‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’ is a phrase that should be drilled into your heads by now. Castleton State College’s Campus Center game room has displayed posters promoting recycling since freshmen orientation. But are students getting it?

Professor Paul Derby, the Recycling Coordinator at Castleton, said school’s recycling program has “been very successful,” noting that Ellis Hall recycled the most and was awarded a trophy resembling the programs logo, a frog.

Last semester Castleton students recycled 13.5 tons of recyclable paper, plastic, glass and aluminum.

A study done by the Anthropology of Environment class found that trash removal costs the college $325 per ton. Doing the math, Derby calculates that recycling could save the college almost $10,000 per year.

For many students and faculty, recycling is becoming second nature.

“We recycle most things. Very little goes in the trash,” said junior Jesse Durona, a student from the second-best recycling dorm, Babcock Hall.

Others, however, say it’s hard to recycle on campus.

“I try to, but it’s hard sometimes because Colby’s (her roommate) old roommate stole the bin,” said freshman Bryn Williams. “So most goes into the garbage, unfortunately.”

But Derby said students like Williams don’t have to just stop recycling because of a lost bin. If your green bin has been lost or stolen you can get a replacement by contacting him at extension 1469.

But this is not an open invitation to become reckless with your green bins, he warns. According to Derby, there are only 50 replacement bins and Residents Life charges $10 for every lost one.

The Green Crew, a team of three work-study students and volunteers, collects recyclables on Mondays starting at noon.

The Green Crew is looking for help (from clubs, sports teams, faculty & administration) with the 45-minute process beginning Mondays in March.

“The more people that participate the better it will be” Derby said.