1) Recycling creates jobs and revenue while keeping waste out of landfills. It currently employs many people on campus including a program that employs mentally and physically handicapped individuals. 2) The university recycles a wide variety of materials from different locations across campus like paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, scrap metal, electronics, and food scraps. 3) Increasing recycling rates will help meet the growing demand from new campus buildings and dorms while boosting the economy and protecting the environment. Students are encouraged to check what can be recycled and recycle more of their waste.

1. THINK BEFORE YOU TRASH: RECYCLING MEANS JOBS!
By Ashlea Smith
The market is fluctuating BIG TIME, but it’s hardly noticeable around campus. Things
seem to still be functioning as they should with students still coming to class, having fun
at Every Freaking Friday’s at the JC, and continuing to cause traffic in the Patriot Circle.
But what students don’t see is how the market affects certain “invisible” functions that
affect every student every day, namely, Recycling.
As compared to trash, recycling creates revenue and redirects waste from going into
potentially toxic landfills. A common misconception is that throwing your trash away is
free and that recycling costs money, on the contrary, they both cost money but recycling
makes money where trash generates zero profits. The market for recycled products is
what dictates how much money is made and right now, like it is in all industries, that
market is very low.
Regardless of the trend in the economy, Recycling continues as a Facilities department
which employs many people that you many or may not see around campus. In fact, a
wonderful program actively employing the handicapped was started in July 1989 between
Ron Lim, the current Recycling Director at GMU, and a young handicapped man, five
academic buildings, and two carts. Since 1989, the program employing mentally and
physically handicapped has increased to eight employees with three supervisors.
Here at Mason, many more materials are recycled in the blue bins across campus than
what the average homeowner puts out to the curb each week including glass, steel,
aluminum, and plastics #1 and #2, (to the industry it is called “municipal recycling”). We
also recycle paper of all types: white paper, mixed paper (receipts, cereal boxes, manila
folders, colored paper, glossy mail inserts, etc), cardboard, and newspaper. Look for the
sticker on the bin to see what to recycle. Soon you will also be able to recycle wrappers,
plastic grocery bags, and CFL’s (Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs) at an artistic
recycling center in the Northern Neck Residence Hall.
As many can see, there’s a lot of construction across campus and many construction
materials are collected for recycling including: asphalt, scrap metal, wood, and concrete,
even old furniture is recycled. Food scraps are recyclable too in the green bins around the
Southside Dining Facility. Electronic recycling is especially important because the
materials and minerals that go into small electronic devices are often extremely toxic to
the environment and are very valuable as reclaimed materials. You can recycle your old
cell phones and dead rechargeable batteries at the Johnson Center Info Desk and the SUB
II Info Desk. Lastly, ink cartridges from your dorm room are recyclable at the Computer
Store near the Bookstore in JC.
As more and more academic buildings and dorms are built, the demand for recycling is
ever increasing. It is important that students recognize that increasing campus recycling
NOW is making an investment in the future. As it stands, we currently recycle about 24%
of all our waste. It is easy to increase this number to 50% if students, teachers, and staff

2. hold themselves accountable by stopping and thinking before they waste, “Can I recycle
this?” and if they don’t know, by searching for the ‘Accepted Materials” list at the Dept
of Recycling’s website by going to www.gmu.edu, and typing in the keyword “recycling”
into the search engine. The Dept of Recycling website will be the first option.
Think before you waste! Don’t make a lasting impression in a landfill when you can
boost the economy, create jobs for the handicapped, and protect the environment by
recycling!
P.S. If you are an AGGRESSIVE RECYCLER too, then consider joining the GMU
Recycling Working Group. Send an email to asmithk@gmu.edu for more information.