Recycling in Los Angeles: Progessive or of the past?

Submitted by Alisa on August 11, 2007 - 12:40pm

 

 

When starting to try to “green” our lives most of us build a foundation with a few simple (but very important!) steps. These usually include buying organic, changing lightbulbs and RECYCLING. Reduce, reuse, RECYCLE. From recycling our water bottles and newspapers to buying products made from other recycled products, our culture has turned into one that is beginning to make recycling and recycled products the norm (albeit slowly.)

Living in Westwood village near the UCLA campus has proven to be a frustrating experience for me. Although the Los Angeles City’s website touts the city as one of the most progressive in the way of recycling, this is far from the truth. Most students live in multi-level, multi-unit apartment complexes in which the issue of recycling is left to the building manager. Most managers believe that providing recycling bins for their tenants would be a hassle or that they would crowd the street. Yes, starting a recycling program would take some effort, but the amount of printer paper, beer cans, etc that are being thrown into the trash is personally upsetting and inexcusable. I have personally usurped my own balcony space to collect our recycling and then bring it elsewhere to recycle.

Supposedly, the city is implanting a new program this summer in which residents in a complex can request free recycling bins, which come with info on how and what to recycle. Pick-up is also included. This sounds great, but without compliance from apartment managers this program is pointless. Like any other movement, effort and a push needs to happen to get what we want. I am personally going to speak with my manager, and will even offer to help out with the program. I urge others to do the same, who knows what the response will be!!


Check out an article in UCLA’s Daily Bruin about this (I’m interviewed!)
http://dailybruin.com/news/2007/jul/23/recycling_options_few_westwood/

Another thing that I have

Submitted by dana on August 11, 2007 - 1:40pm.

Another thing that I have found frustrating is that I think a lot of students have become apathetic about the recycling issue in Westwood. Building managers may have refused to provide the appropriate bins, but we have all seen the number of people who sort through the dumpsters in search of cans and bottles that can be exchanged for money. I think a lot of students feel uncomfortably comforted by the fact that at least their empty beer cans and bottles will eventually be recycled. But is this really the system that we want in place for our community???

I agree with you Alisa, if enough students simply spoke to their building managers about this issue, a change would be made!