Date: March 1, 2020
To: Jessica McCarthy
Professional Writing Professor
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
From: Hannah Faucher, Student
Subject: Proposal for Better Recycling on UTC Housing Complexes
Purpose
The purpose of this proposal is to be granted authorization to research the benefits of adding
better recycling bins on all UTC Housing Complexes.
Summary
Recycling is a major component to improving the environment. Recycling not only cuts down on
the waste in the landfills, but it also cuts down on the bad toxins in the air that the waste causes.
Scientist and environmentalist always preach how we need to recycle and stop using plastics to
save Earth, but if it is not made easily available to us, people will not be likely to recycle.
College students are the ones that will take over one day and be the leaders and impressionist of
the world when it is time for the older generations to retire and the college students grow up to
fill their spots. If they do not recycle now, they might not make a point to when it is their turn to
take over. College students now are used to having everything easily available to them easily and
immediately, we do not like having to go out of our way to do something, especially if we are
not required to do so already.
UTC already has very small, trash can size, recycling bins outside of housing complexes where
students have to separate their plastics, paper, and aluminum in order to recycle. That is a good
start to getting their students to recycle, but it is not very convenient nor practical for housing
complexes on a college campus. UTC also already has a place on campus to do major recycling,
but most students is not aware of it, nor of the location. Not only are students not aware of it, but
they are not going to be very likely to transport their recyclables to it as much as they would if it
was available to them at their housing complex.
This research will primarily benefit the environment, the college, and the community. It will help
the environment by reusing recyclable materials instead of letting them rot in a landfill. The
college will get a boost in reputation from not only their students, but their community since they
will be more eco-friendly and will be promoting helping the Earth. The community will benefit
by having less waste which pollutes the air.
In order to solve this, there will need to be research on how many students will be more likely to
recycle if the school provided a better system for them on their housing complexes, how much it
will cost to provide the better recycling bins, and what the faculty needs to know before.
To collect this research and data, I would create a survey for the students. The survey would help
get data on how much students currently recycle and how likely they would recycle if this
proposal were to be carried out. I would need to discuss with the faculty what they need to put
this research into action.
I would conduct the research; I was in an honors society at my previous college where we
conducted research for seven months and completed an honor in action project where we came
5th finalist in an international competition for our work. The research will occur over the next
eight weeks, where I will conduct the students survey, interview the faculty and research what it
takes to get better recycling bins.
If this proposal is approved, the research will begin immediately. There will be a progress report
sent to the professional writing class as well as Professor McCarthy on 3/16/2020 and
recommendations report on 3/20/2020 via canvas.
