Spirit Splash?

Or Spirit Trash?

Got one of these?

Nearest recycling bin is in the Math & Science Building. Will you make the walk?

RAISE THE RECYCLING RATIO ON CAMPUS!

Every day we hear about the benefits of recycling and its necessity as a practice. But if thats the case, why arent we given the proper opportunities to do so? Why is recycling still being treated as a second thought? The ratio of trash cans to recycling bins on campus is skewed in a way that puts us at a disadvantage to do our part. UCFs Climate Action Plan wants the campus to be at a 75% recycling rate by the year 2020, but these results simply cant be met by the means we currently have. By signing, youre showing your support in increasing the number of recycling bins on campus!

NAMEEMAIL________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________NAMEEMAIL________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________NAMEEMAIL________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________DELIVERY OF PETITION:1. There will be a team of petitioners located in two separate locations: the student union and the free speech area located near the math and science buildings2. Student Union petitioners will have someone dressed up as Captain Planet with them. a. Captain Planets job is to attract people and get them intrigued enough to talk to him and the petitioners. In other words, hes the hook.b. Once people are over there, its the petitioners job to articulate why Captain Planet is thereto help with the lack of recycling opportunities on campus.c. If people ask for a picture, Captain Planet has to strike up the deal that the payment for that is a signature on the petition.3. Free speech petitioners will have to be okay with heights, because theyre going to climb into the lower branches of the trees and try to catch attention that way.4. Based on a day or two of this, adjustments will be made as to which petitioning method is more effective in gathering signatures. 5. After a sufficient number of signatures have been gathered, we will deliver the results in the form of water bottles. Each one will represent a certain number of signatures, and each one will read something along the lines of I represent such-and-such number of people who feel that I dont have a fair chance at being recycled on this campus.

Dear Mr. Wormwood,

Since the first time I learned about climate change, global warming, and environmental awareness, Ive considered myself a firm supporter of measures that help us protect and sustain the planet. Personallyand perhaps you agreeI believe that recycling is an often overlooked and undermined aid to the issue, despite how simple it is to abide by (in theory). Since I was about ten, Ive always been the one to chastise my family for throwing away even something as small as a yogurt container. Now that Im in college, that hasnt changedthe only difference is that now its my roommates who get an earful instead of my parents and brother. Needless to say, Im pretty passionate about the topic.

When I went to my first football game this year, I was incredibly excited, of course. It intrigued me to see all of the pop-up recycling bins set up around Memory Mall for tailgating, and pleased me to see that they were actually being used by most everyone. Afterwards, though, during the following week of classes, the absence of these recycling bins seemed blaring. It was then that I really began to think about how many trash cans there are on campus in comparison to recycling bins, and how odd that discrepancy was (and is). After all, were all always told to recycle, and that there are serious consequences to filling our landfills with perfectly reusable and recyclable materials.

After doing some digging, I stumbled upon the UCF Climate Action Plan. It was in here that I discovered our 2020 goal: a 75% recycling rate. This, of course, then got me wondering if we were effectively reaching this goal, since weve a little over four years to make it. Of course, I went to the UCF Recycles website, but it is here that Ive run into a bit of a wall. Since the last update to the website, our current recycling rate is 25%, but this information is several years outdated. Id be really interested to know what our current recycling rate is, and if you think were on our way to hitting that 75% mark in 2020. My fear is that we wont hit it, and that this recycling goal will be swept under the rug until its convenient for us to pick it up again.

To prevent this from happening, Id like to return to those pop-up recycling bins that we use to participate in Game Day Recycling. From what I can tell, this is a highly successful program for UCF, which makes me wonderwhy not have those bins around all the time? If were going to dedicate ourselves to taking the recycling issue seriously, then doesnt it make sense to increase the number of recycling bins on campus? There are the ones inside the classroom buildings, but in comparison to the number of trash cans available there is still a large discrepancy. Under no means are there no opportunities to recyclethere just could be so many more, which I think is important to acknowledge, mainly becausefrom my experiencea primary reason for peoples lack of recycling is the inconvenience. After all, if were on the go, making time to find the proper bin to dispose of a can of Red Bull isnt exactly going to cross our minds. But if there was a recycling bin next to every trash can, then theres one less excuse for people to make. In fact (if you can bear with me through this explanation), Walt Disney found that most people wont hold onto their trash for more than thirty steps before getting rid of it. Though he conducted these observations under the premise of preventing littering in his parks, I very much believe the same concept can be applied to recycling: if theres not a bin near enough, people will be more inclined to simply throw it out instead of recycle it.

