Recycling Club Redirects Paper Waste

A recycling club at Central High School is diverting thousands of pounds of paper trash from the city’s landfill.

Assignments, tests, and many other handouts at Central High School are now being recycled instead of being thrown straight into the trash. The new recycling club has placed cardboard boxes in classrooms to provide an easy and quick way to recycle these items and reduce the carbon footprint left by the school. “It involves help from everyone, said Julie McGeary, a science teacher and sponsor for the students’ club. “The more people the better.”

During the last two months of the 2017-18 school year, the recycling club recycled 3,496 pounds of paper. McGeary decided to start the club because of the enormous amount of paper waste the school created. “The minute I found out the paper I used was just getting wasted, it made me sick.”

The club is looking for as many people as possible to help with the issue. “We are looking for a large group of students who want to save the environment,” said McGeary. McGeary wants students to know that this club is not a big commitment. Danielle Mitchell, a recycling club member, said, “We bring the recycled paper to the big red garbage bin.” Bringing the cardboard boxes to and from the big red bin takes minimal time to help save the earth, they point out.

Photo by Caden Lefler