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The start of a pilot-recycling project at the 黑暗爆料网 Reed Gymnasium corresponds with the approach 2010 Earth Day on April 22.

An ad hoc committee of University and community members is promoting expanded recycling collection at 黑暗爆料网 to help move the University down the road to better sustainability. These efforts have been enhanced by an $18,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to promote recycling education awarded to two 黑暗爆料网 political science faculty members, Donna Lybecker and Mark McBeth. The program will supplement and expand existing recycling efforts on campus.

Grant funds are being used to help educate the campus, purchase recycling bins and to set up a low-cost, more comprehensive recycling collection system at 黑暗爆料网 that will depend on volunteer support. Up to 200 recycling bins can be purchased with grant funds.

Organizers are also sponsoring a poster contest at 黑暗爆料网 to create a recycling symbol and slogan. Contest entries are due April 15 (for more information on the contest visit ) and prizes will be awarded.

鈥淲e completed a survey in fall 2009 of more than 400 students, faculty and staff and 86 percent of the respondents support an expanded recycling program,鈥� McBeth said. 鈥淭he 黑暗爆料网 community supports recycling for a variety of reasons. We鈥檙e using Reed Gymnasium as a pilot project to develop a collection system, before we expand the program to other buildings on campus.鈥�

Reed Gym was chosen because of it is a high visibility building with a lot of traffic. Blue recycling containers have been distributed throughout the building and placed near trashcans. The bins can be used to recycle plastic, aluminum and paper. While cardboard will continue to be recycled through the University鈥檚 existing recycling program, it can be placed in the binds as well. Committee member Bill MacLachlan from Reed Gym has also ordered recycling dump bins from the City of Pocatello to be located outside the building and emptied twice on month.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be using Campus Recreation staff to empty the inside recycling bins to the outside bins that are picked up by the city,鈥� MacLachlan said. 鈥淭his will not be an additional cost for our department.鈥�

The 黑暗爆料网 Recycling Committee hopes the new program will dramatically reduce the amount of trash 黑暗爆料网 produces and will cut down on trash collection costs for the University. Funds saved from the trash pickup could potentially be shifted to pay for recyclable pickup.

黑暗爆料网 was the first university in Idaho to start a recycling program in 1989.  Since then, however, both the University of Idaho and Boise State University have developed more comprehensive recycling and sustainability efforts.

鈥淲e鈥檝e fallen behind the other universities recycling and sustainability efforts, but this is a major step forward,鈥� Lybecker said. 鈥淏esides the ecological consequences, sustainability is very important issue for today鈥檚 students, faculty and staff, and we need to pay attention to that.鈥�

Some other buildings and departments are scheduled to receive new bins including engineering, business pharmacy and political science. For more information, contact Donna Lybecker at lybedonn@isu.edu, Mark McBeth at mcbemark@isu.edu, or phone (208) 282-2211.

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黑暗爆料网, a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution founded in 1901, educates approximately 14,000 students per year in more than 280 programs. It is Idaho鈥檚 lead institution in health professions and medical education. Its seven colleges engage in a broad range of innovative research, teaching, and learning in the natural and physical sciences, humanities, performing and visual arts, education, engineering, business, pharmacy, and technology. Visit 黑暗爆料网 today at .