Lerner Recycling Center

If you've walked through Lerner lobby recently, then you may have noticed a big black recycling center. Here's what Bwog said. It looks good, right? Well, not exactly.

EarthCo. met a number of times since the beginning of the fall semester with the folks at the Office of Environmental Stewardship about implementing a recycling center in Lerner, and we've had some important requirements for what this center should do. Specifically, it should be able to collect basically every recyclable item (within reasonable size), while also serving as a one-stop center for recycling information. Unfortunately, it does neither of these.

Right now, the center accepts batteries, light bulbs, books, and miscellaneous e-waste. We want it to accept, in separate containers, the following:

-"regular" waste items: paper, plastic/metal/glass, trash
-batteries: small batteries, computer batteries
-light bulbs
-misc. e-waste (cell phones, wires, etc.)
-print cartridges
-plastic bags
-books
-eyeglasses*

*eyeglasses are already collected in Lerner lobby, we're hoping to incorporate this service into the recycling center

Furthermore, we want there to be information at the center about recycling. The displayed information is paramount to the success of the center as most of Columbia's recycling problems simply stem from individuals not knowing what, how, or where to recycle. We hope to include at the center how to recycle, what to recycle, how Columbia recycles, how New York City recycles, where waste goes, etc.

The Office of Environmental Stewardship told us in the fall that they would inform us when the bins in Lerner arrived so we could work to ensure that all of our requirements were met before the center was set up. Although they did not at all do so, (which is no problem...it's better to have something immediately than nothing at all), we are looking forward to working with them in the spring to modify the current center so that it more adequately fits our needs.