#30DayGreen: A Scitable Recycling Challenge

Take the Challenge.

Starting next Monday, September 17^th, we are asking our Scitable bloggers to volunteer in a 30-day recycling challenge. The gist: Make a serious commitment to recycling, and whatever that means to you. AND write about it. Every day or so, this blog will publish a post from one of our volunteer bloggers, on their experiences with, struggles with, and commentaries on this “green” challenge. And we will tweet about our efforts using hashtag #30DayGreen.

And here is why. Student Voices blog manager Paige Brown describes her inspiration for this challenge:

What does it mean to be “green”? I like think of myself as accepting a “green” lifestyle… at least idealistically. I care about the future of our environment and our planet. I “believe” in global climate change (accepting the evidence is more like it), and I champion efforts of harnessing public opinion, widespread action, and technology and research to make a positive difference. I hurt inside when I hear statistics on the rate of rainforest loss. I hate the idea of landfills full of needless human waste.

But opinion is far from action. Many of us like to say we turn off our lights when we aren’t using them, we recycle, we save energy when we can (ah, but forget turning down the air conditioning when it’s 101 °F outside). But what do I mean when I say “recycle”? Do I mean a true commitment to recycling as a lifestyle, or that my morning coffee cup happens to say “Made from 80% recycled cardboard”?

As I drove to school one morning last week, which happened to be “trash” day, I realized that I didn’t see a single recycling bin on the streets, at least in front of the residential houses. My own recycling bin, which the city so conveniently will pick up for me along with my street-side trash bin, often sits collecting spider-webs. But why? Why am I so lazy, throwing everything into my “landfill” trash bin without a second thought?

As it turns out, I truly believe that the “habit” of recycling takes a good deal of conscious effort in the beginning. It’s easy to buy the one line of recycled toilet-paper and paper-towels on the grocery store shelves here in the US (when I remember). I feel good buying recycled printer-paper and even clothing advertised as made from recycled fabrics. In the end, we truly are a CONSUMER culture. But it’s much harder to make a lifestyle of saving energy and minimizing waste.

So I got to thinking. Why not refuse to buy any paper products not made of recycled materials? Why not buy a blue recycling container for inside the house (so often seen in the workplace)?

Why not ask my professors not to print out notes for me, that I could view them electronically? Why not make every effort not to print on non-recycled paper?

Why not make a more serious commitment to recycling, as a first step to embracing a “green” lifestyle?

I can’t think of any reason not to, and I CAN think of a whole list of reasons to make a more conscious effort. But recycling isn’t enough… I want to live and breathe “recycling” for at least 30 days. I want to take the challenge. I want to be a “green consumer” as well as an avid recycler. I want to know where my recycled waste goes, and I want to know that my efforts pay off. I want to be a scientist in this recycling business.

So, who will take this challenge with me? The name of the game is serious effort and short daily blogs on our efforts and challenges. Bring it on.