Recycling for the Ohio State University off-campus area

Recycling is one of the best ways to make a positive impact on the environment. Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity — enough energy to power the average American home for five months (EPA 2008).

Energy saved from recycling one ton of aluminum is equal to the amount of electricity the average home uses over 10 years. Savings in 1993 alone were enough to light a city the size of Pittsburgh for six years (Keep America Beautiful 2006). But even more worrisome, is that currently around 85 feet tall, the SWACO landfill will top out at 140 feet, making it the single highest point in all of Franklin County (Columbus Underground 2010).

Furthermore, a walk through many of the off-campus alleys would show numerous occasions of overflowing trash. This leads to rodent infestation and an unattractive off-campus area. Much of the trash in these bins can be recycled, but students are unable to recycle it due to the lack of recycling bins. If there were more bins, there would be less trash and therefore fewer overflows, solving multiple problems at once.

Since there are so few recycling drop-off locations in the University District area of Columbus, it is difficult for students to recycle. Many students do not have cars and would have to walk blocks with their recycling to reach the nearest drop-off location. Students have the desire to recycle, but do not have the necessary resources. This needs to change.

If you would like to do more than just sign the petition, you can contact SWACO at 614-871-5100 and demand action.