Recycling is an ever-growing concern in today’s society.  When waste such as plastic water bottles is not recycled, and instead put in with the regular trash, the bottles end up in landfills that contribute to the production of methane in the atmosphere.  In addition, plastic particles from bottles that have not been recycled can end up polluting our water supply.

For a number of years, the Port Washington School District has required all schools in the district to provide specific recycling bins in classrooms.  Currently, all Schreiber classrooms have separate recycling bins for plastic and paper wastes.  Not all students correctly dispose of recyclable materials in their classes, but the presence of the bins in classrooms still gives students the opportunity to properly recycle if they choose to do so.

Although regular garbage bins are present both in classrooms and hallways, recycling bins are only found in classrooms.  This means that if students have paper waste or empty water bottles that they want to get rid of while walking through the halls, the trash ends up either in the regular garbage cans, where they will not be recycled, or on the ground.  If the Schreiber community wants to be able to promote environmental consciousness, then the lack of recycling bins throughout the school outside of classrooms is a pressing issue.

The Schreiber Times believes that recycling bins should be placed in hallways on every floor.  This would provide more opportunities for students and staff to properly dispose of recyclable materials, and would promote an overall more environmentally-friendly school community.