By Karen Frink, Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute Intern
The winner was environmental sustainability.
Abigail Jeavons, co-president of the Hope Advocates for Sustainability student group, began planning to introduce RecycleMania to Hope after noticing it was a common practice at many colleges that are highly ranked for environmental activism. She believed that the GameDay Challenge would be the best step to help educate the campus about where waste goes.
Hope College participated in RecycleMania during the last men’s home basketball game, on Feb. 17 against Albion College. Scattered throughout the concourse of DeVos Fieldhouse were waste-sorting stations manned by volunteers to help direct recyclables, compostable material, and landfill waste into the proper receptacles.
Over the past few years, the Hope College Dining Services has made a conscious effort to switch to biodegradable food containers for take-out foods. This includes but is not limited to items such as plates, napkins, cups and lids, eating utensils, and even straws.
“I noticed genuine interest from some (fans), as opposed to simply going through the motions because they had no other option. I specifically remember someone thanked us sincerely and told us that he usually brought his waste home to compost himself,” said Tyler Gargala, a senior Hope Advocate for Sustainability team member.
The success of the event stems from the collaborative efforts of Hope Advocates for Sustainability, Hope College Green Team, Hope College’s Physical Plant Department, Hope College Dining Services, as well as the college athletic department.
“I would love to see Hope as a campus become more involved in RecycleMania, not just the sustainability groups, but see the students across campus get excited about it,” Jeavons said. “We have the infrastructure there. It’s just a matter of connecting people and getting people to volunteer their time. I would love to see us move forward.”
To learn more about sustainability at Hope College visit www.hope.edu/sustainability.
Karen Frink is a junior at Hope College and intern at the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute.
Environmental Awareness/Action: Environmental education and integrating environmental practices into our planning will change negative outcomes of the past and improve our future.
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.