Wellness checks, everyone gets them, every single day. Breaking it down that adds up to 33,500 plastic wristbands per week, and 536,000 wristbands every semester, excluding weekends, faculty, and staff. That totals just over 400 pounds of plastic waste created by our campus. We need to look out for our beautiful campus and surrounding ecosystem. Soon enough, our campus will be clogged with these wristbands. The main issue here is that they don't degrade over time, they are made of Tyvek sheeting, specifically high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is resistant to biodegradation among normal circumstances. However, this material is one of the easiest to actually recycle into new products and materials.

Solutions

• One possible solution would be for the current wellness check stations to start collecting used wristbands from students, faculty, and staff so they can be recycled properly. This action can be incentivized by a punch card like system so that for every 10 or so wristbands someone recycles they receive a coupon for a free side or meal at one of the restaurants on campus, or possibly Embry-Riddle branded gear. 
• Another solution would be to switch methods entirely and use something like paper stickers that students could simply stick onto their clothing, it accomplishes the same purpose while proving to be more sustainable.
• If you have a solution of your own you'd like to suggest then don't hesitate to get into contact!

If this petition can get enough signatures to be compelling to ERAU administration, a thorough proposal will be presented to our president along with the signatures collected asking for a change in the current system.

Embry-Riddle is a school comprised of innovators and problem solvers, not problem causers. Be an Eagle and help preserve our beautiful campus and ecosystem!