Troy University students, staff move to create an eco-friendly campus this Earth Week

Troy University and the school’s Environmental Club will give the campus opportunities to increase its daily recycling and promote the university’s conversion to an eco-friendly campus.

The university paired with the City of Troy and local business partners to dedicate this years’ Earth Week to emphasize recycling and waste reduction.

“We want to raise awareness for activism on the campus,” said Environmental Club President, Jeremy Duke.

Duke said the club is trying its best to get students involved with recycling and creating a green campus.

“In Alabama, we are not doing too good when it comes to these things,” Duke said.

Along with tie-dye shirts, games and Earth Week giveaways, students will have an opportunity to also sign a petition for a possible green fund.

Chelsey Smith, Environmental Club secretary said that students should think about this program because it will replace older lights on campus with LED ones and promote many other positive changes. The program would add $5 to the student university fees, but it’s for a great cause, Smith said.

During Earth Week, the club will host seminars, recycling initiatives and a potluck.

The campus club’s main focus is to raise awareness with not just the students, but faculty and staff as well.

The university distributed blue recycling bags throughout the campus that will allow campus residents and university employees to recycle.

Participants can place their recycling bags in the large blue recycling trailers that are placed around the campus. Some of the locations for the trailers are the Main Quad, the North Quad, Trojan Village, Fraternity Village and Sorority Hill.

Students also have the option of using on site pickups that will begin Friday. Recycling volunteers will pick up the bags that are outside the residence halls.

The remainder of the Earth Week activities planned this week will be the sustainable campus seminar on Tuesday at 4 p.m.; the Environmental Club Information Booth available on Tuesday at 11 a.m., Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., and Friday at 9:30 a.m.; and a recycling sort next Monday beginning at noon.