From an ECO intern

Katie: Actually, I'm the Dartmouth Recycles/ECO intern for Facilities, Operations and Management, which is concerned with the administrative buildings on campus. There are other interns who deal with dining services or the residence halls primarily. But for the most part, I contact different departments and offices on campus to get the recycling programs going in those campus buildings again. Some have been more enthusiastic than others, and there seems to be little correlation between level of commitment and discipline, which is interesting.

Jeannine: What are some of the other projects that you've taken on through this position:
K: One of my most involving jobs has been to research the collection process for composting, how efficient and cost-effective we can make them. I'm constantly thinking about different things to try in making it easier to implement and it's been fascinating to learn about.
I also work on publicity for ECO in terms of education in the residence halls (I make catchy posters, pamphlets and stickers, or at least I try...). And as I said, my main job is to serve as a contact between FOM and administrative offices to revamp recycling programs in the buildings.

J: Do you feel that your background as an engineering major is a big part of your ability to do a good job in this position?
K: Honestly, anyone with a general problem-solving approach and interest in the environment could do well as an ECO intern. I've learned so much that is completely different from my academic work through this job because every part of my job, from actually doing research on the composting project to talking to people about recycling has taught me a lot about every aspect of the practical implementation of these systems.

J: Has working for ECO informed a modification of your daily habits so that you try to be more environmentally responsible?
K: Well, that's a tough call. One of the reasons that I was interested in being an ECO intern was because I'd come to believe that being aware of our impact on the environment had to be a crucial part of my life. More than being aware, doing something about it. So, I had made some decisions about how to modify my habits before coming to this position. I have to say though, learning about the process helps you get better about it and it becomes second nature. Remember how you used to recycle plastic bottles with the caps still on? Which defeats the purpose? Well, that's the kind of mistake that I wouldn't have made because I was informed about the exact way that plastic recycling happens on every level.
I would say that by finding out more, and people can do that by blitzing Dartmouth Recycles and asking questions, we can all do a lot better as individuals and as a campus in terms of the way we use our resources.

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas, concerns, or solutions, please e-mail Dartmouth Recycles.

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