THE SPECTATOR
News
4
FEBRUARY 28, 2013
Improved recycling program sparks a greater sense of environmental awareness on campus
By Hannah Vivienne Thuroff
Op-Ed Editor Having made the transition into single stream recycling - meaning that paper, plastic, and glass no longer need to be separated before they are recycled - Lake Forest Academy was looking for the next thing they could do to promote the three Rs: reducing, reusing, and recycling. The school’s solution was individual recycling bins for each dorm room. As staff members are constantly looking for more ways to lower the school’s environmental impact,
every member of the community should be asking themselves, “Am I doing everything I can?” Over the past year, new black recycling bins have been added to nearly every academic and athletic building and the Ferry Hall dorm. Yet some dorms are still missing the appropriate bins to promote proper recycling. Atlass Hall, for example, has no recycling bins in the commons and only one recycling bin in each hall. Ferry Hall, on the other hand, has at least one recycling bin in each common area, as well
as a recycling bin in each study room and a recycling bin on each hall. Marshall Field House, McIntosh Cottage, and Warner House dorms also have recycling bins in the commons. Atlass boys admit that when hanging out in the commons they aren’t inclined to walk down the hall to recycle their bottles or wrappers when there is a regular waste bin much closer. Faculty and staff are aware that many teenage students look for practicality rather than efficiency so they are working to find the
most effective solutions to the most common problems. Right now, Mr. Tom Wenman, Director of Purchasing, and Dr. Kathleen Barton who teaches AP Environmental Science, are working to put small recycling bins in each dorm room. “We like to hear suggestions from students,” said Wenman. “Students know more about the campus and can tell us what works and what doesn’t, and what can be done to improve the system.” “Many boarders are too lazy
to walk to the recycling bin each time they finish a water bottle,” said senior Whitney Wright, “by having a recycling bin in my room, I only have to empty the bin once a week, along with my regular garbage.” While there are still some details that need to be sorted out, the idea is to make recycling as hassle-free as possible. The LFA community should feel a sense of pride about the steps taken to advocate a greener lifestyle and students need to remember that they are all part of this process.
Math department to move into Lower Corbin after renovations (Continued from page 1) student space with upper-end technology as well as IT and media support for students and faculty. Schwartz commented that the school “recognized the need to provide an active learning environment... The library has traditionally been a place where you go, you’re quiet, and you sit and work. We want students to collaborate and actively engage on some work, so we want to provide a space for that. For some students that’s a better learning environment. We want to give everybody a spot where they learn best.” Due to the renovations, Journalism and Computer Science will move into lower Korhummel. “I look foward to an exciting new space for the Journalism Program. We know have aproximately 10% of the students in the school working on the newspaper and we will make good use of our new room in Korhummel,” commented teacher Bill Murphy. Also, moving to lower Korhummel will be a locker room in
room 221. “There is going to be a locker spot there where there are lockers above and underneath a benchlike area with a bag drop,” according to Schwartz. That will be finished this summer. History teachers will also teach an occasional class in Lower Korhummel, due to the addition of a history office in Upper Korhummel. Some additional features to the building will be a new door on the opposite side of the building, closer to Cressey. There will be small areas for group work throughout the halls and a large conference room that could possibly be used as a classroom. Additionally, one classroom has a removable wall so there will be a larger area for presentations if needed. While the area is designed to look like Upper Korhummel there will be some differences. “We have learned a lot from Upper Korhummel, so the doors will be slightly different. It will have the same open feel, more natural light. We are going to cut windows down further,” shared Schwartz.
“We want students to collaborate and actively engage on some work, so we want to provide a space for that.” -Phil Schwartz
The blueprint above shows the plans for Lower Corbin next year.
Image courtesy of Phil Schwartz