Next time you think about disposing of an empty bottle or can, consider recycling it instead. Now it is easier than ever to recycle on the University of St. Thomas campus.

Recycling bins are going up around the UST campus. It's part of a recycling program spear-headed in large part by environmental studies major Murray Myers.

“Before we basically had a few bins and boxes for paper at the Environmental Studies department,” Myers said. “I worked with the student government association to get recycling bins on campus to put up everywhere. We wanted to make the program more visible so that students would get involved in the process.”

There will be weekly and bi-weekly pick-ups of recyclable materials such as paper, plastics, glass and aluminum. Collected paper will be placed in the Abitibi Paper dumpster, located at the corner of Graustark and Richmond. Paper and magazines recycled here means money back for the recycling program to purchase more bins. All other items will be sent to a city of Houston recycling center.

“Training young people to recycle is an education in virtue,” said Sr. Damien Marie Savino, assistant professor of biology and Catholic studies. “They learn how to be aware of their actions and the impact of what they consume, and to make small sacrifices in day-to-day life in order to live a little more lightly on the earth.”

Myers has partnered with the UST chapter of ECOS, the student environmental organization. Besides recycling, Myers hopes to include other green activities such as a tree-planting project and a rally for a Green Roof on campus.

“Students can get involved in saving natural resources as well as preventing unnecessary waste," Myers said. Every little bit counts and anyone person can make a difference.”

The recycling efforts on the UST campus will unfold as the world anticipates Pope Benedict XVI’s first address to the United Nations in the spring of 2008. He is expected to deliver a warning about climate change and move to adopt protection of the environment as a moral cause for the Catholic Church.

“The timing is exciting. To know that the groundswell of interest in environmental issues at the University of St. Thomas is in sync with Pope Benedict’s impressive efforts to promote environmental consciousness, not only from within the Catholic tradition, but also in dialogue with other religious traditions, puts our efforts into a much larger context,” Sr. Damien Marie said.

Nov. 15 has been designated as Recycling Day on the UST campus. It will be an opportunity to educate the University community about the program. ECOS will be handing out T-shirts and educational materials to anyone interested in the recycling program.

For more information about recycling, email recycling@stthom.edu or ecos@stthom.edu.