MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: DR.

DIANA NATALICIO JAMAL ASAD, JOSE PEREZ, NOE VILLA, JOSE CORTEZ UTEP RECYLCING PROPOSITION OCTOBER 22, 2013

The UTEP Centennial year is fast approaching and it is a complete excitement for all the students attending or associated with the university. Changes are taking place as we speak and the University of Texas at El Paso is only getting bigger and better. A University with the credentials of having 100 years under its belt is no accident. The reason for having such longevity is a positive image, great learning environment, great teachers, staff, and contributions of fellow students. The student committee at UTEP would love to be part of the centennial year that is fast approaching. We feel that implementing a recycling program will continue the trend of having a positive and great clean university. Having a green University is not just for a positive image. It can play a major factor in the environment, students economic standpoint, and energy efficiency. An organized green program would create jobs exclusively for students who are in need, would reduce overall cost on the university, and would make the environment a better and cleaner place. We would love to thank you for taking the time in considering our green program idea. It is an important historic year and implementing a positive green program would only follow the tradition of The University of Texas at El Paso. Importance: In the past 10 years recycling has been integrated as a part of life in the United States. It is the responsibility of everyone to recycle and help facilitate for a better environment in your community. The idea of adapting a recycling program can have major effects on a very simple plan. Maybe one might have doubts and questions if recycling is important. Why should we recycle? There are a lot of benefits to recycling, The MIT Department of facilities have researched the following facts as being critical and important for change.

The average American throws away 3.5 pounds of trash per day. The average American uses 650 lbs. of paper per year.

One ton of paper from recycled pulp saves 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 7000 gallons of water, 4200 kWh (enough to heat a home for half a year), 390 gallons of oil, and prevents 60 pounds of air pollutants. Producing recycled white paper creates 74 percent less air pollution, 35 percent less water pollution, and 75 percent less processed energy than producing paper from virgin fibers. Recycling one ton of cardboard saves over nine cubic yards of landfill space. Number of landfills in operation in 1978: 14,000; in 1988: 7,924; in 2001: 1,858; in 2006: 1,754. Recycling one ton of newspaper saves 15 trees. Every ton of newspaper recycled saves 4100 kWh or enough energy to power a TV for 31 hours. Recycling a soda can saves 96 percent of the energy used to make a can from ore and produces 95 percent less air pollution and 97 percent less water pollution. One gallon of oil, when reprocessed, can generate enough energy to meet the electricity needs of a home for half a day The plastic used in one toner cartridge contains about a half quart of oil.

The ECO CYCLE program also did some research on health problems, energy conservation, and money issues. Recycling can benefit all of the three departments.

Recycling Prevents pollution. When recycling material is used in place of virgin material, we avoid the environmental damage caused by mining, for metals, cutting trees, and drilling for petroleum. Recycled white paper creates 74% less air pollution than producing virgin paper. Recycling cans instead of extracting ore to make aluminum cans produce 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution. Every year Americans generate 23 million tons of solid waste , by recycling 30 percent of our waste every year Landfills and incinerators are major sources of pollution and fills are the largest source of human-caused methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

Implementing the program Green Texas Can help with all these problems that our environment encounters. Students, Parents, teachers, staff members do not have to go on long drives and recycle, Green Texas implemented in UTEP can be used by anyone and everyone. Everyone can just drive to the containers and recycle, it is open to the public. Also Green Texas can influence the people to recycle. A good image of the university can go long ways into making a student really believe in recycling. Students learn best by example, so if a recycling program was not available they might not think its important and not worry about the environment. Green Texas will not just help a school, but can help its community. Community and University Recycling:

