Of all the majors, why must Architecture be the most wasteful?

This has really been bugging me lately, so I thought I would write it down. What has been bugging me is that I am part of a system that is hypocritical to say the least. This system is architecture school. We profess to be on the 'cutting edge' of green technology and we appear to be so concerned with green design and environmental consciousness. So, if we are so concerned about these things in theory and design, why are we so wasteful in a physical sense?

Model making is the single most wasteful activity I have taken part in whilst in academia. Every week, three times a week, all of us architecture majors have assignments due. Sometimes they are small assignments, just a couple of drawings or a study model. Sometimes they are large, such as a big site model or several sheets of drawings. Other times, they are enormous, like our final reviews. Huge models, sometimes several feet square, and often three or more 24" x 36" sheets of drawings. Yes, this is necessary, in a sense, to get our ideas across, but why must it be done so wastefully? Convincing people to radically change their habits with model making is stupid, so I will not do that. Instead, I would like to offer some suggestions.

Save your scraps! I say this with near certainty; if you keep your scrap materials, someone WILL use them. Unless they are pathetically small pieces of chipboard, plexiglass, whatever...someone will find a need for them. The best thing we can do to reduce waste is to be more responsible with our models. Unfortunately, recycling is a narrow option for chipboard. After doing some research, I have found that few companies take this material because it is not very valuable. Unlike corrugated cardboard, chipboard is made of a low-value pulp material that has little resale value. So, take it cradle to cradle, reuse what you already have.

Another spot of serious waste is with paper. I understand that much paper is required for architecture, and it's probably not going to change. The question I have though is, why is the students used paper not being recycled?! Paper is not hard to recycle, and there is NO reason why we don't have paper bins in every single studio. I know of one, ONE paper recycling bin in the entire building, even though architecture students use more paper than most. How hard could it be to place paper recycling bins in the studios?

In conclusion, changing our environmental habits is simple a matter of how much you care personally. It is a collective individual movement. You must use your own actions to benefit the whole, and it only works if everyone does it. I know I've got up on my soapbox before and pontificated about this, but I'm serious. Simple changes CAN make a difference, so I hope you will strive to be part of the change.