Be on the lookout, Norwin High School is bringing back recycling at the high school! Starting the week of April 20th, the recycling bins will be placed throughout the school and in classrooms. Mrs. Joyce Muchoney and her students, who are a part of her Conservation Club, will run the recycling program for the school.
The club members decided to have recycling throughout the school. You can find recycling bins in various classrooms and recycle everything from plastic to cans to paper, etc.
“Several students will be collecting recyclable materials from selected classrooms,” said Muchoney, club advisor. “Classrooms should maintain two recycling bins, which will be labeled. One will be for clean paper and cardboard, and the other will be for clean plastic (water and soda bottles are acceptable), clean glass, and clean metals.” Muchoney also asks students and faculty not to dispose of cups that contain dairy products.
It is important that the school plays its part in recycling. Most of the students in the club major focus at the school was to help the school become sustainable.
“Environmental action starts at the local scale, and with recycling here at Norwin,” said club officer, junior Annabelle Lyle. “We can minimize the massive volume of waste which ends up landfilled, reducing our pollution contributions and conserving Earth’s natural resources.”
Recycling at the school does not cost the school. The French teacher, Madame Kelly Cole, has been graciously taking glass, plastic, and metal to Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling. Cole offered to continue to take the recycling to Cleanways as the Conservation Club expands the recycling program at school.
“In fact, Westmorland CleansWays and Recycling pays for certain recyclables,” said Muchoney, “and this money is donated to local charitable causes and organizations.”
With what money they do get, they plan to donate to local charities in the future. Due to a lack of volunteers, there will be no recycling in the cafeteria as the club members and volunteers are responsible for emptying the recycling.
“Anyone can volunteer to help with recycling; it doesn’t just have to be club members,” said club member Addy Richardson. “We are constantly looking for more help, so all volunteers are welcome.”
Recycling at the high school is recently new; however, club members are hoping that by next year, recycling will be in all classrooms.
“We have just started dispersing bins to teachers who submitted a recycling survey. We still have to place posters on some of the bins, but our goal is to have them in all classrooms by sometime next year,” said Lyle. “For now, it’s more of a test run to observe how much waste is accumulated, getting students and teachers used to recycling, and for club members to get into a routine of weekly material collection.”
The club members plan to continue to recycle next, seeing as to how beneficial it is for the environment and school. They believe it is good for the students to learn and practice.
“Our plans for recycling next year include expanding recycling throughout the school and students’ daily lives,” said Richardson. “Our main goal is to not only help the environment but expand the knowledge of the students. We believe that if we continue to push recycling, students will become more familiar with it and include it in their daily lives.”
Overall, recycling at the school will be beneficial for the environment and the future years to come. Being able to recycle and donate the money to local charities will be a good lesson for students–turning our trash into change!
