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Student-led enviro team greens Homecoming Block Party


October 28, 2008

For the 50th anniversary of ASU’s Homecoming, Undergraduate Student Government’s “Green Team” will play a major role in the waste management and recycling of this year’s Block Party.

The Green Team, which consists of student volunteers, aims to educate ASU’s students, faculty, staff and community about what it means to go ‘green’ – as well as the need for better recycling practices. A major step in decreasing not only the amount of waste produced, but the carbon footprint of each individual on campus, will be discussed at the Block Party.

There will be several tents set up along University Drive with recycling bins for paper, plastic, and aluminum. Bins for general waste will be provided alongside the recycling bins for non-recyclable materials. An information booth will be set up to provide answers to any questions people may have, as well as to educate them about ways to recycle.

“We want to show people how this is affecting them on a daily basis,” says senior Christopher James, the Green Team’s campus environmental director. “We consume so much and we don’t even realize it.”

Having the recycling team at the Block Party will not only reduce ASU’s waste, but will serve as a visual way to show the public how to reduce their impact on the environment.

“We are going to offer a water refilling center for people to fill their water bottles, and also encourage vendors to buy products that can easily be recycled,” says Bonny Bentzin, manager of University Sustainability Practices.

In efforts to continually improve ASU’s recycling practices, Bentzin is hoping that data from the event can be collected to show ways that waste management can be bettered.

“It is not going to be perfect, but we have to start somewhere,” says Bentzin. “We can learn from this year and work on staffing, visibility and accessibility in the future.”

Although the idea of ASU “going green” may be a large-scale concept, students can help in simple ways that are nearly effortless, but will have a large impact on campus.

“The key to cleaning up campus is to taking the time to find a recycle bin instead of throwing bottles and cans into the garbage can,” says James.

He adds that unplugging small electronics such as cell phone chargers, before students leave their dorms will help to conserve energy.

The Green Team will host a series of events throughout the school year to help ASU continue on the green path, including a recent campuswide eco-challenge on Campus Sustainability Day that took place Oct. 22.

Anyone interested in volunteering to be part of the Green Team should contact Christopher James at ctjames1@asu.edu.

For more information on Homecoming visit www.asu.edu/homecoming.

Natasha Karaczan, natasha.karaczan@asu.edu
Media Relations