University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

Page 25 text:

Ecology . . Or How To Save A World By Really Trying In the fall of 1970, Steve Emerson, then a Topeka junior, introduced a bill to the Student Senate which, if it had been accepted, would have banned all vending machines from campus. From this humble beginning the University of Kan- sas 'iWhomper was born. The Reclamation Center was the brainchild of the Coca Cola Company and the Union vending service. Because the banning of vending machines would have meant tremen- dous losses of revenue to both companies and because both were environmentally concerned, they agreed to finance the project. The Coca Cola Company agreed to loan the ma- chine to KU indefinitely, and the vending service financed the installation of the Whomper in Memorial Stadium. The electrical installation which provides power for operation cost S1,500. Both companies continue to provide support for the Reclamation Center. Coca Cola's Kansas City manager arranged for a firm to pick up crushed glass from Lawrence each time the center accumulated 60 barrels of glass . All funding for operations comes from outside the Univer- sity with the exception of Student Senate support for pick-up service and for a reclamation director. Cary Jacobs, Prairie Village sophomore, was recently selected as director, fol- lowing Bill Ebert, former KU graduate student, and Molly Laflin, St. Louis senior, and student body vice-president. The new director serves as a public relations man to gain community support, the center's major problem. Although the Lawrence city government condones the Reclamation Center, it has not provided any assistance. Most of the support - in the form of sorted trash - comes from a few organized living groups, residence halls and tav- ems. But to be financially successful, The Whomper must have a broader base of community support, from individuals as well as businesses. The shipping of crushed glass is another big problem - none of the barrels shipped has been returned from the recy- cling process in St. Louis. The Reclamation Center had lost nearly 300 barrels, and the lack of a barrel supply is hinder- ing operation. Football season also created a serious prob- lem. The large crowds make it necessary to store all the re- fuse that is to be recycled inside during the game. Since there isn't enough room to hold all the trash, pick-up serv- ices have to be cut back on home-game weekends. This is a big concern to Molly Laflin. We made all this effort to get the community involved over the summer. Now we have to cut back on volume because our site isn't large enough. We're trying to find a larger placef, The center has consid- ered a site southeast of 'SON zone for the future home of the Whomper. 22

Page 24 text:

'X WMV mh XX X S X X S ,W 7 2 Z

Page 26 text:

lsfclnmnuw- ENTER C .5 G w ,,.-ff 9,5 4. iv L17 Mig? Fl 4 ,JW