by Ryan Sones
Staff Writer
Recycling has become a modern contingency throughout today’s society. Recycling at the University of La Verne was to be one of those concerns, but, according to concerned students and residents of the University, the precedence of the matter seems to have been thrown in the trash.
The recycling issue began with the nearly $1,000 purchase of recycling bins in August 1994 by former Vice President of Administration and Finance Bruce Baron. He had the bins placed around the campus and dorms for the installment of the planned program. The program is nonexistent today.
Jeff Boster, director of safety for ULV said, “The bins were installed for the basic recycling needs of those like aluminum cans, plastics and glass. There is a definite need for the revamping of that particular program. Basically someone needs to be appointed responsible for the program because it was Baron’s project and he is no longer present. We are managing other important efforts of recycling around campus.”
According to Brian Worley, director of facilities management, there is an effort being put into the recycling program.
“There is room to develop further areas of recycling, one of the big problems is that it takes manpower, time and a commitment that we have not been able to get on a continuous basis,” he said.
According to Boster, housekeeping is currently responsible for the sorting of the bins throughout the campus and maintenance then takes over the recycling duties.
Questions arose when students and residents on campus became aware of the housekeeping crews utilizing the bins for what looked like personal use, including taking the recyclables home.
Senior chemistry major Dan Ferguson said, “It upsets me to see that the residents utilize the bins for recycling only to have the maids take off with the cash. So, I started recycling the items in the bins myself since I am always making sure to use them. I really feel that someone needs to be appointed to follow through with the program, if there even is one.”
Worley also said, “There are different groups on campus that do have collection points for certain recyclables. If you look in the Mainiero Building you’ll find that Jay Jones and some of his science staff are reaping the benefits of recycling there for the science program.”
Joann Gonzales, director of housekeeping, said, “We gather the recyclable and maintenance takes it from there with the actual recycling. However, at the present time there is no organized recycling program, and this leads to infestation of ants at the bins, so I informed the housekeeping crew to recycle the items at their own will.”
“As long as there is an organized effort to recycle those bins we can tell housekeeping to stay away from them, but until there is that effort, I see no problem with housekeeping recycling the materials that would be just thrown away unrecycled,” said Worley.
Junior business administration major Joel Harworth said, “I think that it is great that we want to recycle, but we need a responsible party taking action and carrying out the actual recycling rather than leaving the recycling to whomever wishes to do so.”
Gonzales went on to add, “As far as I know there are no responsible parties following the program. I know that there used to be a program but it doesn’t exist today to my knowledge.”
Efforts to compose a position entirely dedicated to recycling or environmental procedures has been discussed in the past, although no decision has been reached.
Worley said, “It is entirely possible to create such a position. However, one of the issues that stands before us coming to that decision is an infrastructure problem that needs to be addressed to fully implement a full-on recycling/environmental position or program, for that matter, on this campus.”
In researching the possibilities for such a position at this campus, Worley decided to talk with an employee at the University of Redlands who holds the job responsibilities of recyclables management. He found his discussion with that employee, payed largely by the profit from the recycled materials, was far-reaching and demanding in accordance with his salary.
Groups or organizations on campus wishing to pursue the recycling efforts at ULV can contact Worley at ext. 4340.
President Stephen Morgan was out of town and unavailable for comment on the issue.
