What I thought was interesting is the lack of knowledge by my very own peers at Chapman University about the process of recycling bottle caps and the harm it does. Mentioning this topic to my Internet Communications class, only one hand went up indicating that the student was aware of the proper disposal of plastic bottles and their tops, and the reason why they can not be recycled together. Surveying 15 other random people on campus, I found that fourteen out of fifteen recycle plastic bottles. Three students take the caps off the bottles before recycling, while eleven leave the cap on and one does not take it off, but does not put it back on if the cap is already off. Two of the three students who do take the cap off, throw the cap away in the trash, while only one student put it in the recycling bin, fully informed of the reasons behind this recycling process. The majority of people do not take the caps off for reasons such as: “I’m too lazy”, “It’s easier”, “You assume they want the whole bottle”, “The cap is plastic too”, and “I don’t want them loose in the bag.”
What Chapman University and the rest of society needs, is knowledge on the topic of recycling plastics. I believe a lot of these people would care more and do the right thing if they were taught properly on how and what to recycle. The way in which society is recycling is just habit and due to a lack of knowledge. I believe that if Chapman gets on board, the word can quickly spread as students tell their family and friends who do the same thing, creating a sustainable society.
Battle the Bottle Caps 