Trinity's trash piles up in middle of campus

Trinity’s trash was piling up Tuesday. It was not a result of careless disposal, but rather, a lesson on effect.

"It would kind of grow. Every two hours or so I would come back and check it out and it would just be, you know, another level higher," said Trinity senior Brett Mays.

Trinity University decided to take their trash and put it in the middle of campus to show how much trash each student generates in a single day.

“The actual amount of trash is going down believe it or not. But this is the first time they’ve actually collected all the trash and put it in one place,” said Ben Surpless, an assistant professor at Trinity.

The pile was an eye-catcher on campus as people walked to classes. But not everyone was big on seeing a dump in the common area.

“I am not exactly sure what they’re trying to show but I think it smells pretty bad when I am walking by, that’s for sure," observed Jonathan Box.

Trinity says every student generates about three-fourths of a pound of trash a day.

"Oh, wow. That's a lot. It's kind of gross," said student Kylie Reynolds.

Over the past few years the university says the recycling rate has been going up, and the waste-generation has been going down.

But the school felt it could do better. They said most of items in the trash pile was recyclable. Plastic bottles and aluminum cans could be seen through the trash bags.

Anywhere you throw something out on campus, you are going to find a recycling bin right next to it. Trinity says it wasn’t always like that.
"It's definitely eye-opening, to say the least - how much we consume and waste," said sophomore Joe Shotland.

The say's demonstration was a lesson not wasted on these students.

"I think it's sort of an eyesore, but maybe it's supposed to be," said Box.

E-waste piles up at DeKalb recycling event

Electronics have been banned from landfills since January, but that’s not the reason Ron and Kathy Sheahan of Genoa stopped by the recycling event held Saturday in DeKalb.

It had been a few years since the Sheahans purged their old electronics. They thought the electronic recycling event held at the DeKalb County Health Department on Annie Glidden Road was perfect to properly dispose of the items that had been collecting dust in their basement.

“It wouldn’t have mattered if the law changed,” Ron Sheahan said.

State law now makes it a crime to throw old electronic devices – including TVs, monitors, digital music players, computers and a host of mobile devices – into landfills.

Supporters of the law that took effect Jan. 1 argue the ban prevents untold tons of the electronic devices – and the toxic materials contained within, including mercury, lead, cadmium and lithium – from contaminating ground and water around landfills.

“The turnout is a little bit higher than I anticipated,” said Christel Springmire, solid waste coordinator at the DeKalb County Health Department.

DeKalb Police directed traffic that lined West Dresser Road during the first few hours of the recycling event. Kathy Sheahan said she counted about 80 cars during the half-hour wait to drop off a few TVs, computer monitors, a word processor, cellphones and batteries. Springmire said Saturday was the second recycling event where police helped with traffic.

Two 53-foot semitrailers and a box trailer filled up quickly, with one-and-a-half trailers filled by about 10 a.m. Advanced Technology Recycling in Pontiac was the recycling agency that hauled electronics away.

“About 90 percent of what we receive is mostly destined to be recycled in one way or another,” said Barb Ehresman, CEO of Advanced Technology Recycling.

Some of the items they receive from recycling events aren’t re-marketable, she said. TVs are sent to a demanufacturing company; Advanced Technology Recycling handles most of the computer demanufacturing.

The company has collected electronics for DeKalb County’s events since 2005. Springmire said electronics recycling events are typically held in the spring and fall, but she said the health department is considering hosting a third event in the summer depending on Saturday’s turnout.

Tevez hat-trick piles pressure on United

Carlos Tevez hit a hat-trick as Manchester City crushed Norwich 6-1 at Carrow Road today to pile the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester United.

Roberto Mancini's side moved within two points of title rivals United thanks to a treble from Argentina forward Tevez, two goals from Sergio Aguero and an Adam Johnson strike.

United now need to beat Aston Villa at Old Trafford tomorrow to re-establish their five-point advantage at the top.

After City's defeat at Arsenal last weekend, it was widely expected that United would cruise to their 20th English league crown, but the champions' midweek stumble at Wigan and back-to-back wins featuring 10 goals for Mancini's men has breathed new life into the title race.

Mancini tried to keep the pressure on United when asked if the title was back in City's sights. "It's finished," he said.

He did admit that Tevez's absence for five months following the striker's touchline row with the City boss at Bayern Munich could be crucial.

"I think we did well without Carlos for four or five months, but I'm sure if we had Carlos with Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli we would have scored more goals," Mancini added.

Norwich were swept aside before half-time as Tevez opened the scoring with a swerving shot from long-range that deceived goalkeeper John Ruddy in the 18th minute.

Tevez was instrumental in the second goal nine minutes later. Aguero played a pass into Tevez and the Argentine's deft back-heel allowed his compatriot to fire home from the edge of the area for his 27th goal of the season.

Norwich midfielder Andrew Surman reduced the deficit in the 51st minute, but Tevez poked home in the 73rd minute and Aguero netted a brilliant solo effort two minutes later.

Tevez completed his treble in the 80th minute and Johnson clinched City's first away league win since February with a stoppage-time effort.

Elsewhere, bottom club Wolves earned a creditable 0-0 draw at Sunderland, but Terry Connor's side still look destined for relegation.

With only four games to play, Wolves are eight points from safety despite ending a woeful run of seven successive defeats.

Connor said: "We thoroughly deserved the point and possibly should have nicked it.

"We've been building towards that type of performance. We'll keep going right until the end."

Blackburn remain second bottom of the table and sit three points from safety after a 3-0 defeat at Swansea.

Steve Kean's side fell behind in the 37th minute when on-loan Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson struck with a swerving shot.

