Science National Honors Society (SNHS) has taken a step in the right direction for the future of this earth. Headed by science teacher, Brandon Swope, SNHS funded and placed brand new recycling bins into each classroom on Marco Island Academy’s campus. 

Each recycling bin was accompanied by a sheet of paper designed by senior, Grace Fields, where recycling rules are listed, such as what does and doesn’t belong in the bins. Junior, Lily Braun, created a schedule for recycling pick-up, where the members of SNHS are assigned a hallway to empty recycling bins once a week during lunch. 

On average, a student produces half to 1 pound of waste per day, meaning that with a population of 213 students, not including staff, Marco Island Academy generates 107 pounds of waste at the very least each day. The placement of these new bins will hopefully play a role in reducing Marco Island Academy’s waste as a whole. 

However, the success of the new bins will depend on our school’s student population and if everything gets disposed of as it should. In 2018, it was found that 91% of plastic isn’t recycled, mostly due to contamination between trash and recycling materials that cannot be processed or sorted at recycling facilities. 

At this point, the resources have been laid down for the students of Marco Island Academy to be able to properly dispose of their waste.  In Mr. Swope’s own words of encouragement for students, “It’s important to recycle to be a good steward of the planet because our small actions add up to a greater good”. All that’s left to do is to incorporate “reduce, reuse and recycle” into our daily lives and watch as we contribute to lowering waste around the globe.