05/10/2021
End-of-Term Recycling Tips from Jeannette Miranda, SSU‘22
Did you know?
You can recycle your clothing, bedding, pillowcases, shoes?
Here, at Salem State, we have a wonderful textile recycling program that collects them; the bins are located behind Viking Hall, Peabody Hall, and near Bates Complex. According to the EPA, in 2018, 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills. This made up 5.8 percent of the solid waste stream that year! Textiles can take up to 200+ years to decompose in landfills. So, hurry along- the bins are waiting for YOU.
Are your textbooks collecting dust?
Hey, guess what? Our very own SSU collects those too. Head over to the library and drop those books off in the More Than Words bin. Not only will you be saving them from heading to the landfill (because, yes, in 2012 it was reported that about 640,000 tons of textbooks went to landfills) but you will also be supporting the More Than Words youth empowerment nonprofit organization!
And here are my last words of wisdom…
Just recycle that old phone you have lying around. Please, do not throw it in the trash! Lithium batteries can overheat and cell phones and chargers contain toxins such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can end up in drinking water and food sources. Unfortunately, there is very little data on cellphone recycling, but the EPA estimates less than 10 percent of phones are recycled. To recycle your old cellphones, drop them off at the electronics recycling event at the O’Keefe parking lot on June 26th from 8-12 noon. Or you can head to your local Walmart or Best Buy. They are more than willing to rip that phone apart and get the valuable goods.
Ok, that ends my speech. Thank you for reading and enjoy the rest of your semester.
Best,
Jeannette Miranda SSU‘22
Sustainability Council Intern
