Lara Glauber
SC105
January 23, 2005
Topic: Recycling on college campuses
General Purpose: To persuade
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that more must be done to promote
recycling on this campus.
Thesis Statement: As college students and future leaders of tomorrow, we have a moral
obligation to take it seriously. We have a moral obligation to recycle, thus ensuring a
healthy environment for ourselves and future generations.
Trash, Trash Everywhere!
Introduction:
I.
November 15th, 2004 -- America Recycles Day. President George Bush
encouraged participation by issuing a proclamation. He stated “America Recycles
Day, we reaffirm our commitment to preserving our resources and recycling. Our
country produces more than 200 million tons of municipal solid waste -- approximately 4 pounds of waste per person per day. Recycling diverts millions
of tons of material away from landfills and incinerators.” He called on the
American people, on us, to observe this day with appropriate programs and
activities.
A.
B.
Many answered the call.
1.
In Atlanta, Staples partnered together with a local community to
sponsor a national campaign to collect old computer equipment.
2.
A Chicago group launched a nation wide informational campaign
to encourage consumers to close the recycling loop by continuing
to recycle and buy recycled products.
3.
While a San Francisco group will sponsor “It All Comes Back to
You” as its national campaign to show consumers that materials
can return to them as recycled products.
Missourians got involved as well.
1.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported how St. Louis University,
Washington University, and the City of St. Louis sponsored “Give
it Back” collecting discarded computers, appliances, electronics,
and batteries as well as normally recycled materials at four
convenient locations in the St. Louis area.
2.
Truman State University had a similar program to collect
recyclables which unfortunately often get thrown away.
a.
3.
II.
On our campus—well—America Recycles Day went unnoticed;
the day came and went just like any other.
Our neglect of that day only illustrates how out of touch we have become since
our campus initiated its recycling program in the fall of 2001.
A.
III.
The main goals of their program were to educate students
about the necessity of recycling and about the items that
can be recycled on campus.
What do you know about it?
1.
To what extent have you been informed?
2.
To what extent have you been encouraged to participate?
As college students and future leaders of tomorrow, we have a moral obligation to
take it seriously.
A.
We have a moral obligation to recycle; recycling will help ensure a
healthy environment for ourselves and future generations.
B.
Today I will inform you about the benefits of recycling and the ways you
can help. First let’s examine why there is a moral obligation to care about
the environment.
Body:
I.
Many of us do not realize the horrific effect our species is having on the earth.
A.
According to Dr. David Orr, a professor at Oberlin College and a pioneer
of environmental literacy and campus ecology, today alone we will lose
145 square miles of rain forest which is about an acre and a half every
second.
B.
We will lose another 72 square miles of vegetation to encroaching deserts
lessening our supply of clear, healthy air.
C.
Today between 40 and 250 species, mostly in the rain forests of the world,
will become extinct.
1.
D.
They grow extinct while the human population will increase by a
quarter of a million.
Ironically, more humans there are actually causes us to move closer to
extinction because of our environmentally unhealthy habits.
1.
Today we will add 2,700 tons of chlorofluorocarbons and 15
million tons of carbon to the atmosphere.
a.
(transition)
II.
The outlook is really not as bleak as it may seem. We are smart
enough to detect the problem, and smart enough do something about it.
Simple things like recycling really can make a difference.
The impact recycling will have on the environment is monumental.
A.
According to a report released by the White House Task Force on
Recycling, the impact that recycling will have on the environment is
monumental, if we recycle merely a third of what we currently throw
away, we will make quite an impact.
1.
We will conserve enough landfill space to serve the combined
cities of Dallas and Detroit for over 92 years.
2.
We will save enough energy equivalent to fueling 6 million homes
a year.
3.
We will reduce global warming emissions equivalent to taking 36
million cars off the road.
4.
Recycling, in any amount, helps conserve resources for our
children's future.
(transition)
III.
Tonight the earth will be a little warmer, and we will all be
a little closer to extinction.
a.
You can see what recycling a just third would do.
b.
Just think if we developed even better habits and a stronger
commitment!
