Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Alumni Square to Test Composting in Spring

The GUSA senate unanimously passed a bill Sunday to create a pilot program for voluntary composting for residents of Alumni Square.

The program, set to debut in spring 2013, will provide a sealed composting bin to apartments that volunteer to participate. Students will then be able to empty their bins in a central compositing bin located at the trash and recycling collection site in Village B.

The pilot program is led by Georgetown University Student Association senator Vetone Ivezaj (COL ’13), chair of the GUSA Student Life Subcommittee on Sustainability. Ivezaj explained that GUSA will keep tally of participation by requiring students to record their apartment numbers when they empty their bins.

“There will be a log book next to each composting site, so students will have to sign in when the compost,” she said.

Ivezaj said the program will run for three to four weeks before GUSA evaluates whether the project will be extended to other apartments in Village A, Nevils and Henle Village.

The GUSA bill also allocates $100 to establish a raffle for all students who volunteer to compost aimed at providing an incentive for participation.

Ivezaj said a similar program was started by the Magis Row Meditation Houses last year, which inspired her to start the GUSA composting program. The compostable waste is collected by one of the Meditation houses and transported to Kehoe Field to be used for the Georgetown Garden.
“Due to the success the townhouses have found, I believe composting will yield promising results in the apartments as well,” she said.

GUSA Speaker Nate Tisa (SFS’14) stressed that the simplicity and convenience of the program has the potential to promote sustainability.

“These things are so common sense,” Tisa said. “It really helps the environment. It saves some money for the university also because they don’t have to pay another truck to carry to the landfill. I’m very excited about what this can do.”

Dan Mathis (SFS ’13), executive board member of Georgetown Energy, said he was happy to see student leaders take an initiative in this area.

“Green improvements on campus and in student life are always a step in the right direction for Georgetown,” Mathis said.

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