Well-known beverage company, Coca-Cola, announced on December 2, 2024 that it will no longer use single-use plastic but instead increase the use of reusable packaging in its products worldwide.
“The core elements of the sustainability strategy are not some in parallel hobby or nice-to-have, they’re central elements to the business,” James Quincey, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Coca-Cola Co., said in a press conference earlier in December.
Coca-Cola plans to increase its use of recycled plastic by 30-35% globally to help reduce its environmental impact, particularly on the ocean. To achieve this, the company aims to decrease carbon emissions associated with plastic production, reduce reliance on virgin plastic, and promote a more circular economy where plastic is recycled and reused rather than continuously producing new plastic.
If a major corporation can make a consequential decision this far into its history, why should local entities not do the same as well?
“If other companies see that it is possible to reduce and recycle plastic easily then others will follow and people will start demanding responsible plastic,” science teacher and Club Green adviser Suzanne Burchaki said.
Currently, in the WEGO community, the school has taken some steps to reduce plastic waste, such as installing refillable water fountains and adding recycling bins to the lunchroom. However, these efforts are not enough. The school still falls short in several areas, as seen in issues like lunch plates—while made of paper, they become unrecyclable due to food stains—and the lack of clear signage to educate students and staff on proper recycling practices.
“We have the bins for it but we don’t really, you know, do the actual process of recycling. The school should actually follow through with their plan to recycle,” junior Emilio Guzman said.
Last year, it came to light that while recycling bins are available in each classroom, WEGO’s procedure is to empty them into regular garbage cans at the end of the day. This practice may seem to contradict the purpose of having the bins, but recycling comes with significant costs. Additionally, many students and staff may not realize that one of the biggest challenges is the strain it places on the custodial staff.
These logistical challenges may explain the current confusion surrounding the state of the program at WEGO.
“We started the recycling program last year, and as far as I know, it’s going well,” Director of Business Services Dan Oberg said. “Our custodial staff and Club Green work together to manage the recycling bins weekly. The main cost was the initial purchase of the bins and the additional labor for our custodial staff to handle the extra workload.”
As it turns out, however, Club Green is not currently managing the program this year due to a lack of volunteers and commitment.
“Right now, Club Green is not helping recycling. I tried last year’s second semester, but it was really difficult to get volunteers to stay after school and pick up the recycling in the commons and things like that. I want to do more, like, as a club, I really, really do, but I need more of students to buy in [and] help,”
Complications related to the way recycling is sorted were also to blame.
“I didn’t think when we were recycling, the times that we did do it, that there would be so much trash in the recycling. The kids really are just using those as a second trash bin. We really had to pick through and find the plastic bottles and stuff, especially the ones that were in the Commons,” Burchaki said.
Perhaps, then, there is room for improvement, and WEGO could follow Coca-Cola’s lead in reducing their carbon footprint, and bettering the environment.
Oberg noted the importance of reviewing the program to ensure its success: “We’re always looking for ways to improve operations and will review the recycling system to see if it’s working at its best capacity.”
If students want to start helping out the community, buying and using less plastic is a good way to start. Following proper recycling practices and avoiding mixing trash with recyclables can also make a big difference. These efforts would benefit the custodial staff, who already juggle extra labor to support recycling.
“By reducing our dependency on plastic, I feel like we are reducing the damage from plastic waste and taking little steps towards building a better future,” Guzman said.
