From Sept. 1 to Sept. 3, at each residence hall, a URI recycling worker helped parents and students sift through the trash and cardboard, before disposing of more than 80 cubic yards of cardboard in a separate bin.
“When the parents came out of the dorm rooms, we asked them for the cardboard, and some said that they wanted to take it home so it could be recycled. They were pleasantly surprised to learn that we were recycling here at the University of Rhode Island,” said Mary Brennan, recycling coordinator for the last year and a half.
Before her position as recycling coordinator, Brennan worked at the Campus Planning and Design Department at URI and previously served as the commercial recycling planner at the Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Corp.
The URI recycling program accepts a wide variety of other materials besides cardboard, including bottles, cans, fluorescent light bulbs, mattresses, yard waste, and batteries.
URI is the only college in Rhode Island that has an active cardboard recycling program during Move-In weekend. This dedication to recycling has sparked interest among students.
“Already this semester I have received many phone calls from students asking additional questions about recycling. It’s great to see the number of students who care enough to help our environment. I encourage all our students to give me a call with any questions or suggestions on how we can improve our recycling program,” said Brennan.
Students who are interested in learning more about the URI recycling program are encouraged to contact Mary Brennan at 874-2840 or mbrennan@uri.edu.
This press release was written by Victoria Antonelli, an intern in URI’s Department of Communication and Marketing and a journalism major.