In his Friday, Feb. 21 column, Dave Hollingsworth described how people who don't recycle are ruining the Earth. That's true, and it's a very important topic that should concern everyone. But one thing really struck me as ironic. Dave mentioned a "dork" who wasted napkins in the cafeteria. What about the food that is wasted?

Last semester I worked in Pollock cafeteria, and the amount of untouched, totally edible food that went down the garbage disposal was not only amazing, but disgusting. Plates of barely-picked-at food rolled along the conveyor belt, and we had no choice but to dump it in with the sludge.

It wasn't always the students' waste either. At the end of each dinner, whatever was not eaten was thrown in the trash compactor. Once I saw three trays of chicken cosmos, straight from the oven, chucked into the garbage.

There must be some way to remedy this, and it doesn't have to be "send it to Africa," which is impossible. How about if the students take only what they know they will eat, then go back for more if they need to?

Most importantly, if there is extra food, why not work for a method of distribution for the homeless? Or am I mistaken, and there are no people going hungry in Happy Valley?

Penn State has to find someway to stop this waste. Recycling is not the only means for saving the world.