The next time you finish a piping hot Starbucks coffee and get ready to throw away the remains in one of the many trashcans on campus, take a moment to read the wording on the cup.
It says, “This cup was made with 10 percent post-consumer fiber” — meaning recycled materials were used in the manufacturing of this product.
The recycling process has four stages: recycling collection, pick-up, depot, and remanufacture. The post-consumer fiber Starbucks cup represents the final stage.
Most consumers understand the recycling process up until the recyclables are picked up. From there, lines begin to blur and understanding diminishes. Information can be hard to come by from each company involved in the process, but here are a few things to keep in mind.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority implemented a curbside recycling program in January 2009 on an “opt-in” basis. Through this program, ECUA, with the help of consumers, collects recyclable materials like newspapers, magazines, cardboard, boxboard, aluminum cans and plastic jugs.
According to the ECUA Web site, the basic rule of thumb of what can be recycled is, “If an item has the recycling symbol on it, except for polystyrene foam products or glass, and it is free of food residue, include it as a recyclable item and put it in your recycling container.”
Helen Wigersma, a local recycler and UWF interim dean of libraries, is not a part of this program because of residential location, but that doesn’t stop her from being a part of the recycling process.
“I feel very strongly about the environment,” Wigersma said. “I believe strongly in the fact that humans are ruining the world, and we need to be far more mindful of the stewardship
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