In recent years, the Manitou Springs High Schools’ Environmental Club has brought more attention to environmental issues through its events and hard work toward promoting planet health and awareness. More recently, interest has been brought towards starting recycling programs at the Manitou School Districts lower grade schools, such as the Manitou Spring Elementary School and Ute Pass Elementary School.

While much has been done to bring awareness to recycling and the benefits of reducing waste in our schools, some may still question how much recycling benefits our community. Does it make a difference? 

The short answer is yes. Recycling has been shown to substantially impact areas such as climate change and waste reduction. The United States Environmental Protection Agency quotes Waste Reduction and Economic Security as among the benefits of recycling.

Not only that, but numerous green jobs in recycling and manufacturing have sprouted from recycling being enforced in communities countrywide. These manufacturers depend on recycling programs for recyclable waste, which can then be reused rather than dumped into landfills. Not only do these manufacturers provide green jobs, but they have an essential role in economic stability in their conservative energy efforts.

“Because recycled materials have already been refined and processed once; manufacturing the second time is much cleaner and less energy-intensive than the first,” Stanford’s website said.  

In short, recycling has many positive environmental and economic effects that rely on recycling programs in multiple communities. 

However, these reasons alone are not the only benefits of starting recycling programs in our schools. Recycling programs in the other schools of Manitou Springs School District would promote planet care and awareness to young students, some of the most influential people in our community.

As young students grow, it is natural that they will eventually take what they’ve learned from school to ultimately impact the world around them. That is why I believe it is important that these students learn the importance of recycling early. 

This would not be a drastic change for students at MSES, where already planet awareness is strongly advertised to younger students through little ways, such as the outdoor and indoor gardens cared for by the school. A recycling program would not only be beneficial to the student’s future but could quickly be adopted by everyone at the school, staff and students alike.

No matter what one’s view on climate change, it is always important that communities know the importance of recycling and its positive effects. I believe that the decision to start recycling programs at these schools would not only be a beneficial decision but a positive influence on Manitou’s community as a whole.