Saving the planet takes teamwork, commitment

As Earth seemingly falls apart more and more, we all need to be doing our part to help preserve the resources that we have.

Being a school, DMC no doubt sees a large amount of paper and boxes flow through its campuses. The large amount of recyclable materials are no doubt being wasted as they are used once and then thrown away to be taken to the dump for seagulls to poop on and slowly rot in a mountain of trash.

Recycling seems like a mundane thing, but it will be essential if we want to keep our planet clean. Americans create almost 200 million tons of garbage each year, according to DoSomething.org, of which the EPA estimates 70 percent can be recycled. We only recycle about 30 percent.

Del Mar does some recycling. Professors Jim and Teresa Klein in Heritage Hall have boxes in the classrooms that they clean out and recycle themselves. Other than that, Del Mar recycles equipment in certain programs such as recycling oil, grease, select plastics and more, but should expand and recycle more.

There is no widespread recycling for paper or other materials that the city commonly recycles. Del Mar should find a way to increase recycling and students should participate.

However, students will also have to help out with this process. Many just haphazardly throw away trash without putting it in the proper bins. If recycling cans were set up, students would have to make sure that no food or other nonrecyclable materials get in.

Corpus Christi already has a recycling program that accepts various papers, plastics and metals. However, when the plastic or paper is dirtied by food or the paper gets wet, the material can no longer be recycled.

Recycling in our area is also important because of our vicinity to the Gulf of Mexico and the wildlife that surrounds us. Plastic is much more likely to find its way into the ocean or into our drinking water. It isn’t also like Corpus Christi has had perfectly clean drinking water.

Widespread recycling isn’t the only thing that can be done to keep Corpus Christi, and in turn the planet, cleaner.

The college could change paper towels in the bathroom with air dryers that are not only cleaner, but are better for the environment. Some restrooms have these at Del Mar, but it is not the standard.

Being more environmentally friendly can also find its way into the classroom, as technology classes could work on more environmentally friendly applications while science classes or clubs could sponsor events highlighting ways to be more pro-environment.

DMC could hold a contest for clubs to clean up litter and trash in and around Corpus Christi, with the prize being more funds for their club.

Helping the environment doesn’t mean having to entirely upend the college. There are ways for everyone to make positive changes that only take a little time.

The Earth is not getting better. Every day, more and more stories are coming out about how humans are negatively impacting the planet to the point of no return.

Just be a little smarter about your trash, because if you don’t, you yourself are trash.

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