I think you've been suckered by campus legend. I was involved in establishing the recycling program when I attended BU, and that was 20 years ago. The administration was very supportive and that was with John Silber in charge.
Then perhaps it was removed?
Recycling was only added to classroom buildings in 2008. Exception being SMG, which had a couple of hidden recycling areas from the day it opened (late 90s I believe), and school of education which has solar panels and such on the roof.
Dorms have had recycling, but out of the way, unlike regular trash service. Take Myles, 5 large trash cans per floor (so 40 trash cans) emptied daily, and a total of 6 recycling bins, emptied once a week. I throw out more recycling every week than garbage, I assume most are the same.
Compost began in dining halls in 2007 or 2008. Recycling came to the GSU food court around 2004.
Until recently, most catered events used bottles water. Again, why spend money on bottles water and generate huge amounts of trash instead of providing pitchers? It makes no financial sense.
There is no recycling on the street (and Kenmore square has zero trash bins, but thats a city of Boston issue)
Once again,
this isnt just BU. As far as I can tell, that city has zero recycling bins on the streets, but lots of big belly trash receptacles. Considering all the plastic bottles people carry with them, this doesnt make sense.
Of course I welcome all the recent changes, but wasn't recycling "invented" in the 1970's? Isn't that when the "reduce, reuse, recycle" PSA began?
Why has it taken 30 years to become institutionalized? It bothers me when people say "look how progressive we are, a recycling bin!" when they're 30 years late to the party.
Heres another example, so it's not just about BU. Costco recently flooded their stores with recycling, trash and compost bins.......why...? How does that make any sense? At least they've always designed their stores with skylights.
Or it could be similar to the story that used to go about (perhaps it still does) that BU had hired a prison architect to design Warren Towers, specifically to get the smalles possible room footprint. In other words, it could simply be bullshit. As you point out, it is bullshit, whether or not the rating was ever given.
I never heard this story.