Students from Environmental Studies 101, “The Nature of Environmental Problems,” are conducting a survey on whether the compost, recyclable plastic, and trash signs on the bins in the cafeteria are clear enough that students know where to place their waste.
The class is taught by Deborah Metzel, instructor of geography at the School for the Environment. The students involved in the project are: Rachel Sadok, Mariah Silva, Jescelia Mitchell, Elicaro Vasquez, Hannah Longeran, and Adriana Kechechian.
So far the group has surveyed 123 students; representatives hope to reach a total of 500. When the survey is completed, the group may take the results to UMBe Green, the UMass Boston campus sustainability program.
The students, as well as the campus chair of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG), Sunita Singh, expect to use the results to lobby for new signs that help students better identify the right place to throw away their garbage.
Students can take the survey here.