Recycling at Penn College Enters Second Year
Published 03.13.2009
It has been one year since Pennsylvania College of Technology first set out to implement an organized recycling effort onits main campus.
As part of that initiative, Penn College has entered Recyclemania, a national recycling competition, for its second year. The 10-week competition kicked off Jan. 18 with two practice weeks, follow by eight competitive weeks. This year's residence hall recycling efforts will benefit from leadership of a student group known as the Green Team, a subgroup of the Residence Hall Associationthat contains representation from each on-campus residence hall.
Penn College is entered into the Per Capita Classic division that measures the combined weight of cardboard, paper, bottles and cans in relation to the total number of students, faculty and staff. The standings for the competition can be viewed online.
This year's student leadership is headed by Green Team chair Bradley J. Schmidt, a senior building automation technologystudent from Tyrone. His motivation for involvement with the Green Team is that he truly believes in being a good steward of the environment and wants to reach out to other residents to instill in them lifelong skills that reflect that mind-set. Schmidt added that his recycling efforts directly relate to his chosen career path, which will require his ability to design and coordinate energy-management programs for the companiesby whom he is employed.
"I think our recycling program is heading in the right direction," said Don Luke, General Services facilities supervisor. "The college continues to make improvements and add additional containers to expand our efforts." RHA President Corey Lutzbelieves the Green Team has been a good addition because of the difference each resident can make by simply recycling.
The Green Team, in conjunction with General Services, has organized an intercomplex competition through March 28. In addition to the national competition, Penn College residential complexes are competing against one another to see who can reclaim the most recyclables. College West was named last year's winner in the competition.
If you have questions about recycling or would like to get involved with the "Green Team," send e-mail to RHA.