News

A petition pledging Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students to recycle and requiring more from administration regarding sustainability goals was presented Friday by members of SIUE’s Student Organization for Sustainability (SOS).  

SIUE Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Narbeth Emmanuel received the petition, totaling 1,185 signatures.

“I, ... hereby commit to engaging in sustainable practices and to become more knowledgeable about sustainability and the consequences of my actions,” read part of the petition. “In particular, I commit to the practice of recycling – to doing all I can to reduce the amount of materials entering the landfill and to increase the amount of material being re-used and recycled.

“I hereby call on the administration at SIUE to take bold steps toward achieving specific measurable goals in recycling, and for all students, faculty and staff to support recycling efforts on campus.”   

Some students currently recycle, but there is a need for many more to do so, said Brooke Kottkamp, SOS president.

“We expect the petition to be one more thing to help raise awareness and participation in recycling,” Kottamp said.

The recycling petition will be well received by the administration, Emmanuel said.

“We need to recognize and commend SOS for the initiative to promote sustainability,” Emmanuel continued. “SOS provides powerful leadership to a very important initiative that helps students understand the critical need for sustainability.”  

Photo:

SIUE Students for Sustainability (SOS) present its petition of 1,185 names. Pictured from left to right: Michelle Miller, SOS vice president; SIUE Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Narbeth Emmanuel, Wolf-Mark Veverka, SOS past president; Lauren Rekowski, secretary; and Rebekah Bartholomew, SOS member.