C.V. RecyclersA small act, a big change

Fri, 02 May 2008 18:55:00 GMT

By Cynthia Castillo and Jessica Valdez

Ms. Tina Rimer, club avisor, places bottles and cans in the recycling bin.

Ms. Tina Rimer, earth science teacher, started a recycling program January 4, 2008, open to all students. Every Wednesday members of the program go to assigned classrooms and empty the recycling bins. They also go out on campus after sporting events and pick up bottles and cans to recycle. “Every Wednesday we go out to every class and we take out the bins with paper, bottles, and cans. I enjoy recycling,” says freshman Sergio Torres. “When I recycle I feel good because it helps clean the environment of the Coachella Valley, it also makes the air cleaner.” Meetings for the C.V. Recyclers take place every Thursday after school. Freshman Natalie Garcia, president, and sophomore Rudy Vega, vice-president, along with a group of 100 students from Ms. Rimer’s classes, talk about recycling and its importance. The group has also taken a field trip to a recycling center. “We went to recycle and we had twenty-one bags of cans and bottles,” says Rudy Vega. “We made $141.00 which we are saving for a field trip and we had fun!” “We want the world and the community to look good. That is why we recycle,” says President Natalie Garcia. Teachers have had a positive response to the program and have e-mailed Ms. Rimer telling her that it was a good idea that she started a recycling program. They are not the only ones that think it was a good idea, Mayor of Coachella, Eduardo Garcia, a graduate from C.V. in 1995, donated $1,000 to the program on behalf of the city of Coachella. A local recycling company also donated $500.00. What will the money be used for? “We are planning a field trip. We are not sure yet, but we are considering Universal Studios,” says Natalie Garcia, a member of the group. C.V. Recyclers want to remind everyone that most of the items of every day use are recyclable. For example: plastic, paper, oil, glass, metal, and aluminum among others. Did you know? …1 aluminum can takes 400 years to disappear … 1 aluminum can recycled provides 6 hours of T.V. power …For every ton of paper that is recycled the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.

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C.V. RecyclersA small act, a big change