Recycling on campus will become easier thanks to the Student Association Recycling Center.

Congratulations are in order for the center becoming one of 27 out of 116 grant applicants to get funding from the Department of Energy and Natural Resources.

The center received a $5,731 grant for its efforts in keeping NIU cleaner and our section of the world a little bit healthier. The grant will be used to buy a baler.

Dave Broustis, the center’s adviser, is hoping the baler will help to further a campus-wide recycling program. The concept is noble, but the actual act will take some work.

Most everyone has become at least aware of the need for recycling and some have even gone beyond passive worrying by actually recycling. But still more needs to be done to get all the NIU community active in the push for greener pastures, and the way to do this would be to join forces.

All 25,000 members of the Student Association led by the SA senate and the rest of the NIU community need to pitch in. The word needs to be spread that recycling does and will help to better our lives.

Some might say this is merely an empty-ended dream, but it doesn’t have to be if enough people get involved. Chain reaction is one of the most powerful effects we have in society, but it needs to start somewhere. This grant could be that start.