Last Saturday morning, October 17th, over a dozen hearty souls from three different Ferris student groups arrived bright and early at the Big Rapids recycling center on 4th Street. And they meant business. Before noon they had filled an entire semi -trailer with used tires from all over Mecosta County and beyond. Dealing with a line of cars and trucks that stretched all the way to Maple Street they worked without pause taking in tires and electronics until the trailer was full.
Supported by board members and staff from the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA) and funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the event was a success by any measure: tonnage of material collected, number of citizens who brought their recyclables, and of course the level of support from Ferris students.
Representing the Bulldog Sustainability Alliance and The Outdoor Club, both Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) as well as the Honors Program at Ferris, they provided energy and enthusiasm until the job was done.
A great day for the environment but just one example of the expected results according to MRWA project manager Dixie Ward who has driven the program from the beginning. “Of course the DEQ grant opened the door but we also needed a capable partner that we found in Recycle of Mecosta County. If this event is any indication we can expect tremendous impact going forward. Expanded hours, additional staff and a mobile facility should make it easy for anyone to recycle.” Dixie also noted that another tire and electronics collection is planned for the spring. Visit www.mrwa.org for updates.