Student gets campus recycling program started at U of D Mercy

By Robin Schwartz
FOX 2 News Reporter

DETROIT -- It was recently move in day at the University of Detroit Mercy, not for students, but for a mountain of brand new recycling bins.

Student athletes did the honors, volunteering the manpower and the muscle to deliver bins to every residence hall.  Until now, students had no place to recycle cardboard, paper, plastic, and cans, and that bothered tennis player Raina Halabi of Canada. (pictured above)

"It like literally breaks my heart to throw away recyclables and hear there wasn't like a good system in place," she said.

Halabi went to the facilities department her freshman year and started the push for an on campus recycling program.  After several semesters of meetings and a Facebook message rallying student support, the pilot program was finally unveiled.  Now the bins are in common areas on every floor of every residence hall.

"It's just something I'm passionate about, and it's something that I think is worth investing my time in," Halabi said.  "Hopefully it works out nicely."

It took several years to get the project going, in part because disposing of recyclables had to be added to the contract for housekeeping employees.  Now its up to the students to change their habits and fill up those bins.

"After being here four years and there's no recycling program implemented, it's definitely nice seeing students and definitely student athletes taking charge of their university, giving back, making it a better place," said soccer player Nina Carter.

The athletes are urging their classmates to join this green team effort and help score some points for the planet in the process.