Colleges around the country are going green. Here, there’s a recycling bin in every dorm room, and on every corner we turn, there’s something on the walls expressing the importance of recycling. The hope of this effort is that anyone who has a recyclable would place it in the recycling bins around campus and not just toss it in the garbage. I have to commend the importance N.C . State puts on being green, but I also must raise the question: are we green enough? I don’t think we are.

There is always more we as a society and a campus can do to go just a little greener. The recycling bins in dorm rooms are a plus, but they are not everywhere. The culture is such that most people would rather trash their bottle than hold onto it until they find a recycling bin.

In an effort to get greener, I think we need to focus on something that most colleges would overlook, because it’s such a common thing to see on campus– the vending machines. Vending machines are full of recyclable materials. There are about 200 soda vending machines on campus; some hold plastic bottles and some hold aluminum cans. The numbers really add up if you consider the seven to nine varieties of cans found in each machine.

I recognize that having vending machines around campus is useful. You get thirsty, slide your card, make your selection and go on with your day. At the same time, I feel like we contradict ourselves when we talk about how important it is to go green and then endorse so many machines. Even if we did recycle every single plastic bottle or aluminum can that came out of the machine, the very next week it would be refilled with more bottles that took so much energy and pollution to make. It’s a pointless never-ending cycle.

If we stop allowing vending machines on campus, we’ll send a positive and green message. We’ll also benefit from the simple yet obvious fact that soda is not good for you anyway. It’s a win-win situation. Only big business takes a loss here, but they deserve it. Somehow, the makers of our soda products think slapping a recycle slogan on the back of a bottle erases all the damage that has been done in the past few decades. If one wants the taste of a refreshing soda, go to the dining hall where you can have all the choice of sodas you want, but you will not be using a plastic bottle or an aluminum can to get it. This is more sustainable.

If we can go green and do what is right for our environment, we should go all the way. I am not saying to remove all plastic material from campus, because that would just be unrealistic. However, something like a soda vending machine that really does not benefit anyone in any way can be moved out, and no one would miss it. I am pretty positive that one would be more willing to give up a soda bottle than live with the conscious knowing they are adding to the destruction of our environment. Even if the soda vending machines never get removed from campus, be sure to recycle every chance you get.