Don't Leave Trash Behind – Take It With You!

Dear Colleagues,

The "Take It With You" campaign is being launched this spring to strengthen the College's recycling efforts and to remind members of the Baruch community to take their trash out of the classroom and place it in the proper receptacles.

Before the recycling initiative started, approximately 5 bags of recyclable bottles and cans were placed on the street each week for pick-up. Now, over 80 bags of bottles and cans are being set out for pickup. The Baruch community is making progress.

But some are leaving their trash in the classrooms. Once a few students and faculty leave trash behind it creates a descriptive norm and others follow suit. In addition, the presence of trash results in an unhealthy and unpleasant teaching and learning environment. We need to improve the situation and change what is considered the norm in our classrooms.

To encourage students and faculty to "Take It With You" we have increased the number and size of landfill trash receptacles and put up "Take It With You" posters in each classroom. A slide show to be presented above the elevators and a banner will serve as reminders. You may have seen custodial staff collecting recyclables and landfill trash using compartmented carts. This helps to maintain our trash separation.

Please be a leader in this process. Please take your trash with you and remind your students to take their trash with them at the end of each class. Your involvement may make the difference.

For more information about the "Take It With You" campaign and Going Green at Baruch visit the Task Force on Sustainability website.

Things to Consider:

• If Baruch recycled half the recyclable materials we currently send to the landfill, our greenhouse gas emissions reduction would be equivalent to the removal of 189 cars from the roadway each year.
• Limiting consumption is better than recycling. Use metal, glass or BPA-free refillable bottles.
• Recycling demonstrates your commitment to protect the environment, yourself and the people you love.

The Recycling Committee thanks you for your engagement in this process. Please feel free to contact us at sustainability@baruch.cuny.edu.

Best wishes for a successful semester,

The Baruch College Task Force on Sustainability