Through Earth Day, the Bulldog Recycling Club at Mississippi State University is hoping to promote environmental awareness during campus festivities and beyond.Currently the club is working with the Campus Activities Board to sponsor today’s Spring Fling event. During Spring Fling, students will enjoy free crawfish and live music.
Bulldog Recycling Club President Cami Anderson said the club will provide ways for students to recycle during the event.
“We are getting recycling bins for the students to throw their drink cans in so they don’t throw them away [in a regular garbage can],” Anderson said.
Dana Aguillard, a member of the club, said she will attend Spring Fling to help answer students’ questions about conservation and recycling.
“A lot of people do not know what they can do to help Starkville and the environment,” Aguillard said.
Anderson said she hopes the club’s involvement in Spring Fling helps to raise environmental awareness among students and motivates them to use current available recycling avenues, such as recycle bins located in residence halls.
“Right now, we only have bins [for] plastic bottles,” Anderson said. “We are working towards putting them in other buildings around campus.”
Off-campus students can still participate in local Starkville recycling projects, Aguillard said.
“A good way for students to help out is to keep up with all of their bottles and cans and either put them in the bins or drop them off at one of the many drop-off areas here in Starkville,” she said.
Anderson said students can make easy, earth-friendly decisions, such as sorting and recycling paper, plastic and aluminum, in order to contribute to Earth Day.
“Including the recycling bins in the dorms, there are also paper recycling bins in some of the buildings on campus,” Anderson said.
Freshman animal and dairy science major Jennifer Estess said students need to recycle in order to ensure the future of the planet.
“Recycling is a good way to save money and energy, but also to protect the resources we have that may not be available to us in the future,” Estess said.
Freshman sports communication major Michelle Moreau said she feels a sense of responsibility to help protect the Earth.
“I recycle because I feel like I should contribute to the environment and help out with keeping the Earth clean,” she said.
Many current students say that they try various ideas to help lower their negative impacts on the planet.
Freshman chemical engineering major Jennifer Miller said she employs various tactics to try to remain earth-friendly.
“I keep my blinds open during the day to keep from using my lights and I also unplug everything that isn’t being used,” Miller said. “I try to save as much energy as possible.