Feb. 15, 2007

Recycling has been more than just a passing thought for five members of the Utah State women's basketball team. These girls have been active participants of the newly-founded club, Aggie Recyclers, which was designed to raise awareness and help promote recycling around campus.

Freshman Indira Kaljo from Sherman Oaks, California, has been recycling for the past three years and wanted to help with recycling around campus. Her enthusiasm for recycling as earned her the position of vice president of the Aggie Recyclers. Her pro-nature aunt initially sparked Kaljo's interest and now her passion has helped jumpstart other members of the team into joining the club.

The Aggie Recyclers are responsible for emptying the recycling bins around campus and empty each bin at least once a week. The club also volunteers its time to work at the USU Recycling Center. Kaljo and teammate Nicole Johnson say that more help is needed at the Recycling Center and with the Aggie Recyclers to empty classroom bins, sort paper and increase awareness on the importance of recycling.

"A lot of people complain about the inversion here in Logan and just pollution in general, but if they realized that they could make a difference by recycling, they could help prevent a lot of the problems we are facing," said Kaljo.

In conjunction with the Cycling Club, the Aggie Recyclers recently coordinated the benefit concert, "Rehab your Planet, Intensive Music Therapy. Reduce, Reuse, Rock." and raised over $300. The purpose was to raise awareness about recycling around campus and students who brought recyclables were able to purchase tickets at a discounted price. The money was split between the two clubs and will be put toward purchasing more recycling bins to put across campus.

"Making people aware of the significance of recycling is really important to me," said Kaljo. "I've been able to get the whole basketball team to recycle now," said Kaljo, and hopes to get the rest of campus involved as well.

Kaljo got her teammates involved, as in addition to Johnson, freshman forward Caitlin Kearns and senior guard Camille Brox are members of the club, and they have made the rest of the team and coaches more aware and active in recycling.

The club alternates meetings and activities weekly on Tuesdays at 5:30 at the third floor of the Taggart Student Center. For more information about getting involved with recycling around campus, contact Indira Kaljo at indirak@cc.usu.edu.

by Krista Meeks, USU Athletic Media Relations