Faith Moldan

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Sounds simple, right? SDSU Students’ Association is in the process of making it simpler for SDSU students to do exactly that.

Starting a recycling program was one of SA President Ryan Brunner’s and Vice President Tim Wrenn’s campaign platforms.

“We still want to pursue it, if it’s something the students really want,” Wrenn said.

Wrenn, currently serving as chairman of a newly created task force on recycling on campus. Besides Wrenn, Brad Blaha, senator for the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Jael Trieb, senator for the College of Arts and Science, and Josh Krieck from Collegiate FFA are also serving on the committee.

Their current plan is to place three recepticals on campus for a trial run of the program. These recepticals would be placed by the Larson Complex and Caldwell Hall, Grove Hall area and on the west side of campus near Berg, Bailey and Hansen Halls.

“Depending on the response they’ll be put in more places,” Blaha said.

Dean Kattlemann, Director of Physical Plant, has been helping the committee and SA with suggestions, among them starting small and finding someone to assume responsibility.

“Recycling is not mandatory in Brookings,” Kattlemann said. “How do we get people to recycle?”

High traffic areas such as Rotunda are areas that the committee are looking into to place the dumpster-sized bins. Kattleman said that it is important to remember that the bins cannot be placed against the residence halls because of sanitary reasons.

“They’d take away parking spots,” he said.

Though not in place in the residence halls, there is a recycling program in place in academic and administrative areas on campus. These areas recycle paper, aluminum cans and cardboard.

Wrenn and Blaha said it costs a lot of money to maintain the bins. The bins must contain only the specified recyclable material as the recycling staff, Cooks Wastepaper and Recycling, Inc. does not pick through each bin to separate the trash from the recyclable items. Also, containers that are recycled must be rinsed out.

“We want it to stay in students’ hands and them to take ownership of it, pride in it,” Wrenn said.

Blaha added that it is the responsible thing to do.

Maya Peters, a sophomore communication studies major from Sisseton, said there is too much wasted paper and pop cans on campus.

“There’s a huge need for it,” said Phoebe Amiotte, a freshman pre-vet major from Rosebud.

The committee is looking to recruit members of residence hall governments to serve with them as well and eventually spearhead the program. The task force would consist of nine voting members from the current committee, hall governments, Residence Hall Association and Resident Advisor Council.

“It’s not a new idea,” Kattlemann said. “We need people to buy into it.”

John Jones, a freshman business economics major from Kearney, Neb., said he doesn’t think anybody would do it.

“It’s a waste of time,” he said.

Brandon Rosenlund, a freshman general studies major from Watertown, Minn. had a more positive outlook.

“If it wasn’t too far away and they made it easy for students to use, it would work.”