Greeks should recycle

UNC prides itself on being environmentally friendly. Residence and dining halls both promote green initiatives through recycling programs.

However, Greek organizations are lagging behind when it comes to sustainability. Greek organizations — particularly those with houses — ought to work to improve their recycling habits and promote sustainability.

While the existence of the Greek Sustainability Council shows there are some Greek students with a keen interest in promoting sustainability, Greek organizations should commit to promoting environmental initiatives.

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Community Involvement and the Greek Sustainability Council should collaborate to improve the environmental standards of the Greek community.

Recycling initiatives, like providing recycling bins and services to all houses, could be a great first step when promoting sustainability.

Cans from parties pile up and often times are thrown away rather than recycled. By placing recycling bins in Greek houses and encouraging their use, the Greek community can immediately have a big impact.

Competition is another way to incentivize sustainability. The Greek office should consider awarding a winner of a recycling competition between houses with a donation to their philanthropy.

The Greek Sustainability Council should also educate Greek members about green lifestyles. Instructions about what can and can’t be recycled might sound elementary, but many times can be an issue for those who are not familiar with recycling.

The Greek system is a big part of UNC, and its green initiatives would have a significant impact and would improve the overall culture of sustainability.