With threats of increased hurricanes, droughts and other natural disasters, people across the world are trying to slow the global warming process. Currently, Fairfield is doing its part by moving toward becoming a “trashless” campus.
Since the addition of blue recycling bins in January, buildings across campus have seen the positive effects of increased paper recycling. Within a month of the program’s implementation, Donnarumma was able to remove large amounts of paper from the waste stream, according to Charlene Wallace, recycling coordinator for Donnarumma and department secretary for the philosophy, religious studies and the honors program departments. This allowed for the removal of an entire dumpster from behind the building.
“We probably reduced our trash output by 90 percent,” said Wallace. “We’ve realized that paper was one of the biggest contributors. Now, we have a new locked dumpster just for paper. The amount of regular waste is so small that it can be added to the Canisius dumpster.”
The University has gone from 2.44 tons of white office paper a month in March 2006 to 10.73 tons of paper a month these past two months, according to recent data report from the University’s disposal service, American Disposal Services.
“This data shows that our small, incremental recycling program is working,” said Dina Franceschi, a member of Fairfield’s Environmental Steering Committee and associate professor of economics.
“We have less than 1/4 of the campus buildings recycling paper, and we are diverting more than 10 tons from our waste stream. This is good,” said Franceschi.
University Fire Marshal Joe Bouchard shared Franceschi’s enthusiasm.
“The amount of paper we’re recycling through our system in the way of clean office paper has more than four times increased since this date in March of 2006,” he said.
However, there have been mixed reactions.
“I think the progress that is being made is great, but people were concerned when they gave us the numbers because we increased our recycling by about eight tons,” said Courtney Siegert, president of Fairfield’s Student Environmental Association. “It also makes you wonder why we need this much paper.”
Siegert said paper recycling involves a two-step process: getting people to recycle and developing ways of decreasing overall paper usage.
But according to Wallace, duplicating these results in other campus buildings does not come without challenges. Paper-only bins are sometimes accidentally contaminated by food and non-paper products.
“When pizza or other items go in a big paper toter, the entire load is contaminated,” said Wallace. “This is not because of a lack of will, but it does require further continued education.”
According to Joanne Choly, biology professor and the recycling coordinator for Bannow, “students, faculty and staff are chomping at the bit” because of new recycling infrastructure.
“I’m very excited. I teach an ecology class and students ask why don’t we recycle. Now I can say we do,” said Choly. “Still, students have the habit of putting bottles in the blue bins but not because they are lazy.”
Fairfield is joining other universities nationwide that are advancing sustainability status through improved recycling methods. Some schools, including Connecticut College, UConn and Sacred Heart, have implemented paper reduction policies. Such policies include limits on photocopies for student organization advertisements, monitoring class handouts and preference for electronic messages over printed-paper versions.
Organizations including SEA and the ESC want to further recycling projects, especially those focusing on paper recycling and reduction.
Fairfield’s DiMenna-Nyselius Library installed a new printer with duplexing capabilities, serving as a pilot program before moving to all labs across campus, said Steve Dailey, assistant director of Computing and Networking Services. With this feature, users spend 15 cents on a double-sided print, five cents less than printing two, single-sided pages at the regular 10 cents per page, according to Director of Library Services Joan Overfield.
As of last semester, the University also switched from plain white copy paper to another stock made of 30 percent post-consumer products, according to Director of Purchasing Nicholas Papillo.
Paper reduction programs have benefited Fairfield thus far and, according to Bouchard, will continue on campus. However, some problems inevitably exist.
Systems for commingles, or cans, plastic and glass bottles, remain expensive and a “big problem, logistically,” according to Bouchard. “It’s great that it’s being recycled, but some office paper shouldn’t be used at all,” said Siegert. “A lot of work can be done electronically.”
Many students, including Christina DiCioccio ’09, see the positive recycling changes at work but recognize that future initiatives are needed.
“The recycling changes so far have made the students more aware to the recycling opportunities on campus,” said DiCioccio. “But, I think the next step is to have an expansion of recycling possibilities, allowing more than just paper to be recycled.”
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