Global Stewardship Begins at Home: An Analysis
of Existing Stewardship Practices and Policies at Bethel College
Robert Kistler
Department of Biological Sciences
Nancy Doebbeling, Renee Owens, Erin Biehn, Jennifer Ammermann,
Peter Coleman,Chad Morton, Ben Ramaker
Environmental Studies Program
Ardith Lindahl
Manager of Building Services
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Introduction
This project gathered data on the effectiveness of existing
and potentialenvironmental policies and programs at Bethel College to enable
policy makers,planners, administrators, faculty, staff, and students to
develop sound,data based decisions on how to best steward the natural resources
that havebeen entrusted to us by our Creator. The primary goal of the project
wasto first develop a multi-part case study of how a small community (BethelCollege)
has benefited from waste reduction and also contributed to localand global
stewardship (links of resource use and waste production commonlyoverlooked).
A secondary goal was to guide change toward more stewardlyuse of resources,
by Bethel College corporately and its members individually,based upon a
sound local data base. |
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How Well Does Bethel
Recycle?
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Methods
The effectiveness of our recyclingprogram in both academic
buildings (Doebbeling 1996) and student housing(Coleman 1996) and knowledge
of community perceptions about solid waste(Owens 1996) were examined to
provide an initial data base needed for goodresource management. These
studies worked closely with several on campusoffices and with groups of
students and faculty to assess attitudes andpractices related to resource
management in offices, common areas, and studenthousing. |
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Results
A three sample analysis of the waste
and recycling of several campusoffices is represented by data from the
Campus Ministries Office. Perhaps because a diversity of staff and students
work out of thisoffice, a significant amount of recyclable paper was thrown
into the wastebin and also a significant amount of contaminants were thrown
into the recyclingbin. Finally, waste and recycling bins were examined
in several sites onthree different days. The majorsource of material in
the paper recycling bins was paper from junkmail,campus memos, and returned
student assignments although a significant numberof contaminants were also
present. The waste bins located adjacent to therecycling bins studied also
contained a significant amount of paper thatcould have been recycled. |
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Conclusions
The greatest area for potential improvement in resource management
lies in the student residences. The recycling program has not expanded
as rapidlyor become as convenient in housing as it has in the academic
areas. Mostresidences only have recycling either in the lobbies or outside
the residences.Coleman (1996) concluded that Bethel College could save
around $2500 annuallysimply by implementing a better in-residence recycling
system based uponmaximal student convenience. Furthermore, a major problem
for the overallrecycling program is a lack of participation and a lack
of recycling andresource literacy. If an education program was begun, modeled
well in theresidences, and emphasized by student development staff as well
as by physicalplant, then the success of the entire recycling program could
be significantly improved. |
References
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Coleman, P. M. O. 1996. Effect of In-Residence Recycling
on the Gross WasteOutput for Bethel College. Senior Thesis, Bethel College,
St. Paul, MN.
Doebbeling, N. 1996. A case study of the Effectiveness
of Bethel College'sPaper Recycling Program. Senior Research
Owens, R. S. 1996. Solid Waste at Bethel College: Sociological
Perceptionsof Students, Staff, and Faculty. Senior Thesis, Bethel College,
St. Paul,MN.
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Kistler, R. A. et al. 1996. Global Stewardship Begins at
Home: An Analysis of Existing Stewardship Practices and Policies at Bethel
College. [Online] Available www.bethel.edu/Faculty_Projects/Kistler/Kistler.html
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