Nathan Dyer curled in an impressive second six minutes later and Rovers defender Scott Dann deflected Sigurdsson's shot into his own net in the 63rd minute.

To make matters worse for Kean, Rovers were hit by injuries to Ayegbeni Yakubu, Grant Hanley and David Hoilett.

"I think Grant's is serious, he couldn't come back on and there's heavy swelling," Kean said.

"We had to bring Yakubu off as a precaution but hopefully he'll be ready for the next game."

QPR's survival hopes suffered a setback as Mark Hughes' side were beaten 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion.

The west Londoners thrashed Swansea in midweek but a superb 22nd minute goal from Scottish midfielder Graham Dorrans at the Hawthorns left them just two points above the drop zone.

Wenger piles praise on Van Persie

Van Persie netted against a 17th different team in the same season with his penalty at Molineux and he has only failed to hit the target against Manchester City and Fulham.

It mirrored the achievement of former Gunners hotshot, Ian Wright, who scored against every other side bar Manchester United and Sunderland in a 38-game season during the 1996-97 campaign.

The Dutchman ended his four-game run without a goal to take his overall tally to 34 in all competitions this season.

Wenger said: "It is important for a striker, even like Robin van Persie who was not used to not scoring in the season, to find the net.

"He equalled the record of Ian Wright who scored against 17 different teams out of 19 in the Premier League.

"That is absolutely remarkable in the modern game to be able to do that. I'd like to congratulate him on that.

"When you only have 19 teams, and your striker has scored against 17 teams, that is something sensational.

"He could have beaten the record if he had scored against Manchester City at the weekend."

Arsenal are now five points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham in the battle for a Champions League place.

Wenger said: "It was overall a fantastic win. I'm very happy to be in this position but also very cautious as some teams were in the position we are in now before.

"We want to win our next game and from where we have come (trailing behind Tottenham at one stage) helps us be focused.

"We have come from very deep and being in that position helps us focus on that next game."

Theo Walcott and Yossi Benayoun were the other scorers for the Gunners.

Wenger admitted he is puzzled at Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli escaping action after his challenge on Alex Song in the weekend clash, compared to QPR skipper Shaun Derry being sent off after making contact with Manchester United's Ashley Young.

He said: "I don't still understand well. If you look at, for example, the case of Balotelli, okay you get an explanation and okay you have to accept it.

"If you look at the case of Derry and think okay you can accept it.

"But if you put the two together it looks absolutely unbelievable that one is suspended and the other isn't.

"But when the ref has seen something, no-one can get over the rule. I think we should have an exceptional committee of ethics to get over that.

"The global situation does not make sense. For people who love football, it is difficult to understand why one is not punished at all and the other one is punished.

"I'm not keen to get Balotelli suspended but for football fans it is difficult to understand."

Wolves are now nine points adrift of safety and manager Terry Connor felt it harsh for Sebastien Bassong to be red-carded for the challenge on Walcott which led to the Van Persie spot-kick.

He said: "There's definitely a tangle. The interpretation was Bassong fouled Theo. I just don't think the punishment fitted the actual crime.

"You could argue that he was the last man. The ref has no choice according to the rules but the rules look a bit harsh.

"It spoils the game for the supporters a little because they know they (Wolves) have little chance after that to come back."

As regards Wolves' current plight, Connor said: There a chance and I have asked the lads to replicate that performance for the next five games and what will be will be.

Consumer confidence slump piles pressure on Reserve

A WAVE of gloom is descending over households and businesses in the economy's slow lanes, threatening to undermine activity outside the booming mining sector.

The Westpac Melbourne Institute said yesterday that consumer confidence had fallen 1.6 per cent to an eight-month low amid growing fears about job security and household finances, increasing pressure on the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates next month.

In what economists dubbed a disturbing development, the survey also found 48.5 per cent of households thought their financial position had become worse in the past year, while only 13.5 per cent thought they were better off now.

Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said consumers had not been this despondent about changes in their financial position since July 2008, when many were gripped by fears of a global recession.

''The results of this survey should be sending a very clear message to the Reserve Bank that Australia needs lower interest rates,'' Mr Evans said.

The figures came as the sharemarket fell by more than 1 per cent, with investor confidence also dragged down by a drop in new home loans and Europe's debt woes.

The pessimism is expected to weigh on consumer spending, and a senior banker at NAB warned that morale among some industries was so weak that companies were hoarding cash and considering holding back on investment plans.

NAB's executive in charge of business banking, Joseph Healy, said there was a growing risk that businesses outside the booming resources sector could ''sit on their hands'' and postpone investments as they waited for confidence to return.

Any such delays threatened to worsen the economy's productivity woes, because they would prevent businesses from making crucial adjustments, he said.

''My concern is that the decision by many businesses to hold back on investment and to sit on cash may have longer-term consequences to profitability, productivity and efficiency,'' Mr Healy said. ''By choosing to sit on their cash rather than invest, business could inadvertently exacerbate the problems they are trying to wait out.''

Economists said the surprise fall in consumers' spirits was probably caused by the RBA's decision to keep official interest rates on hold at 4.25 per cent this month, despite pleading from business groups.

The slump is expected to weigh on spending decisions, in another blow to the retail industry.

Households also appear increasingly reluctant to take on new debt, a trend underlined by a 2.5 per cent drop in new home loan commitments in February. It was the second monthly fall in a row.

Business groups and unions say a recent run of weak economic figures, which include poor business confidence, prove the economy is weakening and a cut in interest rates is warranted.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's chief executive, Peter Anderson, called on the RBA to cut by 0.5 percentage points, arguing that a smaller move would be too timid.

''We should not be waiting for the world economy to fall around us before we act with the levers we have to strengthen our own economy,'' he said.