Opinion: As the spring sun draws Vitamin-D deficient students outside, it becomes increasingly important to remind people not to litter.
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As Earth Day approaches this week, many may feel called to show appreciation for this planet we call home. After all, nature is a beautiful, wondrous thing. It is difficult to look at sparkling, winding rivers or evergreen mountain slopes and not feel one’s heart dip in awe of this world’s existence. The beauty of the outdoors is both magnificent and baffling. It’s triumphant and ancient. It’s pure and calm and clean. Until, of course, it isn’t.
Last Earth Day, Keep America Beautiful released the largest study on litter in the United States. They found that with over 50 billion pieces of trash littered, each American square mile could house 2,000 pieces of trash. Littering has extensive and disastrous effects on the environment. Beyond being an eyesorish stain on the brilliant canvas we call life, trash is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and kills entire ecosystems.
In recent years, the growing Eugene litter problem has notably become a discussion topic in both KVAL and Eugene Weekly. Some may recall the recent, particularly sunny day here in Eugene, April 7. It was a Thursday, and the temperature reached as high as 74 degrees Fahrenheit. While many found themselves enjoying the sunshine on campus, others enjoyed it at a dirt patch along the Willamette River trails by Autzen Footbridge. There, the usual river chaos ensued, and when the sun eventually began to descend, the students packed up their towels and beer pong tables and headed out. Left behind, though, were their discarded bottles, cans, boxes and loads of other trash.
“It was terrible. So many people were going out of their way to throw cans into bushes and even the river,” student Chris Engel, who video recorded and posted the trash to his Snapchat story that day with the caption “I hope none of these people post for Earth Day,” said. While Engel attempted to intervene and pick up visible trash, the damage had largely already been done. Students walked away from their party spot without picking up after themselves, care and consequence-free.
College students are typically among the age demographic most likely to litter. Despite being raised in the era of sustainability and eco-conscious conversations, Gen Z and millennials are not immune to the pitfalls of being a no-good littering fart. As hippie as our rep may be, Oregon students are similarly disappointing culprits of litter. The evidence can be seen across Eugene and also in Lake Shasta. Yes, that specific event was six years ago now, but it was horrific. Plus, plastics can live up to 500 years, so that’s about how long I think people who litter should be shamed.
I don’t know how to stop people from littering, but I think shaming is a pretty good tactic. So, while we’re advocating for people to pick up their trash, perhaps we should also advocate for shaming those who do not.
Another thing I don’t know is why people litter. I guess we’re all a bit lazy, and sometimes trash cans aren’t readily available. But, seriously, it’s not that hard! When you have trash in your hand, don’t drop it and leave it there. Better yet, if you see trash on the ground, pick it up! I refuse to believe people are “too lazy” to simply not litter. To me, the act of leaving trash out is less indicative of how lazy people are and more of how inconsiderate and selfish humans can be.
Taking the environment for granted seems to be human nature. Despite decades of climate change and pollution warnings, humanity has failed time and time again to make the lifestyle changes necessary to ensure a future for our planet. Some systemic and major shifts may be more difficult for one person to achieve, but the solution to littering? That’s on you.
A wise man once said, “Look around, look at life.” This suggestion, while simple, is quite powerful. The Earth has given us everything. Eons of orbit and the unknown has brought you not just into existence, but into a unique position to understand and appreciate the natural beauty of existence itself. Vast, mesmerizing oceans and star-sequinned skies. Lions and tigers and bears. Roses red, violets blue. “You see these trees, man? You see this water?” Yes, Lil Yachty, I do. I do see it, and it’s beautiful.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’d like to keep it this way.
As we choose to spend more time outside with better weather, let’s keep in mind the devastating impacts of litter. We cannot keep treating the Earth we call home with such blatant disrespect. Keep it clean, pick up your trash.
