Rollins College students make 'Mount Trashmore' of recyclables

Recyclables pile part of effort to reduce carbon footprint

September 1, 2010|By Jon Busdeker, Orlando Sentinel

Rollins College student Katie Powell shoved her hand into the trash can and started to dig.

"That's so gross," the 21-year-old sociology major said.

Undeterred, Powell kept digging, hoping to find plastic bottles, cereal boxes, newspapers or anything else that could have been recycled.

Tuesday night, Powell and about a dozen other Rollins College students collected recyclable materials for a display dubbed "Mount Trashmore." To create the display, students rummaged through dormitory trash bins for recyclable materials and collected them into a pile. The idea is to show other students how much of their trash could have been kept out of the landfill.

The pile will be on display near the Olin Library through the end of the week. The materials will then be recycled.

The "Mount Trashmore" display, sponsored by several eco-friendly campus groups, is part of a weeklong series of events called the "No Impact Experiment." This week, students are learning to reduce their carbon footprint by turning off lights, riding bicycles and volunteering.

Biochemistry major Megan Frederick, 20, helped organize the event.

"It's all about raising awareness," Frederick said. " Education is the biggest thing. People don't realize they are the ones who can make a difference."

Jon Busdeker can be reached at or 407-420-6226.

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