Bags to Benches program produces its first campus bench

Radford University’s Student Government Association (SGA) unveiled the first recycled bench from its participation in the Bags to Benches program.

Students began participating in the program in February 2018, setting up collection stations around campus for the Radford community to donate their unwanted plastic bags. Student groups collected and hand counted the necessary 40,000 bags needed to construct a bench.

Members of the Chemistry Club, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and R-Space chipped in with collecting and counting, said Karla Colina, coordinator for the Sustainability Leadership Team and SGA sustainability secretary.

The bench was delivered to campus and unveiled on April 22, during Earth Week festivities. The bench is located in the green space adjacent to parking lot JJ between Cook Hall and the Bonnie Hurlburt Student Center.

The student groups continue to collect bags and will coordinate with Facilities Management to determine additional bench locations. Collection bins are located at McConnell Library, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion office, the SGA office and the Center for the Sciences.