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November 2008

CAMPUS

Garbage men dread collection n Brown’s Court

day 1

B rrod Yeo The Cadre

The residential area, located across from UPEI and in- habited mostly by students is a source of headaches for some employees of the Island Waste Management Corporation (IWMC).

After a pick-up on any given week, there are gener- ally a few carts left curbside, untouched, as a result of im- proper trash sorting.

Gerry Moore, a 1983 UPEI graduate and now CEO of IWMC speculated there are a few reasons for the occur- rences.

“T like to think the initial problem is people moving in from other jurisdictions in Canada and across the world where they didn’t have waste management and it takes some time to getting used to.

That, or they weren’t respon- sible for it at home.”

A major problem is waste.

materials contaminating compost bins. When garbage collectors discover plastic and metals in the green carts, they are instructed to leave it behind. They also leave a tag on the cart explaining why.

It’s something that has hap- pened more than once to one area resident who didn’t want to be named.

“It wasn’t fun, I had to dig through it, figure out what wasn’t supposed to be in there and throw it in the oth- er cart. Then I still had a full cart for another two weeks. Not something I’d want to do again.”

Since 1994, TWMC has op- erated and maintained the Waste Watch program, an Island-wide three-stream source separation based waste management system.

IWMC has a 65 per cent waste diversion rate, making it the provincial leader in the country.

Moore says trash sorting is easily learned and there are many ways to find out more.

“We provide the university and landlords with pamphlets and sorting guides which are free for the taking. We have it so landlords are constantly trying to educate tenants as well.”

While Brown’s Court trails other apartment complexes, there has been improve- ment. :

“If you don’t sort the trash, it’s going to a landfill where it might sit for 1,000 years in the ground. It’s what each individual does that adds up and save a lot.”

Moore encourages any stu- dents looking for more how to information to visit www. iwmc.pe.ca.

UPEI Cadre

A standard sight in Brown’s Court, unsorted trash has some ranting, and some new students very confused. Yeo photo

A sense of clique within the Student Union

By Sebastian Baglole The Cadre

It’s always been a crap- shoot.

“The way we have it set up, three or four electorate posi- tions run [individually], and you might have to work with your opponent [from the election].”

This is from the Student Union President, Justin Douglas.

He’s talking about the re- cent consideration of Matt Morrison retaining his posi- tion as the Union’s executive Vice-President, despite al-

legations of favouritism and injustice to the Union consti- tution, which was misinter- preted by Morrison when he took office.

The constitution states that anyone competing for an ex- ecutive role must be enrolled in a minimum of three cours- es, as well as covering their Union fees.

Morrison was a full-time student when he ran for the position, but did not know that he had to be full-time during his term. This semes- ter Morrison is registered in only one course, but coun- cil recognized his potential and dedication to the role.

Douglas assured that it was to Morrison’s credit that he will pay for two extra cours- es and Union fees to keep his job.

“Matt wanted to come back, pick up more courses and give back to the university.”

The executive Vice Presi- dent position is defined by the constitution as running on board committees, as- sisting the president in his duties, and organizing the buddy program to help in- ternational students adapt to new university life, by pair- ing them up with local stu- dents.

The rumour shuddering

through the student body is that the university’s ven- erable Student Union has been made up of a group of friends, that “ran together, were voted in, and stuck to- gether,” said Douglas.

This year they intended to stay away from that particu- lar group aesthetic.

“We wanted to get away from the clique sense,” said Douglas.

However, Douglas added he thought it was the best group of individuals to collaborate with in a work setting.

“If you look at it, him tak- ing more courses wouldn’t benefit the Student Union,”

said Douglas.

Theoretically, increasing Morrison’s course load may prove to be detrimental to his work for the Union at this point in the year. But that’s what the constitution will clearly inflect by this time next year, so the same mis- take will not be made again.

Douglas encouraged all to take a look at the constitu- tion for themselves online, something he will prioritize as one of the key changes be- ing made this year. In other positions not Presidential, the number of courses need- ed to run are not clearly out- lined.