The Recycling Club, sponsored by Dunbar science teacher Mrs. Elizabeth Pelphrey, is a group dedicated to keeping Dunbar clean. 

“There have always been students that have been passionate about making sure that recycling happens around Dunbar,” Mrs. Pelphrey said. “But that’s not something that needs to be added to the custodian’s plate.” 

She said that the Recycling Club is here to not only help Dunbar to recycle but also to make money.

“If we reduce the amount of solid waste that the school produces then we get reimbursement checks, so we actually get the money that we can spend on different energy savings initiatives around the building,” Mrs. Pelphrey said. 

This funding helps pay for things such as energy-saving lights that can be used in the school.

According to Mrs. Pelphrey, the primary item they recycle is cardboard. For a period of time, the city did not process paper which is the majority of solid waste at Dunbar.

“Teams of students get together and they pick up the bins from various classrooms and other locations, and then they dump the bins into the large recycling container that’s behind the school,” she said.

According to senior Tyler Lewis, the lack of recycling bins and a lack of information about recycling is holding people back from participating, but because of this club, there’s least recycling happening at school.