Conversations about recycling, sustainability and energy conservation are becoming a huge topic amongst the current generation as we find out new information about the climate crisis, and VSU should not be an exemption from it.  

For decades, people have known that we were and are currently in a climate crisis with temperatures slowly rising, the ice caps melting and, of course, unnecessary trash polluting ecosystems. Since the news, countries have been implementing plastic bans and energy conservation laws.  

In order for big change, there must be small changes within the cities, especially in schools, by setting examples to growing minds so that they can make change for the future.  

At The Spectator, we think that VSU does a good job of having recycling bins in all the buildings. However, that’s where it seems to stop with the university.  

First off, the recycling bins aren’t as distinguishable as the regular trash bins, so students may not know that VSU offers recycling bins. This lack of knowledge can impact students by them not properly recycling. 

Let’s say that students do figure out which bins are recycling, and they decide to throw a plastic bottle into it, how are students supposed to know what happens afterward? Do they actually recycle what is in the bins or do they just throw it away with the regular trash?  

This also impacts students because it can give them a false sense of doing what they think is right.  

Secondly, there is a lack of advocating and advertisement for sustainable development and recycling at VSU.  

If there were better advertising, it could help the school bring in more money and could bring in more students to the school.  

At The Spectator, we think that there should be better advocacy for a recycling center and more advertising for recycling all together. The advertisement can range from a weekly newsletter to flyers to posting on social media.  

We believe that the university needs to be more open to their students about what they are doing to better the environment. Students should also be engaged with the university to work towards a better environment.  

This editorial reflects the general opinion of The Spectator.