If you have ever walked around South High it is very likely that you have seen the blue recycle bins. There is at least one in almost every classroom and they are widely used by students and staff alike. Most people just assume that once their recyclables go in the bin, they automatically get recycled. Unfortunately, this is very far from the truth.

Senior Evan Horen, Founder of South High’s Renewable Redwings Club, said,

“Basically, all I really know is that the blue bins are useless. Everything in the blue bins in classrooms goes into the same place as the stuff in the trash cans.” In fact, the only items that go into the school’s recycle bin are cardboard boxes and cans from the kitchen.

As a part of a school that is all about the “Redwing Way”, one cannot help but to question, how strong is our school’s commitment to maintaining a better environment? How much effort has been put into trying to change the lie that is our recycling program? What has the leadership in our school done about this? How is this respectful to the students who actually feel that they are doing a good thing by recycling? And how can students be expected to have pride in a school that cannot do something as simple as recycle the items that are already in the recycling bins?

When asked why the school does not recycle, Mrs. Nicole Schumacher, Supervisor of the Renewable Redwings said she was told that,

“There is not enough man-power to go through and sort out everything that is in the bins.”

Mr. Mark Jacobs, Custodian, also said that due to “time constraints,” not all materials used in the school were able to be recycled.  

Horen said that,

“It costs extra money to recycle. It is much cheaper to just treat it all as garbage.”

If the reason the school is not able to recycle is because of the cost, then so be it, but if that is in fact the case the school should not even put out the recycle bins in classrooms, as it is deceitful and dishonest to students and staff who feel that recycling is something that is important. Mrs. Molly Smith said that she was “very disappointed” when she found out what really happens to the items in the blue bins.

For as much paper is used in a typical school day, it is easy for one to assume that recycling everything possible would be a no-brainer. Instead, absolutely nothing that makes its way into a classroom recycle bin goes nowhere except a landfill with the rest of the trash. Hopefully something will be done to change this issue soon, and some steps have already been taken. Schumacher explained,

“I have contacted people from downtown, and I have not received a response. I have sat down and talked to Mr. Trimberger, Mr. Formolo, and Mr. Kestell and they’re all on board to do something about recycling, we just need to take the next step with the district.”