material in the wrong bin - custodial won't sort them out (would YOU want to?) and if they're mixed they can't be recycled. Here's what goes in each bin:
Paper: Clean paper and cardboard (including hardboard like cereal boxes). Paper is recycled using a water-based process, so grease, food, and other contaminations don't get washed out - make sure your throw out dirty paper!
Commingling: All glass and metal containers, foil (not candy wrappers if they have a paper or plastic layer), cardboard, and plastics with the recycling codes 1 and 2 (Dasani bottles, for instance).
Don't stop there! There are other ways to recycle things on campus:
Used Printer Cartridges: There's a box to collect these in the Bookmark. *If this is ever discontinued, there are plenty of other places that will take these and lots of FREE mail-in programs*
Cell Phones and Batteries (all types): There's a bucket to collect these in the entryway of the library, and another in the Bookmark. Look for this program to be expanded to the dorms soon. *If this is ever discontinued, there are plenty of other places that will take these and lots of FREE mail-in programs*
Packing Peanuts: The on-campus post office will take these and reuse them (most post offices, UPS stores, and Fed Ex stores will too).
Cardboard Boxes (shipping/mailing boxes): The post office may take these, and there is a box in the hallway behind the Bookmark where used boxes are deposited. If you need a box, this is a great place to look!
One-Sided Printer Paper: Print your assignments or powerpoints on this! For MOST printer settings for on-campus printers, set the paper in the tray used side UP (make sure you specify the tray number in the print preferences). Yes, it's edgy and rebellious - but that's what college is for!
Finally, keep your eyes peeled for an organics recycling program - compost! The Caf and Big Hill Farm are tossing the idea around. The Caf already composts pre-consumer food waste (peels, stems - stuff they remove from food before they serve it) and gives it to Big Hill Farm.
Is ___ recyclable? Where?
The answer is probably yes. Here's a great website to check out if you're interested in learning more - just enter your zipcode and what you want to recycle, and it'll tell you how and where!
Earth 911 - Find Recycling Centers for EVERYTHING
Some examples:
#5 Plastics at Whole Foods (or there's a mail-in program)
Plastic Bags - Many big box stores will recycle them. Or, you could reuse!
Plastic Bottle Caps at Aveda Stores
Electronics and paint - tons of places
Anything still usable - clothing, household items, electronics - can be donated to the St. Peter Thrift Store or a variety of charities, some of which occasionally have drop boxes in the Campus Center.
What's the deal with the wind turbine?
To those of you new to the issue, Gustavus has been trying to install one or a few wind turbines since 2007.
To make a very long story short, near the end of our planning process Nicollet County enacted an ordinance which restricted wind turbines to areas at least one half mile from residences, and our planned location did not meet that criterium. In December of 2009, the County Board of Adjustment and Appeals turned down our request for a variance. Other options exist, but there hasn't been much discussion of these since the variance was denied. For more details, check out these Weekly articles:
Hopes for Wind Turbine Blown Away (01/22/10)
The Time for a Turbine is Now (commentary; 10/23/09)
Winds of Change: Turbines to Come to Campus (05/01/09)
Also, a copy of President Ohle's email to the Gustavus Community announcing the denial of the variance is available here.
What happened to all the Gustieware?
If you're one of those unfortunate people who has only heard Gustieware spoken of in whispers around a late night meal in the Caf, let us enlighten you: Gustieware are reusable tupperware containers available in the Caf, which allow students to get to-go food without using a to-go container (which waste cardboard and tinfoil). Unfortunately, Gustieware is so popular that everyone wants to keep it for themselves! It is intended to be returned to the tray line a few days after you use it, so that it can be made available to more students. However, it seems to be escaping, or people are stockpiling it against the possibility of... something... Anyway, the Caf is perpetually low. They're doing their best, but Gustieware simply isn't being returned.
If you still want to avoid using to-go boxes, here's some alternatives when Gustieware is scarce:
***Bring your own container. For health reasons, the Caf isn't allowed to put food directly into personal dishes, but you can get food on regular plates and then transfer it to your own container outside the Caf.
***Lidware: sandwich two Gustieware lids (which are inexplicably more abundant than the bottoms) together. Just be careful - they don't 'lock' together like the top and bottom do.
