1. By Dan Hager and Schuyler Daugherty
Hypothesis: Recycling Among Students is greater within Lennon when compared to the library (or so we thought)
By Dan Hager and Schuyler Daugherty
SUNY College at Brockport Statement:
“Our future depends upon recycling. All students are strongly encouraged to participate in our recycling program. Each room/suite is provided with bins for recycling. Details are available from your resident director (brockport.edu).”

2. National Facts
“Twenty years ago, only one curbside recycling program existed in the United States, which collected several materials at the curb. By 2005, almost 9,000 curbside programs had sprouted up across the nation. As of 2005, about 500 materials recovery facilities had been established to process the collected materials (epa.gov).”
50 percent of all paper is now recovered for recycling (epa.gov)

3. Campus Recycling Trends (brockport.edu)
226.4 tons recycled
45.28% of waste was recycled
204.7 tons recycled
40.94% of waste was recycled
207.8 tons recycled
41.56 % of waste was recycled

4. Monroe County Trends (monroecounty.gov)
Homes:
Optional recycling
Metal cans, empty aerosol cans, plastic (1/2), glass, gable top cartons and drink boxes.
Business/Institutions:
Includes school districts and colleges
Are required to recycle office paper and corrugated cardboard.
Restaurants (including bus./inst. with cafeterias):
Following containers required: metal food and beverage cans, plastic bottles and jars, glass bottles and jars and gable top cartons.

5. Methods Compare the amount placed in recycling vs. trash bin
Used a single island in the Library Vs. the Lennon Computer Lab
Recycling bin near printer vs. trash bin
Placement of bins next to each other
Simultaneously survey: one person in the Library a second in Lennon
Peak time of day.

6. Methods Cont. At 10:30 on Friday 4:20
Observed student recycling trends for one hour
At both sites:
Trash can placed closer to the printer than recycling bin
Only inches apart
Normally the bins are separated

7. Results Lennon Library trash recycle Paper 5 bottle other (non)
trash
recycle
Paper 5
bottle
other (non)
other (recy)
about 12 ppl
Library
trash
recycle
paper 8
food container 3
coffee cup 2
about 14 ppl

8. Results Cont. Lennon Library
100% of the recyclable items were placed in the trash.
Library
100% of recyclable items were placed in the recycling bin

9. Conclusion Hypothesis was proven incorrect Further Testing
Possibly due to the placement of the trash bin
Function of convenience -> Indicates laziness
Lack of observance to which receptacle was being used
Lack of education
Further Testing
Larger population
Time: Different/Longer
Locations of bins (laziness theory)

10. Implications of Results
Direct Environmental Effects
More waste in landfills
Cost effectiveness (buying more paper)
Indirect Effects
Loss habitat
Deforestation
Increase fuel consumption
Pollution from processing plants/factories

11. Ways to Increase Recycling
Location of bins
One bin/trash can
High traffic areas/use areas
Education
Importance of recycling
What can be recycled in Monroe County
Government Encouragement (Miller, 265)
Increase subsidies and taxbreaks recycled materials.
Decrease subsidies and tax breaks for manufactured items that are made from raw material.

12. Work Cited
Miller, G. Tyler. Sustaining the Earth. Brooks/Cole. Pacific Grove, CA