[CMI-CM] Champaign Recycling

[joanne lynn messerges]

Dear environmental advocates,

I am the president of the environmental student group Earth Doctors.  Our
group is working to expand Champaign's recycling services and I am writing
you to ask for your help and advice.

Currently, greek houses, private housing, and most apartments in Champaign
do not have recycling pick-up. In order for these residents to recycle,
they would have to drop their recyclables off at the recycling drop-off
site at 1701 Hagan Drive (Champaign-east side of Super Kmart). Due to its
great distance from most apartments, etc... this drop-off site is not
practical for all residents, especially those without cars.

This drop-off site is not a problem for Champaign residents living in
single family homes or apartments with up to four units. This is because
the City of Champaign has an ordinance which requires trash haulers,
licensed in Champaign, to provide these residents with recycling services.
This ordinance does not apply to apartments with more that four units
(which is most apartment complexes in Champaign!), Greek houses, or
private housing (like Bromley, IT, etc...).

The Champaign City Council's strongest argument against providing
recycling for all residents is that students will oppose paying extra for
recycling services.  $2-$3 per month per apartment for recycling may seem
like a painless fee but the Champaign City Council NEEDS proof that
residents are willing to pay.

To provide this proof, Earth Doctors has put together a survey that needs
to be distributed and filled out by as many apartment, Greek House, and
privately owned housing residents as possible.  We have dissected the
Champaign City into about 40 regions and need your help to survey them.
Ideally, we would like to assign 2 people per region and ask them to
survey a minimum of 50 residents.

As a small group with a big goal, I am writing for your help.  Earth
Doctors needs volunteers to help survey the community and analyze the
collected data.  If you are interested in participating, please let me
know.

Earth Doctors will be holding a mandatory informational meeting for
volunteers on

*Event:  Mandatory Survey Info Meeting
*Day:  Friday, February 22nd
*Time:  4:00 - 4:30
*Location:  Room 196 Lincoln Hall

If you cannot attend this meeting but would still like to volunteer,
please contact me (messerge at uiuc.edu)

To view or **fill out** our survey, please check out our website
http://www.uiuc.edu/ro/earthdocs/activities.html

Thank you,
Joanne Messerges