On Oct. 17th, the USA Sustainability Committee began holding a can collection competition. The competition will last until Nov. 17th and features eight teams with each team having a designated drop-off location. The event serves to increase and encourage recycling opportunities for students in a fun way around campus.
The competition will be held across campus and each member of the team that collects the most cans and bottles will receive 100 Petey Points, as well as a prize of their choosing. The committee plans to donate the proceeds to a local charity and has been working alongside Mary Rockwell, director of the New Buffalo Institute to help ensure this.
“This collection takes a fun spin on recycling and we hope to have more opportunities such as this to make recycling more accessible campus-wide,” said Genevieve Fontana, Committee Chair.
The committee is part of the Undergraduate Student Association, and began in the fall of 2013. They work to maintain the definition of sustainability provided by the World Commission on Environment and Development. This means focusing on a “process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations.”
“The committee is composed of both USA and non-USA members who share a passion and interest in finding solutions and promoting sustainable changes,” said Jillian Galanti, executive vice president of the Undergraduate Student Association.
The World Commission on Environment and Development, or The Brundtland Commission, was created in 1983. By 1987, they had published a report titled, “Our Common Future”, which presented different ways through which people can cut down on waste while still preserving their livelihood. After publication, the United Nations held the first-ever conference on Environment and Development, leading to the introduction of sustainable development in everyday life.
Throughout the year, the committee holds clean-ups and works with areas on campus to promote ways for sustainable waste reduction. Currently, they are working with Chartwells dining service and liaison Alyssia Kornacki to make the transition from plastic take-out bags to paper ones at Iggy’s. Last year, the team also held a showing of Wall-E during Earth Week and hosted a thrift closet featuring clothes that had been donated.
“Working on the committee has been an amazing experience, and being a part of it really makes me feel like I am making a difference in the community,” said Madison Kotch, Associate Chair.
The can collection competition provides students with an opportunity to recycle, and learn about more ways they can reduce waste through sustainability. For anyone interested in joining the committee, they can email fontanag@my.canisius.edu .