an atrocity.

9:45PM.

Almost time to go home. Looking forward to a little hot cocoa and some senseless reality TV to help me wind down from a long and arduous day of work at Talbott Library. But before I close up for the night to get home to Project Runway, I have to do one more thing. Count the paper.

I walk over to the receptacle area (as it is affectionately known), and empty the recycling bin of its contents. 61 pieces of paper mistakenly copied and thrown in the recycling bin. To my delight, 7 of those pages are an article I had been wanting to read, so I keep it–my own little contribution to saving the world. I begin to walk away with a new sense of fulfillment.

That’s when I saw it…

Hokey, Owlbert, Wayne and Slim with Special Guest in: “Thanksgiving Special”

Hokey, Owlbert & Wayne in: “Hot Diggity Dog”

A note on Paper Waste for Tues., 11/13/07

Before we close in the evenings, Talbott Library’s night staff count the paper left at the printing station and in the recycling bin. They then indicate this amount to me for statistical purposes. In the vein of “This is Just to Say”, this note was on my desk this morning.

Hokey and Owlbert in: “On Patrol”

Talbott Library’s Printing Station Sign

Below is a sign we hung up at Talbott Library’s printing station.

Waster of the Week

Yesterday the paper waste that occurred in Talbott Library was deplorable. 100 blank pages were collected from the printing station and 94 from the trash & recycling receptacles. The award for waster of the week, however, goes to the picture below. This document was photocopied 42 times and then thrown away. Hang your head in shame, waster.

environment 101: a refresher course

Okay, kids. Let’s take a little trip down memory lane to Environmental Science. How much do you remember from those glory days of middle school?

Recall the Four R’s…

1) Refuse (don’t use)
2) Reduce (use less)
3) Reuse (use the same thing over and over again)
4) Recycle (make new products from material)

ringing a bell?? 

Sustainability and Resources.

Our existence depends on energy and materials derived from the sun and earth.

Energy from the sun = solar capital. Earth materials (air, water, soil, wildlife, minerals, habitats, surface processes) = earth or natural capital. A sustainable society lives off this capital without depleting it. Once capital is used up our existence is imperiled.

Can we sustain our present population? What about twice our present population? Can we increase everyone’s standard of living? Can we sustain ever-larger populations with ever-higher standards of living without running out of earth capital? What is the human carrying capacity of the earth?

One of the determining factors in answering these questions is how much natural resources we have to support our lives and societies.

Hokey and Owlbert in: “Litter Patrol”

Paper Waste Occuring at Talbott Library

Two clearly labeled bins…

…but look at this rubbish behavior.