Despite their small membership
and low funding, the
Bucks Eco-Club has high
expectations for 2011.
The Bucks Eco-Club, which
meets every Tuesday, aims to
promote awareness of simple
things you can do to protect the
ecological system on our campus,
in our community and for
the world.
Currently, the group has a
battery-recycling bin outside
of the Student Life office for
all non-rechargeable batteries.
Dominic McGraw, the club’s
adviser, says most people do
not realize their batteries at
home should not be thrown
away, even though it is clearly
stated on battery packaging.
Once the bin is filled, the club
sends it back to Battery
S o l u t i o n s
(batteryrecycling.com) for
proper disposal.
This semester, the Eco-Club
plans to take advantage of the
empty greenhouse at the college’s
Newtown campus and
plant an organic garden. The
fresh herbs and vegetables
would be available to the culinary
program at Newtown,
which would cut down their
spending.
The club is excited for spring
and fall weather, which is perfect
for the greenhouse, but the
hot summer and cold winter
could bring a host of problems.
The uninhabited greenhouse
does not have a ventilation system
that would keep the greenhouse
at a suitable temperature
and the expensive system is
not available to the club without
more funding.
To gain funding for projects
such as the greenhouse, the
Eco-Club is always looking for
new ideas. In the past the club
has set up bake sales, but to
earn larger amounts of money
the club will have to think bigger.
Currently, the club is brainstorming
ideas for the Pepsi
Refresh Project, an organization
that awards grants to people
who have an idea to make
the world a better place. With
the April deadline approaching,
the club must think of a
big idea soon.
Thinking of the next big idea
is somewhat difficult with a
small group like the Eco-Club.
The club’s president, Nick
Dampman, a 19-year-old cinema/
video production major
from Langhorne, says that it’s
hard to get students involved
with clubs on campus since
students are tempted to go
home rather than stay for club
meetings.
To get the word out about the
Eco-Club and environmental
awareness, members are setting
up booths for Earth Day
(April 20) and the country
themed Spring Fling (April
28).
Throughout the semester the
Eco-Club will head campus
clean ups, collecting litter from
the parking lots and campus
paths. Last year, the club collected
over half a bag of cigarette
butts alone.
The club will also be
involved in helping the college
with Recycle Mania, which
rewards the schools with the
best trash/recycle percentage
with funding. This year the
eight-week competition started
on Feb. 6 and involves 630
schools across the country.
To get involved with the
Bucks Eco-Club, you can meet
the group on Tuesdays at 11
a.m. in room 7 of Student Life
(located across from the cafeteria),
friend them on
Facebook at Bucks Eco-Club
(BCCC Main Campus) or contact
McGraw at 215-968-8108
or [email protected].