| By Tommaso - Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:23 am EDT |
| Also listed in: Campus Progress Updates |
Tags: Climate Crisis, Jeff Gustafson, national mall, Organizing Grants, recycling
{Posted by Jeff Gustafson, Campus Progress Action Grantee and SustainUS delegate to Pland}
Of the many symbols of American culture, perhaps none is as iconic or sacred as the National Mall. The Mall is hallowed ground, the monumental core of the capital city. Stretching from the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall is truly the "people's park." This is where millions of Americans have come to rally, protest, and recreate; where powerful words were uttered that changed the nation's course forever; where the past and future collide and the "stage of our democracy" is set. Today, over 25-million people visit the National Mall every year - more than any other National Park.
Walking from museum to museum or monument to monument, it's easy to overlook one the most ubiquitous elements of the National Mall experience: trashcans.
With so many people visiting everyday, it’s no surprise that the National Mall generates a huge amount of trash. Nearly one thousand trashcans are spaced out across Mall, collecting nearly 700 tons of waste annually. Unfortunately, none of this waste is currently recycled.
This blog will chronicle the development and progress of an exciting new project: building an effective recycling system for the National Mall. The National Mall Recycing Project is a collaborative effort of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Sierra Club, the George Washington University Environmental Studies Program, and the National Park Service. A special thanks to Campus Progress for funding this project through its Action Grant program.
The establishment of a functional recycling system on the National Mall will set a new paradigm of waste management in urban parks, educate millions of visitors, and underline the nation’s commitment to protecting the environment. Stay tuned for updates and news!
-- Other Action Grantees
-- Campus Progress Climate Campaigns
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