The concern of a trashed campus and unaware students.

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—At Silver Creek High School, littering has been a growing concern among students and staff—raising environmental concerns on campus and in classrooms. 

Our campus holds school staff and thousands of students and as the amount of students grows, so does the amount of garbage. Trash on our campus has been a problem for years and the amount of food wrappers, plastic bottles, and single-use items left on campus grounds and classrooms doesn’t seem to lessen as years pass. Maintaining a clean environment on our campus shouldn’t be difficult, yet our grounds and classrooms don’t seem to get any cleaner.

Even though we have trash bins everywhere on campus and in class, incorrect disposal and not recycling are the main reasons for the problem. Littering could interrupt our campus environment. Birds and other animals frequently mistake garbage for food, causing them to eat harmful materials or foods that aren’t in their diets. It could also create health risks for our community.

Justine Kunkel, a student advisor of Silver Creek High School, believes that “holding other students accountable” and “social accountability” could be a small solution to our school’s major problem. Kunkel is convinced that calling out individuals who litter could force them to toss their garbage. 

Isla Gonzalez, a current freshman, States that this situation makes her “feel ashamed because the actions that other students do can impact how people see the school.” She believes that “it’s not fair for custodians to have extra work.” Gonzalez feels “it’s easier to throw away your own trash than to add more work to someone else’s job.”

Alex Mendoza, a biology teacher at Silver Creek High School states that he has “mixed feelings” about cleaning up after his students and “feels responsible for the mess they leave.” He feels “more troubled when kids litter deliberately.” Mendoza also states “There are times when we have to stop, look around, and police our area.”

We can solve this problem if we stop using single-use items, properly dispose of our and each other’s trash, recycle, and encourage ourselves and others to take on more eco-friendly habits. Raising awareness and encouraging each other to clean up after ourselves could result in keeping our campus clean and environmentally friendly. Encourage yourself and others to pick up trash and let’s keep our campus clean!