Vermont Cynic

Issue date: 11/14/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Ian Jansen-Lonnquist A student recycles alcoholic containers under the watchful eye of an RA

Glass and aluminum glint in the soft glow of a dorm hallway light as the names of alcohol companies burst forth among crushed pizza boxes and the recent Chatty Cats flyer.

This may now be a scene commonly found around campus due to SGA announcing their resolution to support amnesty for recycling containers in dorm hallways. This resolution allows guilt-free recycling of all alcoholic containers in the dorms.

Brought about by the Student Action Committee, the resolution focuses on expanding the University's eco-minded waste disposal.

The University pays $94 per ton to get rid of trash, as opposed to the $32-36 it takes to recycle a ton of material, Senator Ross Nizlek said.

The debate changed from the matter of recycling, to the impact this amnesty would have on drinking in the dorms.

"Doesn't [the resolution] seem contradictory?" Senator DaVaughn Bryan said. "Isn't it providing a loop hole?"

Those cans already exist, a means is just being provided to make sure those cans are being disposed of properly, Nizlek said.

"If people can sneak containers
into the dorms, they can sneak them out to recycle them," Vice President Ajay Schmidt said.

"The reality is, if recycling is not convenient, students won't recycle," Nizlek said.

Senator Sam Maron reminded the SGA that resolutions are just representations of the ideas of the student body. If a policy were to be changed, it would be at the discretion of the University.

The resolution was passed soundly after more than an hour of debate.

With dejected faces and sober voices, both Schmidt and President Seth Bowden lamented that they were not impressed with the decision of the vote, but they would not challenge it.

With the resolution in effect, members of the Student Action Committee will now meet with the directors of Residential Life in order to open up discussion on the matter.

Sophomore Justin Towne supported the resolution. "A can's a can, alcoholic or not."

"Kids are going to drink regardless of how they dispose of cans," freshman Connor Gibson said.

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