America Recycles Day reminds all to recycle
This school year Kirkwood Community College launched its new recycling program that covers the entire Cedar Rapids campus. This program, Kirkwood Commingles, aims to make recycling easy for students and employees by accepting all recycling materials in a single bin.
Now for America Recycles Day, the college is hoping everyone is reminded of the importance of recycling, to the environment, and the college.
“Recycling is a key strategy to help us reach our waste reduction goal of 75 percent landfill diversion by 2014,” said Executive Director of Facilities Tom Kaldenberg. “In addition, recycling is a smart financial option for the college. Kirkwood Commingles will save Kirkwood money by reducing landfill fees and other expenses.”
In 2011, Kirkwood adopted a formal Waste Reduction Policy that lays out a plan to help meet that 75 percent goal through reducing waste upfront, reusing materials and a strong recycling program.
“Kirkwood’s Environmental Committee works closely with the Facilities department to make energy-reduction and waste-reduction a reality,” said Environmental Committee Chair Rita Tiedt. “With a grant from the DNR, our Facilities department now has the new commingling bins in every hallway, on every floor, in every building on campus.”
Kirkwood Commingles bins list the acceptable materials on them. Many garbage cans around campus have a note on them reminding people to recycle acceptable materials, not throw them away.
The filled bins are brought by custodial staff to centralized commingled dumpsters, where a hydraulic arm lifts the recycling bins to empty them, helping reduce potential workplace injury, saving not just money, but even more importantly, preserving the health and safety of the community.