Volume 124 Issue 111
kansan.com
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012
PAGE 17
ENVIRONMENT
University makes recycling easier for students
Recycling bins can be found in every building across campus. The bins provide an easy way for students to recycle several different types of materials without having to go out of their way to do it.
AVALON COLE
TYLER ROSTE/KANSAN
acole@kansan.com
Recycling may seem like a difficult task students avoid because they don't feel like dealing with the hassle. What most do not know is that reducing, reusing, and recycling is easier than it seems. There are thousands of ways you can start, right in your own apartment.
Aileen Dingus, the program coordinator at the Environmental Stewardship Program, suggests starting by sorting your recyclable materials using 8-pound tote bins. She said the bins cost about three dollars and come in different colors so it is easy to distinguish where to put each material. For example aluminum cans can be put in a blue bin, paper in a red pin, plastic in a green bin, and glass in a yellow bin.
"We provide an excellent recycling facility located on west campus in the Park and Ride lot where it is free for students to recycle just about any type of material," Dingus said.
She also said that there are over 1,000 places to dispose of your recycling right on campus. All the locations are listed on the organization's website, http://www.recycleku.edu/bin_locations/buildings.shtml
Simply go to the website, select the building of your choice, and it will direct you to the spot where you can recycle the materials you have.
"We try to make it as convenient as possible."
"Students can recycle according to which building they have classes in," Dingus said.
Nick Benson, the Crew Leader of the Environs Club, said that another easy way to start is just by reducing what you use in small ways. Environs is a KU student organization that promotes environmental awareness and encourages sound environmental practices within the university and in the community of Lawrence.
"Take your own water bottle instead of buying bottled water, cut down on drinking soda, or bring your own shopping bag to the grocery store." Benson said. "It is as simple as using a butter container as Tupperware."
Benson also suggests making a weekly recycling plan with your roommates. He said to designate one person each week to drop off the recycling on campus, at the Park and Ride facility, or even at Wal-Mart when you do your grocery shopping.
Aside from recycling, almost anything you find at home is reusable. Sydney Piles, a sophomore from Lawrence, said that she grew up recycling and feels guilty if she throws away a can or water bottle that can be used again.
"Iused an old tomato soup can as a pencil holder instead of buying one," Piles said. "Reusing items around your house not only contributes to a cleaner environment but it also saves money."
Dingus said that almost anything can be reused. She recommends the book Tin Can by Bobby Hanson, which is full of cool designs,
and useful objects that can be created using recyclable items.
"We divert over 42,000 pounds of material from the waste stream every two weeks. That's equivalent to 82 elephants of waste per year that we keep out of the ocean, landfills, and the water supply that you drink." Dingus said.
Think twice next time you are about to throw
away a can or bottle because chances are there's a recycling bin less than a few feet away. Each item you recycle counts.
"Keeping the environment clean is a lot easier than students think," Benson said.
Edited by Katie James
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Egan pointed out that straight people can fairly accurately deter-
Advocates have been optimistic about the trend and the possible reduction of prejudice, but Egan explored several problems with the hypothesis and its conclusion. Data gathered in polls and studies does not fully examine the factors that might make a person more likely to have a relationship with a gay person, which can produce biased data.
or family member who is gay positively affects a person's views about people who are gay.
But the biggest problem is disclosure. Most research on the contact hypothesis doesn't consider whether or not the gay friend, co-worker or family member actually said they were gay or if it was assumed.
Jake Longraker, a graduate student in political science from Desoto, said Egan's research was very current and showed the dramatic attitude shifts regarding gays and lesbians. It's a topic that he explores in his own research of LGBT communities in Latin America.
Research also shows that in the time between freshman and senior year, students generally become more tolerant of gays and lesbians, Egan said.
"My guess is that when students first come to college, it's often the first time they encounter a gay or lesbian person who acknowledges their identity," Egan said. "By every indication, that should be a pretty powerful predictor and changer of attitudes."
"Knowing what the attitudes
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
Patrick J. Egan, Assistant Professor of Politics and Public Policy at New York University, delivers a lecture called "Frontiers in Research on Attitudes Among and About Gay People," at Watson Library Tuesday afternoon. The lecture was part of the Clifford P. Ketzel Speaker Series for the Expression of Minority Opinions.
are of people, and how you can improve the situation so that you can make those positive changes and you can make changes in laws, is important," Longraker said.
Donald Haider-Markel, chair of the Political Science department, said Egan's presentation was part of a lecture series featuring controversial speakers. Egan's presentation was controversial not only because it discussed gays and lesbians, but also because it challenged the common understanding of how the contact hypothesis applies to the LGBT community. Although the lecture series hasn't been going on in recent years, he hopes to make it an annual event.
Edited by Christine Curtin
public broadcasting network. The Colbert Report also ran a clip about it, according to C. J. Janovy, director of communications at KU Medical Center. "This is obviously a topic of wide interest," Janovy said.
For over a decade, Tash and collaborators developed a compound that blocks sperm production and was originally part of a cancer treatment. The side effects from this included infertility.
The term "infertility" may seem scary, but if men are taking the pill and decide they want to conceive, they just stop taking the pill.
"It's not only 100 percent effective, but 100 percent reversible, which is the holy grail of a contraceptive," Tash said.
The drug has seen effectiveness and safety in testing in mice, rabbits and most recently, primates. The animal testing has also shown the offspring produced by former users
LEE/KANSAN
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paring for its FDA to begin will begin in the length of wal is unclear, on-hormonal
we paving new DA", Tash said. graduate stu Camaroon, is researching on disrupting sperm development as another form of non- hormonal male contraceptive. While Agbor's work is still preparing for animal testing, Agbor sees the importance of increased options for male contraceptives.
"By producing more male birth control, it's going to help males contribute to family planning." Agbor said.
The development of these drugs could potentially impact the world, said Tash. Tash cited that half of all pregnancies are unplanned and in the US, half of those unplanned pregnancies occurred while under supposed use of contraceptives. Tash recently presented to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation as an expert in contraception.
"The simpler a contraceptive is to use, the more desirable and easy it is to distribute and use." Tash said.
CLASSIFIEDS 7
CROSSWORD 4
CRYPTOQUIPS 4
OPINION 5
or contents, unless stated otherwise; © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Edited by Bre Roach
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