Wednesday, March 20, 2013

My Guest Editorial in the KCC Bruin


Spring is theoretically here (nothing about the weather in Michigan is guaranteed), and with the melting snow comes one bad thing: the garbage is now visible. While nothing can be done about the goose fewmets, the human discards are an indication of slothfulness and an abominable lack of respect.

In spite of being declared a non-smoking campus, the cigarette butts are everywhere. Apparently some people think they are hiding their discards by tossing the tan filters into the landscaping, among the rocks and wood chips. This is not camouflage! And this just encourages others to throw away their litter wherever they want. There are trash cans all over the campus… follow the trails of cigarette butts and personal litter to find one! The most irritating litter is what is found NEAR the trash cans. Someone disposed of a bright green dental-floss pick, on the ground, not fourteen inches away from the trash can outside the Davidson building. Seriously, you couldn’t take that extra step and put it IN the trashcan? (I’m not picking it up, because I don’t know whose mouth it has been in!)

In one brief walk across campus, from the Binda Theater to the Davidson building, I saw (and properly disposed of) one cupcake wrapper, one coffee cup, one broken pen, and a broken keychain. I did NOT pick up the innumerable cigarette butts. I also did not contribute mine to the collection; it is simple to make sure the cigarette is stubbed out completely and stick it back into the cigarette package to dispose of in an ashtray later.

Take a walk sometime, and see how many cigarette butts YOU can count on this non-smoking campus. Then get a list of approved smoking locations from the security desk, and if you smoke, USE IT. If you don’t smoke, share it with someone who does. Tossing a non-biodegradable filter is just plain lazy and rude. Show some respect for other students, for Mother Nature, and for the campus. This is an institution of learning, so learn how to dispose of your litter in a safe way!

 

Lyn is a dirt-worshipping tree-hugger Child of Earth with asthma, whose grandma died of emphysema. Cigarettes are her pet peeve.