The UTEP recycling program began in 1998 focusing on recycling paper. They have grown to include the recycling of various paper products, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and even printing cartridges. UTEP is on the verge on becoming Green School but other universities are aheady of us. Our NMSU rivals also have implemented a recycling program that originates in 1994. Their program allows their collegiate community to recycle many items while having atleast 4 collection stations per campus buidling. Aggie Recycling is able to recycle a variety of materials to include plastic #1 (PET,PETE), aluminum cans, paper, cardboard, steel, tires, asphalt, concrete, and yard waste. (Regents of NSMU, 2005). Other UT schools are also able to handle higher quantities and more diverse recyclable materials. The curbside recycling program released here in El Paso has been very successful. This project was originally released late 2005 to 2006 and it led to massive participation from local citizens. The pilot saw a 50 percent participation rate from citizens and realized a 15 percent diversion rate. (Fenstermacher, 2008). Citizens are able to recycle by using a blue 96 gallon container that is collected once a week along with their garbage. The program current collects many paper products, plastics, and metals. Resources that come from raw materials are much more expensive that recyclable resources. There isnt a necessity to continue to mine raw materials if there is already a plentiful amount that can be recyclable. But not just raw materials can be preserved, energy is as well. Each year, steel recycling saves the equivalent to electrically power about one-fifth of U.S. households for one year. (City of El Paso, 2013). It is indeed a tremendous cost for everyone in our society if no action is taken. UTEP and the City of El Paso have already begun implanting their recycling programs. The city of El Paso is able to reach great success in their program El Paso has been ranked No.19 by Recycling Today magazine for having the largest curbside recycling program in the nation. (Cant, 2013). UTEPs recycling program has achieved quite the success and is considered by some to be lagging behind compared to its UT counterparts. our recycling program is manned by one full-time person and four students. (Nuez, 2013). There have been plans to have students run the recycling operations plant at UTEP as they do in other universities. UTEP needs to improve its recycling program so that students are able understand and act on the current and future environmental challenges while at the same time helping them learn how to reduce cost. When that it completed the image of UTEPs recycling program will be held in high regards and possibly form a partnership with the City of El Paso to continue implementing more programs and projects that lead everyone to a healthier community. Rebates & Tax Benefits: Implementing a recycling program adds tax advantages and benefits. Incentives to recycling can come from state and federal agencies like the Department of Commerce and the Internal Revenue Service in such forms as rebates and tax credits. Materials needed to start the program are subject to rebates from the state of Texas. For years now,

Texas has had a rebate program where any business or institution that uses recycling equipment or purchases equipment for recycling purposes is eligible to recoup up to fifty percent of the cost. The U.S. IRS allows a depreciation allowance for qualified reuse and recycling equipment. In order to qualify, institutions must own machinery or equipment used exclusively to recycle, collect, or distribute recycled materials. The IRS also includes rebates for software used to help in the recycling process. Such equipment must have a life span of at least five years, and must have been purchased after August 31, 2008 (Demand Media Inc.) Added Revenue Every year it seems that budgets are getting smaller, and UTEP is forced to make tough decisions. The added revenue from recyclables can help supplement a dwindling budget. After contacting various recycling business for information about what type of services they offer. They are willing to pick up the recyclables once a week, at which time they weigh the materials, at no cost to the university. Every month there after the university will get: Plastics- $0.20/lb. Paper & Cardboard- $0.03/lb. Aluminum- $0.55/lb. It can be greatly beneficial to the university to take part in a recycling program, both for environmental and economic reasons. (Wilson)

Works Cited BioCycle. 2006. The State of Garbage. City of El Paso. 2013. El Paso Curbside Recycling. October 20, 2013 < http://www.recycleelpaso.org/index.php> City of Fort Collins, 2006. Why Recycling Matters. October 20, 2013 <http://fcgov.com/recycling/why_recycle.php> Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment. Lowry Landfill. Deneen, S. 2006. Recycling Has Come a Long Way. EPA. 2005. Energy Impacts of Waste Management. Fenstermacher, Kurt. 2008. 2007 Municipal Recycling Supplement-Into the Blue Recycling Today. GIE Media Inc. October 20, 2013 < http://www.recyclingtoday.com/Article.aspx?article_id=20925> Marlowe, Jennifer. 2013. Tax Benefits for Businesses that Recycle Paper Demand Media Inc. October 21, 2013 < http://www.ehow.com/list_6916205_tax-benefits-businesses-recyclepaper.html> New Mexico State University. 2008. Aggie Recycling. NMSU Board of Regents. October 20, 2013 <http://www.nmsu.edu/aggierecycling/index.html> Nunez, Sabrina. 2013. UTEP Lags Behind with Recylcing in UT System The Propspector. October 20, 2013

< http://www.utepprospector.com/news/utep-lags-behind-with-recycling-in-utsystem-1.2985455#.UmWuctKsiSq> Wilson, Barbara. Recyclables Rates Noe Villa. 21 October 2013.