Organization takes last jab at waste

As facts were read about the low percentage of waste recycled by the Las Vegas population, a small number of students surrounding the table validated every statement.

Biology major Ilonka Zlatar, 21, does outreach and recruitment for the Sierra Student Coalition on campus.  On Tuesday and Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Student Union courtyard, she and fellow group members hosted SSC’s last event of the semester.

“I started planning two weeks ago and with help from other members. We came up with ideas for the displays and what to sell,” Zlatar said.

The purpose of the event was to underscore just how much excessive waste must be reduced and just how easy it is.

This was done by means of the demonstrations presented at the SSC table.

One display was a week’s worth of trash representing one student’s on-campus fast food consumption.   Another was a weight-lifting challenge in which students were asked to lift 120 lbs. of bricks, the equivalent of about a month’s worth of trash.

To emphasize how a simple change in wasteful practices can be substantial, reusable water bottles and shopping bags were each sold for $1.

“None of the things we sold were for profit,” said Julia Higby-Naquini, a member of SSC visiting from Saint Louis University. “We were just trying to make it accessible for students to get these reusable things.”

Higby-Naquini mentioned that the recycling program at her college is significantly smaller than it is at UNLV.

With the holiday weekend approaching and the unpredictable weather, SSC faced tough conditions for the event.

“On Tuesday the event went better than the one on Wednesday because it wasn’t raining and people weren’t out of town for Thanksgiving,” Zlatar said.

SSC is filled with students that are passionate about having UNLV’s colors be scarlet, grey and green.

“Every little bit counts when trying to get people aware of their surroundings in terms of the environment,” said SSC member Aaron Bossack, 24, a political science major. 

The event was successful, and many students signed up for free set-up of recycling bins at their homes.  On Tuesday, four Greek houses signed up.

“There is a lot of interest and students want to do something about it but it’s hard to find people who really get into it,” Zlatar said.

ON THE WEB:

Sierra Student Coalition: unlvssc@gmail.com