By Kristie Schiefer
News Assignment Editor
In the midst of RecycleMania, Tread Lightly: SBU’s Environmental Club continues to make recycling a part of daily lives and is giving attention to greater issues like hydrofracking.
RecycleMania, a nationwide competition between universities, runs from Feb. 1 through March 31 and is a nationwide competition between universities. This year, St. Bonaventure University is evaluating where it stands for future competition, according to Alex Bulszewicz, co-president of Tread Lightly.
“Recycling at Bonaventure is at 12 percent,” Marie Dirle, co-president of Tread Lightly, said. “We’re trying to get recycling up to 20 percent and increase awareness and sustainability on campus.”
According to Bulszewicz, ARAMARK and Casella Resource Solutions worked together to weigh the trash and create this percentage. Every Monday the recycling is weighed and the number is updated.
Bulszewicz said Bona’s’ recycling rate is awful compared to other schools like Grand Valley State, where food is composted and off-campus residents bring their recyclables to campus. She encourages off-campus Bonaventure residents to do the same.
To promote this year’s initiative, Tread Lightly posted fliers, created public service announcements at basketball games, sent out e-blasts and is hosting a fashion show.
“Project Runway: Bona’s Gets Trashy Edition” invites students to create outfits for a “trashion” fashion show. Rebecca Wagner, Devereux Hall residence director, brought the idea to Bonaventure from Siena College, according to Bulszewicz.
In the first year of the event, Dirle hopes students learn that not everything is a waste and items can be upcycled.
“The purpose is we’re having an event that promotes recycling items, at least 90-95 percent,” Dirle said.
Dirle and Bulszewicz suggest those who want to be involved scroll Pinterest and Google for ideas. While 10 to 15 students are signed up for the show already, Tread Lightly is accepting competitors until March 15. The event will be held at 7 p.m. on April 4 in the Loft of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.
Besides coordinating a fashion show and promoting recycling at basketball games, Tread Lightly protested with Concerned Citizens of Cattaraugus County (CCCC) Thursday, Feb. 7 outside the Department of Environmental Concern.
Alongside geologists, students from SUNY Fredonia and an environmental lawyer, the group protested hydrofracking in New York State.
“A rally was being held simultaneously in Buffalo so the people here decided to create their own rally at the same time,” Bulszewicz said.
Besides showing the community that Bonaventure students are interested in the environment, Tread Lightly has made new connections including those headed to Washington, D.C.
A group of 11 students with Tread Lightly are in Washington to protest the Keystone XL Pipeline with 10,000 other students until Sunday.
The Canadian oil and gas company TransCanada hopes to begin building a new 2,000 mile pipeline running from Alberta, Canada to Texas. If constructed, the pipeline will carry one of the world’s dirtiest fuels: tar sands oil. The pipeline could devastate ecosystems and pollute water sources, jeopardizing public health. However, the company needs a presidential permit from the Obama administration, according to foe.org.
“We are going to the National Mall on Sunday to rally the pipeline because Obama is supposed to be making a decision soon and we want to hold him accountable (because he said he will do more for the climate),” Bulszewicz said.
On Wednesday, the Sierra Club flooded the streets outside the White House to protest the pipeline. For the first time since the group began 100 years ago, its members were arrested for civil disobedience, according to Bulszewicz.
Tread Lightly hopes to connect large-scale protest efforts to recycling efforts at Bonventure on a small scale.
“It doesn’t take a whole lot to make a difference in such a small place – just effort,” Dirle said.
