WWU Adopts-a-Spot to Recycle

1/31/2012 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

Across the country, programs such as Adopt-a-Spot are working along highways, city parks, and many other public places to reduce trash for a better environment.

Designed to encourage citizen participation in keeping communities and roads clean, Adopt-a-Spot relies on individuals, organizations or businesses that agree to help a designated area.
 
This semester, Adopt-a-Spot will find a new home on the campus of William Woods University. The new recycling program will strive to bring campus clubs, teams and individuals together to join in the campus recycling effort by adopting a building, area or bin.  
 
"People don't realize what a service recycling is to the community. Since the university has to pay for trash pickup, it is an increased cost to our university and landfills, "said Dr. Allan Ensor, assistant professor of education, who is spearheading the campus recycling program. Ensor is also a board member of the local Kingdom Projects recycling organization.
 
The Adopt-a-Spot program is a project of WWU's central recycling committee, which is made up of students, faculty and anyone else who would like to participate.
 
"Our goal has been to come up with a sustainable program. In the past it has been a function of 'personality' and has come and gone with efficiency of operation. At The Woods, we want to create a culture in which recycling is for everyone," Ensor said.
 
Ensor, who commutes to William Woods, drives 50 miles round trip each day.
 
"As I was driving home one day thinking of what the recycling committee could do to get more involved, I noticed countless Adopt-a-Spot signs alongside the highway. Finally, I had a blinding flash of the obvious "¦ this could work!"
 
The program is designed to not only develop a culture, but also develop a personal responsibility among the William Woods students to get involved. Strong leaders like the student recycling coordinator, Rachel Graves, will work with the central recycling committee (CRC) to educate the campus community on the benefits of Adopt-a-Spot. She also will serve as a liaison with Kingdom Projects to advance the WWU recycling program.
 
"I took the job as recycling coordinator because I believe that recycling needs to be a part of the fabric of WWU. Everyone should be involved. We only have one Earth and it's up to each person to take care of it," said Graves.
 
Before Adopt-a-Spot found its home at William Woods, approximately 30 members from the Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) fraternity divided up and tackled different locations around campus.
 
"We were really happy when Adopt-a-Spot came around because it was a lot of campus for Fiji to tackle on their own. It was kind of a relief and it was great to see the whole campus get involved," said Jake Shaw, Fiji president.
 
"We're really looking to get people involved and excited with recycling. We've even talked about doing a recycling Olympics. We would have different events where people compete. The Fijis are very interested in leading that," says Ensor.
 
As students from various organizations choose their adopted spots, colorful signs will be created by the WWU Art Club to identify the individual or group.

CUTLINE:
Fijis give a "thumbs up" for WWU's recycling efforts.