Recycling is quick and easy to do, and despite it taking a little bit more effort than throwing it all in the bin in your room there are some good reasons why it is worth it.
Each Gyp Room is provided with a general waste bin and a mixed recycling bin. PLEASE use these! And please don’t contaminate them. If you are unsure as to what to put in them, then please read the list below.
Recycling reduces the amount of waste that goes into landfill. This means less land is degraded, and there is less environmental pollution, ground water contamination and a much better habitat for wildlife.
The recycling process uses less energy and fewer natural resources than having to make a product from scratch. Recycling plastic helps to alleviate demand on oil (which could make it cheaper) and recycling metal and paper means less mining and deforestation. These activites increase carbon dioxide emissions, destroy habitats for often endangered wildlife and also contributes to many human rights abuses.
One recycled tin can would save enough energy to power a television for 3 hours.
One recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes. Glass sent to landfill will never decompose.
One recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours. Plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose.
70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials
Your Nearest Recycling Point At Magdalene
Blue bins in rooms: paper. Leave outside for the domestic staff to collect.
Basing House (2nd floor by the computer): glass, metal cans, plastic bottles and lids.
Thompsons 30 (in the stairwell): glass, metal cans, plastic bottles and lids.
Cripps Kitchens: glass, metal cans and plastic bottles in each gyp room.
Bridge Street 30a: glass, metal cans and plastic bottles on the first floor landing.
JCR: paper, glass, metal cans, plastic bottles and ink cartridge/ mobile phone/ batteries/ spectacles.
Computer Room (Mallory A): paper.
Plodge: paper.
Library (one in each cloister): paper.
If you notice any problems with the bins or have any questions then email jcr-green-ethical@magd.cam.ac.uk.
What Can You Recycle?
Paper: newspapers, envelopes, magazines, catalogues, flyers and leaflets. Please do not put in cardboard as this cannot be recycled at Magdalene. Please remove staples and plastic windows if possible, as this saves the council time.
Glass: brown, green and clear bottles, jars and all glass products except light bulbs. Please rinse out (so the bins don’t smell) and remove all lids and corks.
Metal cans: aerosols, tins and foil. Please wash, remove labels and compress (so we can fit more into the bins!).
Plastic bottles: anything that is a bottle can be recycled. Plastic tubs and cartons are a different kind of plastic and cannot currently be recycled at Magdalene. Please rinse out, remove labels and lids, and compress.