3R Program

3R Program Home Page

Making Recycling Easy

Questions and Answers

Recycling Links

Tell us what you think!

To contact us:
Phone:
815-753-0352
Fax:
815-753-6290

3R Program Physical Plant Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115

	Northern Star Article: April 27, 1998 SA Recycling Director Receives Honors
	Veronica Gonzalez, Student Association Reporter Tree-huggin' hippy," Ryan DePauw says, quoting Cartman from "South Park." As the Student Association's recycling director, DePauw looks like the antithesis of a hippy with his short, blond hair, red and brown baseball cap and "South Park" t-shirt. Considered a "realistic environmentalist," DePauw received three honors for his recycling efforts: Honorable mention as the Illinois Recycling Association Recycler of the Year, a plaque from NIU Physical Plant Director Bob Albanese and an award, named after him, from the SA. "I'm deeply honored to have been the first recipient of an award from the senate ... executive staff," he said. "I didn't expect such recognition." DePauw, who will receive the Illinois Recycling Association Recycler of the Year honorable mention Tuesday, later added, "It's always very nice to be recognized for something that you are proud of and something you enjoy doing." DePauw's interest in the environment stems from high school experiences. "I always found science teachers to be a little bit more emotional and intriguing to me, I guess," he said. Parental support also helped. "My parents brought me up with an opportunity to follow what I was interested in," he said. The nominations for Web pages began in early March. TAPS received between 50 and 60 nominations, which were then forwarded to 22 judges to be narrowed down into 11 categories. The remaining Web pages were entered in a category called the Best of the Rest, Prais said. The voting was then opened once again to NIU students and faculty from March 11 to Monday. Senate Speaker James Barr said he sees DePauw as a responsible environmentalist. "He has a passion for NIU and the environment," Barr said. DePauw said, "If I was here in the '70s, I don't think I'd be looked at much differently than other individuals in the environment. I consider myself one of the more environmental students on campus, given what I've learned." DePauw's past involvement in the SA as a senator and his education in NIU's Business School allow him to work within business and politics "to assist the environmental cause." He said whereas some environmentalists will take extreme measures to be heard, DePauw knows how to work within the system. "Though I may share those (environmentalists') views ... I feel I've gotten a better hold on how to get things done and make environmental causes more attractive to the average person," he said. With graduation two weeks away, DePauw has to finish a capstone for the University Honors Program and find a job after college. "I've spent more time on recycling and Earth Week and whatnot than I have preparing for my classes," he said. It is because of this dedication, though, that DePauw earned the SA		award. "Ryan's probably the single hardest-working person I've ever seen in the Student Association," Barr said. "He attends all events. He's always the first to file his reports. He has responsibility over more people, dollars and projects in the SA." Although the majority of DePauw's work was done outside the office, he was worried people would think he wasn't working because he spent most of his time at the now-defunct Tom Kennedy Recycling Center. The recycling center shut down in March after it incurred a $20,000 deficit because of a lack of a market for recyclables. While recycling responsibilities have been handed to the Physical Plant for collection, DePauw said he thinks few students probably have noticed the change. "My work has kinda been behind the scenes with the recycling center," he said. "A lot of people have just assumed recycling was there." DePauw is credited for bringing the recycling center out of debt. Barr, recalling last year's situation with the recycling program, said the old recycling director, Pete Adrian, got into a media war with the administration regarding the center's deficit. "There was a lot of tension," Barr said. "Ryan came in .. I think they (administrators) were happy to see someone who won't go attacking them." Albanese and Barr both agreed DePauw did a good job of getting recycling out of debt. "He just cut, cut, cut 'til there was no longer a deficit and there was money to pay the debt," Barr said. "Difficult cuts had to be made. It's not easy for any government entity to give up a service it provides. Basically, it all fell to Ryan ... what the future of recycling will be on this campus." DePauw said the transition of recycling from students to the Physical Plant still has "some bugs that need to be worked on," because people who helped with the transition are leaving NIU, including himself. Considering the change, however, he said through trial and error, a program will be developed that works for everyone. In addition, DePauw said now that students aren't in charge of collection responsibilities, they can educate NIU about recycling, be involved in policy issues regarding recycling and take part in procurement issues. "We can do a really good job encouraging the university to buy more recycling products to enhance the aesthetics of the recycling program," he said. "This particular office ... has great opportunity to really take hold of and move forward and improve recycling." He said as long as students maintain a good relationship with the administration and Physical Plant, "I think it will be a great service for the students." DePauw, who is looking at getting a job at places such as the Department of Natural Resources or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, said he wants to educate the public in a local or state post and coordinate the purchase and oversite of parkland. "I've already determined that I don't want to wear a suit," he said. DePauw said it makes sense for him to pursue something dealing with the environment because of his interest in it and the United States' dwindling natural resources. "All creatures and wildlife have an intrinsic value of their own that deserves to be protected," DePauw said. In addition to DePauw's versatile interests in the environment and "South Park," he said he also likes Sporty Spice.