The environment is a prominent topic in the news these days, and anything that we can do, big or small, can be beneficial. Recycling all your paper and plastic at home and at school is a good start. But recently at Hollis Brookline High School, we have hit a recycling roadblock. 

A majority of the recycling bins have been removed from classrooms, and currently there is virtually no way to recycle at school. To some, this may have gone unnoticed, but for the many teachers and students passionate about the environment, this is a huge problem. In a world where the treatment of the environment is being constantly addressed, it’s hard not to wince when trashing your paper and plastic. 

Abby Tighe ‘20 wasn’t happy with the recent disappearance of the recycling bins in the classrooms. “I think that everyone these days is going green, and it seems like we are moving backwards due to circumstances that could be controlled,” Tighe said. She spoke about how she wants the opportunity to recycle again, but is unsure of the solutions that could make that happen; and she isn’t the only student who feels this way.

“I have seen a lot of kids come into classrooms looking for recycling bins and they then have to put them [water bottles] in the trash. I’ve seen it happen multiple times, and I think it’s a wasted opportunity to make a small difference,” said Kathryn Fry ‘20.

Fry thinks people should be given the opportunity to recycle if they want to. If people feel really passionate about the environment, they should be given the choice to make a change if it can be a functional change, which is exactly what HB is looking for.

Although students may see it as a problem with an easy solution, resorting back to the previous system just isn’t an option right now.

“We are short custodial staff, and have been for a really long time. It has put a strain on things in all aspects, so one area where we know we can alleviate some of the strain is by not having the recycling,” said Principal Rick Barnes.

Because the recycling wasn’t being properly taken care of,  it made more sense to remove the bins at the time. But their removal is just a temporary fix. Administration has reached out to Green Group to come up with new ideas to reinstate recycling, as well as the possible creation of a new club dedicated solely to recycling. So while we aren’t recycling right now, the hope is to have it back up and running in the near future. 

According to Less is More, the waste produced in schools is approximately 80% recyclable. So if you are passionate about the environment, gather your friends and your ideas and help HB get back to being green!