Reflection #2

Rachel Markel

            I liked Bob Janis as a guest speaker.  I felt like he had a lot of new and effective ideas to make DePaul a greener campus.  It really caught my attention when we started talking about recycling around campus and in the resident halls.  I feel like a lot of recycling has to do with how people were raised, if they were brought up to recycle or not, but I also think that around DePaul’s campus.  Even if you were not brought up to take plastic, glass, and paper to a recycling center, it is not hard to catch on.  Every recycling bin is labeled clearly; even the slots are designed for what material can go into them.  If the clearly labeled, widely distributed recycle bins are not enough for students and other people walking around campus, I would say watching peers recycle would have a big impact on someone, too.  I know that living in Clifton last year I was more inclined to make sure to take my recyclable materials to the recycle room, instead of just the trash room.  When I would be sure to take my roommates old water bottles and put them in our room’s recycle bin, she would try to be more careful the next time, when I was in the room anyway, to put her bottles in the recycle bin instead of in the garbage.  With my current room, we are both willing to recycle, and it is nice to have someone there with you to keep you motivated.  It is just like when Professor Wilbur tells about how we will all give more thoughtful blogs, because we know everyone will see them.  I am always careful to not just throw away materials that can be recycled because I know I have someone living in my home who might see it and think, “Hmm, not doing her part.”