There’s a new green inhabitant in Palo Alto classrooms this semester, but it’s not a Martian.

Green and gray recycling bins have been placed around campus to provide students, faculty and staff with an easy means of collecting recyclable materials and reducing the school’s negative impact on the environment.

“We have definitely raised awareness,” said Kim Corbin, Palo Alto’s Fine and Performing Lab Tech, and chair of the Go Green ¡Viva Verde! Recycling Subcommittee.

Go Green! ¡Viva Verde! has raised recycling awareness while rescuing more than 9,000 pounds of recyclable materials in January and February.

The green bins are for recycling empty plastic containers, empty glass bottles and empty aluminum and metal cans. The gray bins are for paper and cardboard. Candy wrappers, wax-coated drink cups and any wet or soiled paper should be placed in trash cans because those items will contaminate recyclable items.

Each Wednesday, volunteers from buildings across campus collect recyclables for pickup on Thursday mornings by GreenStar, the college district’s recyclables contractor.

“I pick up for the first floor in the GE Building,” said Mauro Ortegon, the Foreign Language Lab Technician. Ortegon said the recycling effort on campus “makes a big difference.”

Ortegon is one of four volunteers for the GE Building and just one of the more than 45 who volunteer across campus. For a complete list of volunteers in each building, click on the Go Green with PAC link from the college’s main page.

Students are doing their part to make the recycling effort a success, too. Those interested may join Club Earth, a student organization, to participate in campus and local “green” events, like the 15th Annual Basura Bash on March 7 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Medina River Natural Area.

Alpha Phi Iota Vice President of Leadership Joaquin Sandoval is one student who has taken an active role in the recycling program. He empties the green and gray bins in the Student Center at least two or three times per week.

“I’ve also been giving a lot of one-on-one communication and speaking at student functions to try and relay the message,” Sandoval said. He would like to see more people involved in the recycling effort.

Corbin’s hope is that Palo Alto will be able to replace the trash compactor with a recyclable compactor in the near future.

alo Alto has a lot of work to do to become a totally “green” campus, but the school is on the right track. All Alamo Community College campuses have adopted a recycling program, and Northeast Lakeview College has removed one trash dumpster because of the success of its program.

The green committee has plans to place more emphasis on environmental awareness on campus and in the community, and they will once again sponsor a booth during PACfest on April 23. Recycling is only one part of the overall focus of the Go Green! ¡Viva Verde! Committee’s campaign to create a more environmentally friendly campus.

Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzmán, president of Palo Alto, is excited about the school’s future.

“We are a catalyst,” Guzmán said. “If we can inspire change with our actions, we can make an impact.”

Visit the Go Green! ¡Viva Verde! website for more information.