Outside the box

DISCLAIMER: Some of you pick up the IDS to be informed, others to be entertained. But what if you found yourself reading a column about one of the seemingly most boring, unobtrusive things in existence? Yes, you’ve guessed it, you’ve gotten yourself into quite a conundrum: You’re in the middle of a column about cardboard boxes (seriously), and you’re going to like it so much that you’re going to keep reading the whole thing.

Now, with that warning, let’s continue, shall we? Although you might be wondering what relevance boxes have to you, they are, undeniably, an ever-present force in your life right now. If you live on campus, there’s probably a substantial heap of disposed box shells filling your trash – and hopefully recycling – bins, and if you live off campus, your curb may look like a box graveyard at the moment.

This column is not a personal vendetta against cardboard boxes. Rather, it is a simple judgment on an industry which, beyond industrial packaging, is overused in personal consumption. Over the past five years or so, cardboard box consumption has risen about 1.5 percent annually, according to a New York Times article. While many companies are attempting industrial recovery, you won’t see many individuals composting their boxes – although, freshmen, it’s a very effective way to scare off your new roommate. But when you consider that 9 percent of the average urban garbage dump consists of cardboard boxes and take into account how many trees that constitutes, you might want to look into reusing or recycling them, even if you don’t feel personally inclined to make them into solar box cookers or some kind of crazy recycled art installation.

The cardinal rule: You should never, ever, without exception, buy a box! Office Depot can do without your two bucks. This doesn’t mean you have to go dumpster diving every time you need one, although boxes aren’t too elusive, and you can generally find a good stack next to the bin. But if that doesn’t appeal to you, and you absolutely need something to pack and move with, go see your friendly C-store workers, and they may have a Doritos  box or two for you. If you live off campus and C-stores aren’t your thing, arrange a midnight trip to Wal-Mart. Generally, you can score some decent PlayStation or refrigerator boxes as the overnight crew restocks.

When you’re done, remember that all cardboard boxes can be reused and recycled. On campus, there are collection sites by all loading docks and recycling stations, and at the off-campus recycling center, they’ll take your discarded boxes for recycling and keep a couple for anyone else who might need them.

You probably won’t see anyone standing in the arboretum advocating responsible box use, so if by some miracle you’ve made it to the end of this column, congratulations! You are officially among the few, the proud and the informed. As such, brave souls, remember that sometimes it’s the little, less-than-earth-shattering steps you take in life that can really add up to make a difference.