Underground Guerrilla Recycling Ring

The college I work for doesn't have a recycling program. With over two thousand students and probably a hundred employees on campus the waste is, well -- a waste.

I've reached out to the campus administration multiple times about getting a recycling program in place, but my requests always fell on deaf ears. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands, no excuses.

I started small. I began making a daily round to my office area colleagues and asking if they had any cans or bottles. One by one I explained to my coworkers what I was doing and why. While not everyone understood my reasons, no one has given me any trouble about rummaging through their garbage cans once a day.

I keep a large garbage bag in my office (safely hidden out of sight) and fill it with the daily recycling until it is full, which usually happens in just a few days, and then I take it to a local recycling drop-off.

After a few months of making my rounds, I had somehow and unintentionally trained some my coworkers to bring their bottles and cans to me. I still made rounds to my other coworkers and dove into a few hallway trash cans in my area, but increasingly people are bringing me their recycling.

I decided to expand my operation. I enlarged the area from which I collected. I brought in people from other departments and my daily collection has increased dramatically. Now I have a point person in another department. She collects the recycling from her area, then brings it to me every few days, so that I can add it to my collection.

The college administration still hasn't gotten on board with my pleas, but they haven't gotten in my way either. Sometimes, you just have to take matters into your own hands. It is a little extra work for me, but I don't mind it. It is a small action, but I truly believe that every little bit helps and I feel good about myself by doing it.

If your workplace doesn't recycle, try to start a program. If your administrators aren't on board, then do what I did and begin an underground guerrilla recycling ring. You'll feel like a Star Wars Rebel and make a contribution to your workplace and society.

Have you committed any acts of random kindness? Have you perhaps planted an urban garden on the sly or created your own recycling program? If so, we'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment.

-D