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OPINION
| UPDATED April 23
Editorial/our view
Earth Sense
Compost program just one more
sign university is environmentally sound
Thousands will participate in Earth Day
celebrations across the nation today. On campus the numbers may
be smaller, but the spirit is the same.
Two events today — a plant sale and an educational lunch —
will complement the launch of an on-campus pilot program that aims
to reduce the use of chemicals on campus plant life.
The Environmental Health and Safety Office has teamed with Arlington
Master Composters, a local composting firm, to create a compost
station near campus (see story, page 1). Campus officials also hope
to save money on landscaping. The compost area is in a vacant lot
off Summit Avenue.
The university will monitor the area until November to see how the
project pans out.
UTA is already known for being economical environmentally. The university
boasts a hefty part of the city’s paper recycling efforts.
Several groups on campus, including the Phi Sigma Society of Biology,
plan special events to help the environment. The society is selling
plants today and Thursday to promote Earth Day. The university itself
is promoting the day through music, a luncheon and spreading the
word about the compost site.
The effort to be a more earth-friendly campus is a national trend
into which many universities are buying. With more and more experts
driving the point home that today’s trash is tomorrow’s
problem, students are recognizing that they can do something about
it.
While the efforts we have made so far have far exceeded some other
higher education institutions, we can do more. University officials
should consider placing receptacles for other recyclable materials,
such as plastic bottles or aluminum cans, in more areas on campus.
They are currently on several of the mall areas on campus, but offices
on campus can generate just as much recyclable materials. Also,
the campus community should take do its part by using these facilities.
It is important that we utilize the on-campus compost site so that
we can expand it.
UTA can only continue to do its part if all components of the university
pull together.
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Editorial
round-up
The issue:
The Environmental Health and Safety Office is partnering
with a local composting firm to test an environmentally
sound program.
Our stance: UTA is already an environment-conscious
campus; this is another step in the right direction.
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