Rollins’ attempt to create a greener campus and student body has been a success. Sure, not everyone is going to be affected by the push for a greener society, but a large amount of the student body will be. “I saw a girl throw a bottle in the trash, so I dug through the mess, took it out and put it in the recycling,” said Chris Atkin ’14. “I saw a bunch more bottles so I sifted through the trash and got them all out.”
Not only have students been recycling more, but they have also been more conscious about the environment around them. Atkin and some fellow students want to organize a cleanup of Lake Virginia. “We were walking around the lake and couldn’t help but realize how many plastic bottles and wrappers were in the lake,” said Anna Mantero ’14.
The combination of the required summer reading and the Rollins-sponsored green events on campus almost force the students to be more environmentally friendly, which is not a bad thing. “I kind of feel really guilty about not recycling,” said Angela Rosatti ’14. “Even if I’m drinking out of a plastic bottle I feel bad.”
Another small way Rollins has been successful is through its distribution of reusable water containers. “I use my reusable bottle all the time,” said Willie Marx ’14. “It’s pretty stylish and good for the gym.” Many students use them as an alternative for plastic water bottles, which reduces a huge amount of waste.
Fortunately, Rollins has taken several small steps toward a completely green campus. That way, students are not overwhelmed; instead, they are introduced to some basic ways to lessen their carbon footprints. Though students are now more conscious about the environment, they have a long way to go. Rollins has to keep up this pro-environmental attitude for the entire year; it has to keep pushing small changes on the students in order to be successful. Then, Rollins can finally start taking bigger steps toward becoming even more green.
If the pro-environmental atmosphere fades from campus, it will fade from the students.
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