Starting in 2008, Mr. Richter helped start a student-led recycling program at the Greater Latrobe Senior High School. After stopping teaching Capstone, Richter, then a chemistry teacher, was approached by students about forming an Environmental Club so the school could continue recycling. The club used to recycle only paper, but about ten years ago, the program was expanded to include plastic, metal, and other materials.
“I’ve always been interested in being more environmentally friendly, so having an opportunity to share this interest with students was a natural progression,” Richter said.
“I joined the Environmental Club because I don’t think people understand how big a deal recycling truly is,” Treasure Lizzy Heitchue said.
Every year, Mr. Richter would tell his friends and colleagues about how the members of the Environmental Club are exceptionally nice students who care deeply about the environment. “If they didn’t care, then they wouldn’t stay after school once a week to collect recycling,” Richter claimed. Students meet every Wednesday in S201, talk about their goals for the day as well as the future, then split apart into groups and collect the bins throughout the high school. “Its not a glamorous job, but it is an important one,” Richter said.
The Environmental Club reduces Latrobe’s impact on the environment by allowing the club to send more materials to be recycled and less garbage to the landfill. In addition to the class recycling program, the club works with the technology department to recycle boxes used to transport new equipment, and also recycles old electronics that are no longer in use.
The main goal of the club is to have a clean recycling stream, where most of the materials in the bins are recyclable instead of being garbage. Some think that they can throw whatever they want into the recycling bins and someone else will sort it out. “Unfortunately, that is not the case,” Richter claimed.
If there is too much garbage in the recycling, the company hauling the recycling will take the entire load to the landfill instead of the recycling sorting facility. “If you are not sure if something is recyclable, then just throw it in the garbage,” Mr. Richter said.
Students can learn more about recycling by joining the club. The focus of the Environmental Club is on recycling, so the most important thing that students learn is what is recyclable and what is garbage. The club members learn why it is important to keep garbage out of the recycling bins and how materials are separated at the sorting facility. The club also has many conversations about the environment. “We’ve recently talked about why you should use a car wash instead of washing your car on the street to avoid adding more soap to our local streams and rivers,” Richter said.
Attending Kent State University Fashion Program, “I am aware that there is a fabric closet that is reused fabric scraps, and pieces from recyclable companies that donated their fabrics to Kent,” Hiethcue said.
Students being a part of the club can help show other students how to properly recycle. “Knowing what is recyclable and what is not is a huge factor because a lot of people think some things are recyclable when they’re not,” Hietchue said. Sometimes it is hard to keep up with what is recyclable because it changes over time. About ten years ago, the program accepted glass. Since then, the guidance has changed, and most programs no longer accept glass because it can damage the paper that is being recycled. To be better at recycling, students can read the flyers that are now posted in the classrooms and keep an eye out for recycling information that gets shown on the morning announcements.
“Our school’s program is very unique,” Environmental Club President Chase Demangone said. Latrobe only recycles #1 and #2 plastic bottles, accepts paper larger than the size of a credit card, and the club makes sure all the cardboard they collect is flattened.
The Environmental Club is currently working on a project to engage with students and improve the program by informing them in a fun and interactive way, but the club is also working on a fundraiser to help support the club. “We go on extremely fun field trips in the fall and spring to celebrate our hard work,” Demangone said. Past events, the club has gone to the Pittsburgh Zoo and on hikes, where they get to play fun games and cookout. Some of the fundraising also helps pay for the transportation to the adventures.
Recycling is very important to our community and environment. The students who help throughout the school help encourage recycling to other students in the school as well as teachers. Members of the club learn about what is and isn’t recyclable and the benefits of recycling. The club being organized and cleaning up the bins helps keep the community green and protects the natural resources.
