How Environmentally Conscious Are Those "Treehuggers?"-Final 2

This topic submitted by Leah Winsberg, Wendy Katz, Liz Ondrey, Laura Martin ( Winsbelr@muohio.edu ) on 12/16/03 .

Natural Systems 1 Syllabus---Western Program---Miami University

Abstract
Our study compares the recycling habits of students at Miami University; in particular the students from four dorms on Western Campus. We predicted that the students that live in Mary Lyon and Peabody will recycle more because they are Western majors and they are thought of as being more environmentally conscious. We compared the amounts of recycled goods from Mary Lyon and Peabody to the two main campus major dorms, Clawson and Havighurst. By comparing paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic, we found out how much the average student in each dorm recycles by dividing the weights by the amount of students in each dorm.
Our research question is whether or not the students in the Mary Lyon and Peabody recycle more than those in Clawson and Havighurst. We predicted that the amount of recycling would be greater in Mary Lyon and Peabody. Our findings yield that the students in the Peabody and Mary Lyon do recycle more. Our study is relevant to the main ideas and awareness that the Western classes are trying to present to the students. The curriculum instills the ideas that we should be more aware of our buying habits, our lifestyles, and most importantly how our actions affect the world we live in. By recycling our everyday items instead of throwing them away, the Western and Main Campus students can also do a small part to help preserve the Earth.

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