Grassroots is an effective way to get the word out, provide support for college recycling efforts and keep folks involved in pertinent issues.  There are many opportunities that can arise through grassroots activities.  Many issues impact the ability for a campus to be involved in recycling or any other environmental issues (especially relating to markets for recycled content materials).   Grassroots efforts span the spectrum from local to global issues that have a direct impact at home.

There are numerous issues out there that could use a voice from college campuses, for example:   

*Some colleges have created recycling programs through grassroots efforts. This has been used in the form of petitions, surveys, letter writing campaigns, phone calls to administration, newspaper coverage etc....students have been the catalyst of many college recycling programs which have started from a grassroots effort.

*Encouraging Coca-Cola to stick to their word to utilize recycled content plastic in plastic soda bottles.  Coca-Cola produces 8 billion plastic containers annually.  College campuses purchase these products which end up in the waste stream.  If Coca-Cola doesn’t use recycled plastic in these bottles, then these items will end up in the landfill from campus.

*Large quantities of bottles/cans are generated on a college campus.  Some colleges are assisting by jumping on the bottle bill bandwagon, which hopefully will create a home for all of these materials generated on campus while hopefully gaining some revenue in the process.

*Colleges purchase millions of dollars of copy paper.  Doing a grassroots education and action activity can let folks know that it is important for them to purchase recycled content paper because it provides a market for materials collected on your campus.  This also is an opportunity to let the campus printing department know that people want to purchase recycled content paper.  Though this seems simplistic, many colleges resist purchasing/selling recycled content paper and yet this is a vital step to support a recycling materials collection at colleges.

*Encouraging producer responsibility on electronics and packaging waste

There are endless opportunities to educate and activate folks and a college campus is a great place to do it.  Grassroots plays an important role in providing a voice on important campus and global environmental issues.   People on college campuses are interested in taking steps to support environmental issues.  It’s all about education to action.

Especially on Earth Day, it is great to do a letter writing campaign or petition drive on a recycling or environmental issue.  There are many opportunities for providing education and support on issues that effect recycling and waste reduction.  This can be a good opportunity to get students to write letters to the University administration in support of campus recycling or maybe another environmental issue on campus.  The Grassroots Recycling Network always has some excellent campaigns going that are pertinent to college campus interest.  Check the web site for more info. on their different activities and legislative updates.

     "Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can’t change the world, because in fact, it’s the only thing that has"      Margaret Mead

Resources

Grassroots Recycling Network 
http://www.grrn.org