1993_01 The Daily Collegian January 1993

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4 — News
The Daily Collegian
Monday, Jan. 25, 1993
Recyclers discover lucrative 'careers'
By SfMnnofi Wentworth
SpedaliDThcDaihrCoUcaian
, Copper tubing, pickle jars and
yesterday's-Fresno Bee can all be
turned into cash, if you've got the time,
and inclination.
"Sieve," a 35-year-old recycler, has
been converting discarded cans into
cash for five years.
He got started when his landlady
asked him to collect cans for her church.
He realized recycling can be worth¬
while.
"I had a full-time job," Steve said.
"I'd come in evenings and on Satur¬
days to do the Peter's Building and a
few others. "When I got laid off, I
started doing it more often and got a
pan-time job."
Now Steve collects cans for about
three hours each afternoon.
Dispelling the myths     <■
\ People who salvage cans have been
stereotyped, but Steve said he would
like to dispel these myths.
"At first people look at you like
Environmentalists, low-income earners benefit
from the aluminum can mine sitting on campus
you're some kind of weirdo. People'
have the idea1 thai it's just the screw¬
balls and homeless collecting cans,"
be said- "There are a number of
people—janitors and students—
doing it now. Lately, n,has become a
fad."   '
Marcus Barile, manager of ReCyCo,
said, "A high percentage of our cus¬
tomers are either on a fixed income or
it is their sole source of income. Every
fifth or sixth customer is a regular."
ReCyCo, on 929 N. Maple Ave.,
accepts glass, plastic, aluminum cans,
brass, corrugated cardboard, newspa¬
per, copy paper and scrap metal.
'The street people or others who
depend on the money will take what¬
ever they find in the waste stram and
convert it to cash," BarilejaiiL—*
"The Peter's Building is a gold
mine," Steve said. "You can pick up 10
to 15 pounds in an hour. But politics Ecology Society President Adrienne
are keeping me out. The janitors didn't McGraw said the proceeds from the
want me there. They threatened to call    bins were to go to the track team, but
the police.
The dorms are now his focus.
'The girls from some of the dorms
gave me SO pounds of cans last Christ¬
mas," he said.
they had not emptied them at all last
semester. SoshedoesnUmindif Steve
picks them up.
"I' m glad they are doing it as long as
the cans are getting recycled," McGraw^
Competition with a growing num- said. "We aren't getting the money for
ber of people makes salvaging cans it "anyway. I don't look at them as
more difficult, but if you pick up the garbage diggers or scavengers. They
tempo and know where to look, you'll. are helping themselves and the earth's
do fine, Steve said. ecosystems when they recycle.
"You get pretty well paid if you hit
the right spots," he said.
The Ecology Society on campus has
been attempting' to collect recyclables
in six bins they have placed on cam-
Summer success "•
Weather plays a crucial role in the
amount of cans available. Steve said
people drink more soda when it is hot.
pus. However, they haven't had muca-   »in *» sumroer te «■ 8" 5° P0""*
success with aluminum cans. ^^y- J* in winler' *is lucky w get
"It is my understanding that the bins     '5 Poun<ls
are fair game." Steve said. m "^ summer. Steve makes about
$150 each month from recycling. He
takes his cans to Allen Co. at
Woodward and Van Ness avenues on
Saturdays because they pay an addi¬
tional nickel per pound.
Reasons to do it
Graduate Student Shelley Bauers,
who helped set up an aluminum recy¬
cling program in the English Writing
Lab said, "I get probably five dollars a
month this way, so obviously it is rot
a full-timejob—but the money is nice.
"I couldn't stand to see the alumi¬
num in the garbage, so I put out a box
to collect it"
Although Steve's motivation is fi¬
nancial, he is aware of the effects of
recycling.
"I am conscious in that respect but
I'm not a fanatic," he said. "I know I'm
contributing something to the envi¬
ronment.*'
"Recycling cuts down on the need
for natural resources and landfills,"
McGraw said. "It saves energy, water
and. of course, money."
T
^
WHEN YOU RIDE DRUNK, ONE MORE
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AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MEANING.
Alcohol quickly affects your judgment, balance, and «x>rdination Writhe* faculties^
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and ride. Or your last drink might be your last drink. MtMCTtU. SAFETY F
'
tfoy/ -CHtfT
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lor cash but
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Packed full of irreveftnt
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Campus Briefs
900 scholarships available
The application deadline for 900 scholarships totaling $700,000 at Cali¬
fornia State University. Fresno is February I. Application forms are avail¬
able in the Financial Aid/Scholarship Office in Joyal Administration 298
and in academic departmeht offices.
'El Barrio' to begin
"El Barrio," a street drama co-produced by the Theatre Arts Department
and T.O.R.T.I.L.L.A.. will be presented in the Arena Theatre Feb. 5:7 and
10-14. Tickets go on sale today at the Theatre Box Office.
Graffiti Paint-Out scheduled
Faculty, staff, and students are invited to participate in a Graffi t i Paint-Out
Day beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6.
The project will focus on neighborhoods surrounding the campus. It will
meet at Wesley United Methodist Church on Barstow, west of Bulldog
Stadium. For more information contact Meg Gallagher-Sanders at 278-
3920. or Mark Sanders at 224-1947.
Trees offered in project
Tree Fresno and PG & E are offering two free shade trees to property
owners and to renters who have their landlords permission for planting as an
energy conservation project. However, otteTnust be a PG & E customer to
participate. For more information, call 22t>TREE.
Kennel Bookstore
Supplies
Main Level
Supply Department
■    278-4268
WlSmWNationar
jimf Brand
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