Now, I know there are problems with this idea, the main one being money. Admittedly, Im unsure what additional costs UCF Recycles would have to shoulder for this initiative. Obviously wed have to purchase the bins, but then wed also have to pay people to empty these additional bins, and I simply dont have access to the sort of information Id need to give a solid estimate as to what the ultimate cost would be. Theres one real question I really would be interested hearing your honest opinion of, though: is this initiative feasible? If not, is there a way that it could become realized?

As you and I both know, recycling is crucial. In a time where global warming is more real than ever, we as human beings have the responsibility to do whatever it takes to take care of this planet that we call home. As the second-largest university in the country, I think we have the unique opportunity to make a real impact and start a precedent not only for other universities, but for communities in general. It is my hope that you and I can work together to help make UCF, the school of black and gold, put a little green in its step. Until then, I eagerly await and appreciate your input.

Yours Sincerely,

Samantha Ford

Dear Emily Dovydaitus,

Since the first time I learned about climate change, global warming, and environmental awareness, Ive considered myself a firm supporter of measures that help us protect and sustain the planet. Personallyand perhaps you agreeI believe that recycling is an often overlooked and undermined aid to the issue, despite how simple it is to abide by (in theory). Since I was about ten, Ive always been the one in the family to chastise my family for throwing away even something as small as a yogurt container. Now that Im in college, that hasnt changedthe only difference is that now its my roommates who get an earful instead of my parents and brother. Needless to say, Im pretty passionate about the topic.

When I went to my first football game this year, I was incredibly excited, of course. It intrigued me to see all of the pop-up recycling bins set up around Memory Mall for tailgating, and pleased me to see that they were actually being used by most everyone. Afterwards, though, during the following week of classes, the absence of these recycling bins seemed blaring. It was then that I really began to think about how many trash cans there are on campus in comparison to recycling bins, and how odd that discrepancy was (and is). After all, were all always told to recycle, and that there are serious consequences to filling our landfills with perfectly reusable and recyclable materials.

After doing some digging, I stumbled upon the UCF Climate Action Plan. It was in here that I discovered our 2020 goal: a 75% recycling rate. Later, I also read about your demonstration at the Reflecting Pond, where you filled it with 250,000 plastic water bottles. It made a huge statement to me, especially when I read just how little time it took to accumulate so many bottles. I know that your main message was to lessen the output in general by encouraging students to instead make use of reusable water bottles. This, I think, is a really important point that needs to be made about the issue of global warming, but I dont think we can overlook the inevitability of the presence of these one-use plastic bottles everybody drinks from. After all, theyre sold everywhere and are incredibly convenient. Until we can successfully turn the numbers around, something has to be done about all of these bottles that people are just throwing away so that this 75% goal is met.

To help this happen, Id like to return to those pop-up recycling bins that we use to participate in Game Day Recycling. From what I can tell, this is a highly successful program for UCF, which makes me wonderwhy not have those bins around all the time? If were going to dedicate ourselves to taking the recycling issue seriously, then doesnt it make sense to increase the number of recycling bins on campus? There are the ones inside the classroom buildings, but in comparison to the number of trash cans available there is still a large discrepancy. From my experience, a primary reason for peoples lack of recycling is the inconvenienceafter all, if were on the go, making time to find the proper bin to dispose of a can of Red Bull isnt exactly going to cross our minds. But if there was a recycling bin next to every trash can, then theres one less excuse for people to make. In fact (if you can bear with me through this explanation), Walt Disney found that most people wont hold onto their trash for more than thirty steps before getting rid of it. Though he conducted these observations under the premise of preventing littering in his parks, I very much believe the same concept can be applied to recycling: if theres not a bin near enough, people will be more inclined to simply throw it out instead of recycle it.

Ultimately, I think combining our efforts would be incredibly beneficial. The amount of waste were producing is, as a whole, quite impactful. If the idea of lessening the amount of single-use bottles was enforced along with the idea of more mindful recycling habits for the ones that students will inevitably still use, we can really hope to make a difference on the environmental impact this campus can have. After all, the phrase is reduce, reuse, recycle, and together I think we can successfully emphasize and enforce that. Its like you said: this issue isnt just some hippie movement. Its a health issue of the planet, one that every human is responsible forwe just have to get people to realize it. Together, perhaps we can encourage UCF administration and the student body to push for the need of more recycling bins around campus while simultaneously educating everyone on how simple it is to be friendly to the environment and how impactful our choices ultimately are. Thank you for your time, and I hope youll consider teaming up with me on this.

Yours Sincerely,

Samantha Ford