Don’t Be Trashy

Litter at the Bridge

PHOTO | Tara Espinoza


Arkansas Tech is known for its beautiful campus. It has won awards for the numerous trees planted around the school. Many times in the past, Arka Tech has reported on how much we appreciate our lovely campus. Because of that, we would like to remind students not to litter.

Littering is both bad for the environment and unsightly. Beautiful parts of nature are often ruined by human waste. The creek under the bridge connecting the path from Arkansas Tech to the aquatic center has become increasingly polluted with plastic and other trash. Littering like this isn’t good for the wildlife that lives around us. The birds and squirrels we love on campus are at risk of eating litter. Trash contaminates the water that our beautiful flora feed off from.

Littering is both completely unnecessary and is a crime in the State of Arkansas. Littering is punishable by a minimum of 100 dollars and community service. There are trash cans placed all over campus. Holding onto your trash before you get to one should be no trouble.

As we enter graduation season, many students take photos on campus. Every year, however, we notice confetti littering the grass outside the library and around the school. Using confetti like this and leaving it for campus groundskeepers to take care of is simply inconsiderate; if you must use confetti, then at least purchase biodegradable options.

We hope that you all will consider not littering, no matter where you are. However, we also encourage students to take it a step further. If you see trash on the ground while walking around, pick it up and throw it away. Participate in community service events that focus on picking up trash. Confront or report someone if you notice they are littering.

With the state of the environment today, it is important that we stay conscious of these things. We want our world and campus to stay beautiful and healthy, and we all have a part to play.