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TJ Proud to be Brown, Gold, and "Green"

October 4, 2007

Fornstrom, Stoyer to head recycling program at TJ.

by Vince Crespin

Recycle.jpeg    The need for a recycling program has been talked about for years at Thomas Jefferson High School, and now teachers Stacey Fornstrom and Brooke Stoyer hope to make it a reality.

    As the facilitators, Fornstrom and Stoyer are heading up a new recycling program at TJ that has been in the making for quite some time. The plan is to have recycling bins in every classroom, into which the teachers and students can empty their recyclables; however, it will be up to the teachers whether or not they want to participate in this project. Every week, students who have volunteered will come around, pick up the contents of the bins and then move it to the big waste management bin by the teachers’ parking lot. Once that step is done, Waste Management will come and pick it all up, free of charge. The only thing that it will cost TJ is a little time and manual labor from the Spartan students.

    As this is the first time such a program has been attempted, the people involved are writing the script on the fly. “We are learning as we go, but we just know we want to do something about it. Anything is better than what we have now,” said Fornstrom. “We are starting off small, but hopefully it grows through the years and other groups, whether it is teachers, students or clubs, will get involved and help it become something we just naturally do.”

    Things that will be considered recyclables are cans (aluminum), steel, plastics (such as bottles and grocery bags), and cardboard when it is flattened.

    Already more groups  are getting involved. Student Council is looking into helping run the program, and is hoping to draw more interest by putting up posters around the school to increase awareness of the program. They are currently looking for any volunteers to help pick up the recycled materials or to help organize the effort. If any students are interested they should contact Stacey Fornstrom in room 104 or Brooke Stoyer in room three.

    According to recycleroom.org, each ton of recycled paper can save 4000 kilowatts of energy. Every day American businesses generate enough paper to circle the earth 20 times. The highest point in Ohio is said to be "Mount Rumpke" which is a mountain made up of trash at a sanitary landfill. Rumpke is one of the nation's largest waste and recycling companies. Every Sunday, Americans waste 90 percent of recyclable newspapers, which require 500,000 trees to make. For more interesting recycling facts check out www.recycleroom.org.

    Fornstrom and Stoyer hope that TJ students, faculty, and staff will join them in their recycling efforts.

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Written by Vince Crespin · Filed Under Headlines, News