Steve Bianchi
"we have a responsibility to sustain — if not enhance — our natural environment and our nation's economy for future generations." —steve johnson, u.s. environmental protection agency administrator
About Steve
Steve has been an officer in the Boston College Police Department for twenty years. For the past few years, he has collected bottles and cans to raise money through recycling for cancer organizations in honor of his son, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Steve’s efforts help save the lives of those struggling with cancer, as well as the environment.
Steve & Relay for Life
Steve became involved with Relay for Life when his son was first diagnosed. He started gathering cans and bottles from friends, family, and students to raise money for his relay team. Doing so helped him raise $1000 for the relay in 2006.
Steve & Cans Against Cancer
Steve continued collecting and recycling cans to raise money and awareness about cancer. His efforts have soared, and he now has his own Facebook site, Cans Against Cancer. In 2007, Steve was able to raise $7,500, most of which went to the American Cancer Society, and in 2008 he raised an impressive $16,465. He still participates in Relay for Life events, usually donating his funds to Cops for Kids with Cancer or Take a Swing at Cancer.
The quantity of cans and bottles that Steve cashed in 2007 amounted to 150,000 (20 cans = $1). His goal for 2008 was 200,000 cans, which he vastly exceeded by collecting 329,300 containers. Of those, approximately 300,000 were from BC students and offices. In 2008 he had several offices join his cause, including the Urban Ecology Institute, Hovey House, Residential Life, and the Alumni Association. Steve also has about 25 companies in the Boston area from which he collects cans, and he has been getting additional help from students performing community service.
He currently uses eight 45-gallon containers, which he bought to transport the cans and bottles in his vehicle. (He can carry three of these containers at a time, and he stores them inside the loading dock next to the police station.) Steve also has two 100-gallon green containers; during busy Sunday nights, he wheels them up to the Hillsides and fills them from the recycling bins in those two dorms before they're put outside on Monday for the regular recycling pickups.
Steve & the environment
Steve is hoping that a bill currently on Beacon Hill will pass within the next six months: It will mandate a deposit on water and juice bottles, which currently do not carry deposits (except in Maine). Should this bill pass, there will no longer be a need to separate carbonated from non-carbonated containers, and there will be no "fighting" to horde just the carbonated.
Steve’s primary purpose for recycling is obviously to contribute to cancer research and treatment. However, the bigger picture is preventing the aluminum and plastic from being discarded into the environment, where it will never deteriorate in anyone’s lifetime. He feels that his program is a win-win situation for both the environment and cancer research.
What You Can Do
Help Steve!= Collect your bottles and cans and page Steve at 617-486-4444, and he'll take them to be recycled. It’s that easy and helpful!
Read the Heights article "Officer Collects with ‘Cans for Cancer.’"