Inspirational Scholarship Applications

"Recycling has not always been part of my life, but since watching a documentary on recycling and the effects on the environment i decided there was something i could do. In order to reduce, i print on both sides of the paper, and use towels as opposed to paper towels to dry my hands. I reuse water bottles and plastic containers to decrease the amount of plastic used. The empty milk bottles, boxes, and used paper used paper are all put into a recycling bin and taken to a recycling center near my house.

"Recycling is a very important thing in today's society, although there are still several people in the world refusing to do such a simple task. Recycling really is a very simple thing. In some circumstances, all you have to do is put your plastic bottles in a separate bin. It really is not a hard thing to do. I have been doing this for years, and more people need to do the same. My family and I are starting to recycle everything. Starting the first of the year, we are receiving a recycle bin and recycling plastic, paper, etc. We recycle."

"Americans dispose of more than 700 billion pounds of paper, glass, plastic, wood, food, metal, clothing, electronics and other refuse annually. The problem of managing mountains of waste may seem overwhelming, but experts note there are easy ways for consumers to make a difference every day. "Old habits might die hard, like forgetting to recycle a soda can or newspaper, but the good news is, there are many simple ways to cut down on waste, from buying concentrated household products to buying in bulk," says environmental expert Kim Carlson. Carlson offers the following tips to help consumers reduce, recycle and reuse waste: * Keep it loose. Buy screwdrivers, nails and other hardware items in loose bins. At the grocery store, choose produce that is not in prepackaged containers. * Bring your own bag. Reuse bags and containers. Keep a supply of bags on hand for future shopping trips, or take your own canvas tote bag to the grocery store. * Consider concentrated detergent. Concentrated products often require less packaging, resulting in less energy to transport to the store and less plastic to recycle. All small & mighty is a new concentrated laundry detergent (one 32-ounce bottle cleans as many loads as the regular 100-ounce bottle). In addition to less packaging, the formula contains 74 percent less water than regular detergent. * Choose to reuse. Reach for reusable products such as cloth napkins, sponges or dishcloths instead of paper towels. * Recharge and renew. Use rechargeable batteries and recycle old batteries to help reduce garbage and keep toxic metals out of the environment. * Buy smart. Look for long-lasting, energy-saving appliances with the Energy Star label and electronic equipment with good warranties. * Get crafty. Reuse scrap paper and envelopes. Save and reuse ribbons, tissue paper, gift boxes and even wrapping paper. Save cardboard boxes, colored paper, egg cartons and other items for arts and crafts projects. * Think thrifty. Donate clothing to charity organizations or sell the items in consignment shops, fairs, bazaars or tag sales. Also, share hand-me-down clothes with family members and neighbors.">

"As a creative writing major I see the world around me as one huge opportunity for a story. Every petal of a flower, every rain cloud that rolls on to the horizon, every ray of sunshine that dances on the water inspires an idea. The world we live in is filled with beauty that many of my peers fail to see; each gift is taken for granted and the world itself seems to be something that merely exists to use at their disposal. Environmental awareness is the latest trend in the teenage world, bearing bags that claim to practice recycling, when in actuality they’re sold for $19.95 a piece in major shopping centers. Recycling is not a fad or a style; it is something everyone needs to participate in to keep the world a beautiful, thriving being. The whirlwind life of college makes it easy to forget to recycle and simply throw everything in one bag for the weekly trip to the trash cans. However, I have made a sincere effort to keep up my habits of recycling everything I can. People tend to underestimate how much one can recycle, partaking in the “What can I do that would make a difference?” attitude. They assume that one additional person would have no effect, but sharing a room with one other person who also recycles can quickly change this idea. Between the two of us, we literally cannot recycle fast enough; empty bottles waiting to be recycled have become a permanent fixture in our room. The ease of recycling is an additional factor that prevents many from recycling. On my college campus the closest recycling is located in the gym; there are two others I know of, both more than a ten minute walk. If we’re being honest about the mentality of college students, we know there is no way extra effort is going to be exerted to recycle. This is why as president of my dorm’s hall council I have assisted in arranging for recycling containers to be brought into the building. Merely the presence of a recycling container in the halls will encourage the “reduce, reuse, recycle” attitude that so many wear on their shirts. Simple acts such as these can drastically improve the world we live in, making it easier for others to recycle will increase the amounts of good we can reuse and make the planet a better place for everyone."

"We buy all recycle paper products and recycle everything that is accepted at our local recycle center. I bring items home from work that are recyclable. We burn all of our paper products that are safe to burn in the environment. We take cereal boxes and use them to make scrap books. We recycle all our ink cartridges and I take our toners from work to the local school if we are not able to recycle with the companies themselves."