STC Students Turning Trash into Treasure

How can a welder make a flower bloom? South Texas College’s Mid-Valley Campus Biology Club student Danny Agado has the answer to that question with his new glass recycling tumbler project. 

The project consists of using a glass tumbler to recycle glass, which in return can be used as mulch in the Mid-Valley Campus Community Garden.

Agado’s interest in the project came as result of learning how many natural resources can be saved by recycling. 

“I created the project with the intent to do my part in helping preserve our scarce natural resources,” said Agado. “I want to leave this planet the same or better for my children and grandchildren to enjoy.” 

Agado was able to get support from STC’s Mid-Valley WorkForce Training Center to assist in making the project a reality.

He partnered with Robert Sacco, a certified welding instructor at STC, who jumped on the band wagon by donating materials and the time needed to construct the glass tumbler. He also incorporated the building of the glass tumbler as a project in the curriculum for the students of the Migrant Education Training Partnership Program with STC.

The glass comes from the students at college’s Mid-Valley Campus, who have been collecting glass as part of their “reduce, reuse, recycle” promotion.

The tumbler will do exactly what its name says, tumble collected glass until it is round, shiny and safe to handle. The glass will then be used to keep weeds from growing and add color to the college’s Mid-Valley Campus Community Garden.

The construction of the tumbler is scheduled to be completed in time for STC’s Environmental Education Fair on April 18. The event is sponsored by the Mid-Valley Campus Education and Biology clubs to celebrate Earth Day and the Week of the Young Child.

The tumbler will be available for community use from STC’s Mid-Valley Campus Biology Club at a minimal cost.

For more information on the project contact Dr. Debbie Villalon, Mid-Valley Campus Biology Club Advisor, at 956-973-7638.


Photo caption:

Students work to finish a new glass tumbler available at South Texas College’s Mid-Valley Campus to turn glass bottles into colorful mulch for use in garden beds.