The Undergraduate Student Government Senate is going green.
The USG Senate last night voted unanimously to issue an executive order requiring the current and future executive branches to purchase only recycled paper for use in the USG office.
“The purpose of the order is to ensure that the executive branch would purchase only recycled content paper,” said Town senator Marc Van Camp, the order’s sponsor. “This is also to set a precedent for future terms.”
Van Camp added that he has found outside suppliers of recycled paper which, in the long run, would save the USG money.
“Right now we are paying about $5 a ream,” Van Camp said. “If we were to sign a long-term contract, we could be paying as little as $2.95.”
By following the order, the USG would be much more efficient, said Van Camp.
“The money they spend comes from the students’ tuition,” he said. “This way we can save money through this research and be environmentally conscious, which is the important part.”
Newly appointed Town senator Gordon Beers warned that the USG must be wary of the type of recycled paper it purchases.
“Most companies are selling paper that is only 10 percent post-consumer,” Beers said. Companies often sell paper labeled as recycled, but it is actually made of waste from previous paper production, he added.
West Halls senator Andy Ovies said the USG was being in criticizing the University for not using recycled paper.
“Last year we expressed our concerns that the University wasn’t doing their part, taking the environment into account,” Ovies said.
In other business, the USG Senate allocated $40 to assist the Architectural Engineering Student Society in bringing an American Disabilities Act expert to speak on campus.
Robert Dale Lynch will come to campus March 15 to speak on handicap accessibility to University structures.
“The American Disabilities Act — which was passed in 1990 –people don’t know a lot about it,” said bill sponsor and Town senator Adam Bender. “Students will get a better understanding, especially architectural engineering students.”
Also during the meeting, East Halls senator Larry Santucci treated the USG Senate to “pseudo-twinkies.” The treat came in response to Santucci and East Halls senator Bob Torres’ Twinkie bill being called out of order in last week’s senate.
The Twinkie bill would have allocated funds to treat the USG Senate to Twinkies, in response to USG President Rob Kampia referring to the senate as “Twinkies.” Rather than using USG funds to purchase the pseudo-twinkies, Santucci and Torres, covered the bill.