YSU earned a better grade in recycling than it got

YSU earned a better grade in recycling than it got

EDITOR:

YSU’s recycling program is one of the best in Ohio — and possibly the nation. With two national awards from the U.S. EPA’s WasteWise program, recognition as the first university or college in Ohio to compost food waste, and a steadily increasing recycling rate, it is hard to believe that YSU received a D in the category of Food and Recycling on the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card (Vindicator, Oct. 7).

According to the Institute, the Food and Recycling category evaluates dining services policies, including recycling and composting programs in the dining hall(s). It also encompasses campus-wide recycling and composting. Although I cannot speak for YSU’s dining services regarding local, organic food and fair trade coffee, I know that YSU is recycling and composting heavily, and I have the numbers to prove it.

In 2007, YSU Recycling diverted over 544 tons of materials from entering the landfill. Among that, YSU recycled almost 414 tons of paper fiber, including magazines, newspapers, office paper and cardboard. Additionally, YSU recycled approximately 32 tons of cans and bottles, 11 tons of pallets, 11 tons of scrap metal, 27 tons of electronics and much more. YSU also composted over 25 tons of yard waste and 3.5 tons of food waste. YSU has also seen a 70 percent increase in recycling since the program was first implemented in 2000. YSU currently has a 42% recycling rate, which is better than most colleges and universities throughout the nation, and we have finished as one of the top 10 schools in the national RecycleMania competition in 2006 and 2008.

YSU Recycling continues to strive for excellence, with support from the Mahoning County Solid Waste District, by working with the students, faculty and staff to come up with innovative recycling projects to help create environmental awareness in the community.

DAN KUZMA

Manager, YSU Recycling

Youngstown

Suddenly we’re listening?

EDITOR:

The article about the baby doll that is allegedly promoting Islam really caught my attention. It was fascinating but brought some questions to my mind. Apparently the little girl has been happily playing with the doll since last February without problems. Why at this particular time does what the doll is supposedly saying become problematic?

Since the doll was probably manufactured in China, if something came out of the doll that sounded like Chinese, would it be thought to be promoting Buddhism? Would it be front page news?

Things that make me go, “hmmmm.”

FRANCES L. SINGLETON

Youngstown

Where is justice for all?

EDITOR:

Why is Bernie Adams who is black and killed a white girl sentenced to death, while Michael Davis who is white and killed six black people allowed to rot in prison for the rest of his life? It appears to me in the case of murder, Davis’s crime is much more severe than Adams. As a black man I am always questioning justice in this country relative to people of color.

While I believe both should share the ultimate punishment of death, I find it hard to understand why a decision was not reach by the jury for Davis. I don’t want to know that Davis is younger as a reason, I don’t want to know that Davis is white as a reason and in this country white on black crime is not punishable by death. But black on black crime and black on white crime most certainly brings the death sentence.

LANCE SMITH

Youngstown