The time to commit is now, and we can help effect a change.
College students around the country have shown we can have a huge impact.
A.
Students at Michigan State are a prime example.
B.
1.
Students at Michigan State University sent a petition to each
member of the Board of Trustees demanding that students be given
the opportunity to recycle in their dorms
2.
The petition had thousands of signatures on it.
3.
Within three months, every dorm had recycling services.
Students at Dartmouth have also raised awareness on this issue.
1.
For one week, over 100 students at Dartmouth College carried
their trash with them in clear trash bags.
2.
They did so to demonstrate the large amount of waste college
students produce, in just one week.
3.
They illustrated just how much of that waste could have been
recycled had that opportunity existed.
4.
They successfully raised awareness about the need for recycling
services on campus and in dorms.
(transition) Those are just a couple of examples of the differences college
students have made in the realm of recycling programs on their
campuses. We can make a difference on this campus. Let’s
consider the opportunities.
IV.
We can better promote and utilize existing programs.
A.
For starters, make a personal commitment.
1.
2.
You can properly utilize the bins already in existence.
a.
Currently, trash and other non recyclable items are mixed
in with the recyclables thus contaminating the entire bin.
b.
You can make sure you use them properly.
You can collect recyclables in your room until you take them a
nearby recycling bin.
a.
Many of the residence halls have these available on the first
floor.
3.
B.
In addition to a personal commitment, get your friends or your student
groups involved.
1.
(transition)
V.
Take advantage of the other opportunities to recycle in the
community, such as utilizing Cape Girardeau’s recycle drop-off
center on Kingshighway near the Themis intersection.
There is no reason why we cannot do something like the students
at Michigan State or Dartmouth.
If the university sees students making an effort to recycle,
they will also take the issue of waste management seriously.
We can work to improve overall recycling at Southeast.
A.
For any large scale impact to occur, the university must recognize the
problems plaguing its current recycling programs.
1.
2.
The current recycling program in the dormitories is almost
nonexistent.
a.
Collecting and hauling off is done by a small group of
student volunteers.
b.
There are a few recycling bins in Tower North purchased
by Student Government.
c.
There are also some bins on the first floor of several other
halls which were supplied by the university.
d.
Unfortunately, the bins that we do have are poorly labeled
and often contaminated with garbage.
The recycling program in the academic buildings is just as
deplorable.
a.
They have poorly identified bins which as noted earlier, are
frequently contaminated with garbage, and occasionally the
bins will disappear all together.
b.
Entire hallways have no trash cans such as in Grauel
Building.
c.
The recycling bins then become their dump sites.
B.
C.
This university must make a clear effort to improve the recycling program
on campus, and here are a few initial steps our administrators can take.
1.
They should provide recycling bins on every floor in every
building on campus.
2.
They should provide clear markings to facilitate the disposal of the
proper material in the proper bin.
3.
They should place trash cans next to the bins to lessen
contamination.
4.
They should provide an ongoing informational campaign to
educate students, staff, and faculty about the necessity of
protecting the environment through recycling and how our campus
program works.
To be successful, the recycling program must be a partnership
between the students and the administration and involve everyone on
campus. We all must be environmentally literate.
Conclusion:
I.
As college students and future leaders of tomorrow, we have a moral obligation to
take it seriously. We have a moral obligation to recycle, helping ensure a healthy
environment for ourselves and future generations.
A.
We must realize the greater implications of our actions when it comes to
making the effort to recycle.
B.
We must join in and even lead the effort to make recycling a priority on
this campus, and set an example to larger community as well.
C.
This November, we must see, as a campus, the necessity in celebrating
America Recycles Day.
D.
Next fall we can continue to look the other way while only a few recycling
bins on campus actually function as intended.
E.
We can continue to look the other way as tons of our recyclables are
trucked 60 miles to a landfill.
F.
Or, we can pledge to recycle, reaping its various benefits for ourselves and
future generations. Anything less would be irresponsible.
Bibliography
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Ching, Raymond, and Gogan, Robert. “Campus Recycling: Everyone Plays a
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and David Orr. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, Spring 1992.
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