Troy University students are going green – or at least, greener.

As part of a student-driven initiative, the university has adopted a recycling program that will allow students to recycle from their dorm rooms.

This is the first time in years Troy students have had this option.

“Troy doesn’t have a recycling program (but) other schools in the state do,” said Student Government Association President Tim Parr. “It’s something that can be done fairly easily and can make a difference.”

And though Parr has spearheaded the project at Troy University, he wasn’t the only student backing the idea.

“I’ve had a lot of students working with different teachers, and they approached me about getting recycling on Troy’s campus,” Parr said. “They wanted to see a change on campus, and I brought it to the SGA.”

Beginning Dec. 11, the day before fall graduation, recycling bins will be placed in all the dorms on Troy’s campus.

But, the program won’t officially kick off until after school resumes in the spring. The first pick up will be Jan. 12.

The program will come at no cost to Troy’s students, since the university’s physical plant will pick up all recyclables.

Paper, cardboard, aluminum cans and plastic bottles will be collected, and unlike the city’s recycling program, university students won’t have to separate these items themselves.

While this program is the first campus-wide recycling program, the university already cokkects paper in the Adams Administration building.

Parr’s vision is to one day have recycling bins available in every academic building on campus and in all the offices.

“I’d like to see that go not just there but everywhere,” Parr said. “I know in the SGA office we generate a lot of trash that could be recycled.”

This also isn’t the first effort the student government has made to be more environmentally friendly this year.

Earlier in the semester, the school adopted a Web site to give all student organizations a means of communicating with members without having to print out paper.

“I know a lot of students are concerned with the environment,” Parr said. “This is one way they can do their part just like other people are doing their part.”