Sophomore Vikram Rao has channeled his interest in environmental stewardship into action through Eco-Blazers, a student-run club focused on sustainability and environmental issues at University High School. With a particular emphasis on recycling, Rao has been working to help the school community better understand how everyday choices affect the environment. In the piece below, he shares why this work matters to him and offers practical, accessible guidance for recycling more responsibly—at UHS and beyond.
Are You Recycling Right?
by Vikram Rao (’28)
Recycling is a common practice in our community, but did you know that many items put in the bin are not recyclable? Recycling contamination, or the presence of non-recyclable items in recycling bins, slows down operations at the recycling facility and can even lead to more waste. This means that even if 95% of the users are correctly tossing items into the bin, just one person incorrectly separating their waste will place the entire collection at risk of being non-viable and sent to landfill. One of the biggest sources of contamination comes through items recycled with liquid residue on it. To prevent contamination, you should drain all liquids by quickly rinsing them with water before placing the container in recycling bins.
I want to propose a “small changes with big impact” initiative to our students/faculty. I have noticed that when I order food from Schoolhouse Fare or any restaurant, I always end up with extra silverware that I don’t use. Most people just throw that away in the trash, as plastic silverware cannot be recycled as it is too small and made from lower quality plastic. I want to suggest that any unused and non-food-soiled napkins/utensils that come with the Schoolhouse Fare meals be taken to Mrs. Davis’s desk. That way, these items can be used by students that need them. Also, instead of relying on plastic water bottles, take your own reusable name-labeled water bottle to school and fill it at one of the school’s water fountains when it is empty. By taking these simple steps, we can keep trash out of landfills and help improve the sustainability of our UHS community.
If you have any questions about the article, ideas about recycling or would be interested in joining Eco-Blazers, please feel free to contact Vikram via email.
