Kansas Wesleyan University receives grant
from City of Salina for recycling initiative

MEDIA CONTACT: Leslie Eikleberry, Director of Public Relations, 785-827-5541 ext. 1127

September 10, 2008

A group of Kansas Wesleyan University students are out to dispel the myth that it’s not easy being green, and thanks to a little green from the City of Salina, they’re doing just that.

During its regular meeting on Monday (September 8, 2008) the Salina City Commission approved the awarding of a Solid Waste Venture Grant to Kansas Wesleyan to be used for a Project HUNT for Green initiative. The grant is in the amount of $26,233.20. As a stipulation of the award, the University must match $7,205.80.

“We hope to make an impact that changes the way our community thinks about ‘green living,’ that it is not a drastic change of lifestyle, but about simple choices that individuals can make that will save them money, and in doing so will help the environment,” said Dane Baxa, Salina, Project HUNT for Green Project Director. 

“The big picture of what we want to accomplish is that the responsibility of making ‘change’ doesn’t come from the elected officials in the White House, but from every individual and the choices they make every day,” he added.

Baxa said the grant and matching funds will help the group purchase an EXV2 E-ride electric recycling truck to use for the many different programs that Project HUNT for Green will offer, as well as multiple large recycling bins, vermi-composting units – kits that use red worms to digest food scraps into usable mulch, and educational material that will be used at the elementary school presentations. The group also plans to create a video of what happens to waste when it goes into the trash can.

“Green thinking needs to become green living, and we can start living green by acting in ways that we handle our waste.  Salina, as a community, recycles less than 10 percent of its waste, and the national average for a community is 30 percent,” Baxa said.  “I believe we have the leadership and drive on campus to stand up and make a change through our combined action and efforts, and by focusing Project HUNT’s efforts into green related projects, we can reach out with action in the community to help others to choose to recycle or demand the resources to recycle.”

Project HUNT for Green – “HUNT” stands for “Helping Unite Neighbors Together” – began in 2007 as a collaborative community service effort between students at Kansas Wesleyan and K-State at Salina. Baxa said that K-State at Salina students will be involved in Project HUNT for Green again this year, as will seniors from local and area high schools, including Salina Central High School, Salina South High School, Sacred Heart High School, St. John’s Military School, Southeast of Saline High School, and Ell-Saline High School.

“Their roles will play more on our community outreach day on October 18, and Kansas Wesleyan will lead the way for the rest of the programs,” Baxa said.

According to Baxa, Project HUNT for Green has the potential to make a difference locally that will ripple across the nation.

“The process starts by bringing a community together, doing something that really makes a difference in peoples lives, and to make sure we use education to continue these efforts.   With the service project day, and community outreach educational programming, we can accomplish something truly great,” he said.

In addition to Baxa, the Project HUNT for Green leadership team includes Ken Baxa, Salina, Community Coordinator, and Andrew Kohls, Ellsworth, Volunteer Coordinator.