Making recycling easy and necessary

Every time I throw an apple core or eggshells in my garbage disposal, I feel a small tinge of guilt. Like many green-minded Madison college students, I know these scraps carry valuable nutrients and can be composted. And like many, I have no clear idea how to go about doing it, and I suspect it would take a great deal of effort and inconvenience. So I continue throwing them away.

When recycling was a new concept, it took awhile before it caught on and few did it at first. But now recycling bins are nearly as ubiquitous as garbage cans, and even my grandparents see the value of the practice. What I hope to achieve is to start make composting just as natural—and as easy—as recycling.

Today, it’s generally frowned upon to throw away something that is recyclable, since it’s just as easy to throw the can or bottle into the proper bin as into the garbage. But the same social consensus does not exist around composting—in part because many don’t realize the importance or how to go about doing it. Being conscientious simply isn’t as convenient in this area, although there are efforts in Union South and Grainger Hall to address this.

I want to attack this problem in several steps:

First, I want to research the effects of throwing away compostable material on the environment. Is it really a big deal if biodegradable things end up in the landfill? What impact does composting really have? If people clearly understand the benefits and consequences, they may be more likely to take action.

Next, I want to research the initiatives already in place at the UW and elsewhere in Madison. What is working, and what isn’t? What are the main challenges in getting people to compost? What drives people to do it or not do it? It’s important not to reinvent the wheel, and careful research will allow me to identify the practices that should be altered and those that should be built on.

Thirdly, I want to provide people with practical information on how to compost in Madison. I want to give instructions on how to go about composting if you live in an apartment or if you have a bit of land for a compost bin. I want to give a map of the places where you can bring biodegradable waste, as well as the businesses and UW buildings that are currently composting.

When I’m finished researching why we should compost, what composting initiatives are working well, and how Madisonians can go about doing it, I want to give my findings to various student groups, such as F.H. King and Slow Food, as well as any other local sites that address sustainability issues. The key here is empowering people with information, and working to build a social consensus that composting is valuable and should be emphasized.