About a year ago my roommate and I, both exhausted, were leaving the library around closing time.  My roommate was carrying a banana peel.  On the north side of the wall across from the Rookery was a recycling bin and, 3 inches farther down the wall, a trash can.  As we passed the wall my roommate altered his course ever so slightly and swung his arm out to deposit his banana...in the recycling bin.  I remember stopping, but I also must have given him a death stare of sorts because he walked 5 steps, turned around to look at me, then walked back, stuck his entire arm in the recycling to pull out his banana peel and move it, all 3 inches, to the  trash (there was no compost bin in the vicinity).  By the time he'd turned for the exit again I was rolling with laughter.

In fits of laziness I've done it, we've all done it: placed paper in the trash, a plastic wrapper  in the recycling.  I've opened dorm windows at -15° F to cool a stifling dorm room rather than call Facilities (x4133) to turn down the heat.  Behavior is currently the single greatest obstacle to our achieving a more environmental and sustainable society.  As people we are being asked, for good reason, to change many of our routine behaviors.  The results of our failed attempts can be both quite pathetic and rather humorous.  So, without further ado, I present to you the page of Sustainability Faux Pas.  Feel free to send me pictures.

Text on this page by Chris Erickson (5th Year ENTS Intern 2008-2009)