As part of a Global Scholars Take Action Project (TAP), Horizon student Lull Mohamud wants to help raise awareness among students and staff about the importance of recycling. Please take a few minutes and complete this important survey first, and then this second survey. Please check out the poster image and read all the great information about recycling at Horizon in this post.
Recycling at HSA: What We Can Do to Make a Difference
Recycling is one of the simplest yet most important ways we can help our environment. However, the current state of recycling at HSA needs significant improvement. Many of us don’t think much about it, but the truth is that a lot of the waste we throw away could be recycled. If we put in a little more effort, we could make a huge difference. Let’s take a look at where we stand, what we can do, and why recycling matters.
The Current State of Recycling at HSA
Currently, our school’s recycling program isn’t living up to its full potential. There are plenty of opportunities to recycle but unfortunately, many of them go unseen. One of the major challenges we face is the uncertainty about what can and cannot be recycled. Because of this confusion, students and staff alike might simply throw things away rather than recycle them. If we want to see improvements, we must get everyone on board, from the janitors to the students, teachers, and staff.
What Students Can Do Differently
The good news is that even the smallest of actions from each of us can lead to the biggest changes. Here’s how students can make a difference:
Understand What to Recycle: The first step is understanding what can and cannot be recycled. At HSA, paper and cardboard are the only recyclables accepted by our recycling service provider, Waste Management. Although these items are accepted, food-contaminated items (such as pizza boxes) and non-recyclable plastics (such as plastic bags or straws) should not be put in recycling bins. Educating yourself and others about this is crucial!
Clean and Prepare Items: In order to make sure items are being recycled, properly rinse out containers before tossing them in the recycling bin. For example, a to-go container might be recyclable if it’s clean, but a greasy one will end up contaminating the whole batch.
Use Reusable Items: Reducing waste is just as important as recycling. Try to bring your own reusable water bottles or lunch containers instead of depending on disposable plastic containers.
Encourage Others: Talk to your friends and classmates about the importance of recycling, and encourage them to do the same!
Why Recycling is Important
Recycling isn’t just about keeping our school clean, it's about ensuring a safe and clean environment for ourselves and our future generations. Here are a few reasons as to why recycling matters:
Conserving Resources: Recycling helps reduce the need for new raw materials. By recycling paper, metal, cardboard, plastic, and other materials, we can preserve natural resources, which creates less need for mining, deforestation, etc.
Saving Energy: It takes a significant amount of energy to produce materials such as aluminum but when we recycle, we greatly reduce the amount of energy used. This means less energy consumption, less pollution, and less distress overall.
Reducing Waste: Recycling immensely reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, which reduces the amount of harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This results in the slowing down of climate change.
Creating a Greener Future: When we recycle, we take part in making the world a cleaner, and greener place for future generations. Our earth is counting on us to make better choices so that our future generations can enjoy the natural beauty and resources of our planet.
Are you ready to start recycling today?
Remember that even the smallest of actions can make a big difference!