A simple way to create a greener day

BY BRENNA DEMPSEY / Executive Producer

There is only one planet we can call home, and taking steps to preserve it is incredibly important.

For college students, the goal is to be prepared to take the next step in becoming a more active member of society. Making a conscious effort to care for the environment should be something people keep in mind as they move through life.

One of the simplest ways to contribute to the preservation of our environment is to pick up litter.

Tarleton State University has trash cans and recycling bins all around campus, so taking a few seconds to pick up and dispose of trash will not add a significant amount of time to a student’s walk to class.

Litter builds up anywhere people exist, so taking the initiative to help minimize the negative impact left behind can go a long way to making a difference. 

If every physically able person were to pick up a handful of trash here and there and properly dispose of it, the amount of litter plaguing our soil would decrease significantly. 

Keep America Beautiful is a nonprofit organization that works to inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. With the help of volunteers, they work to create a greener and cleaner life.

“According to our most recent Litter Study, there are more than 50 billion pieces of litter on the ground. That’s 152 pieces of litter for every American,” Keep America Beautiful said on their website. 

This number will fluctuate over the years, but the obligation people have to prevent excess litter will not.

We should make a constant effort to clean up our environment. Even if it is just one piece of trash at a time, it will make a difference. 

Our actions can inspire the people around us and can lead to an even greater impact. When people work together to clean up, they build a sense of community and increase quality of life.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) covers the statistics of pollution on and around our highways.

“In Texas each year, approximately 362 million pieces of visible litter still pile up along state-maintained highways. Seventy percent of this litter is small trash like napkins, cigarette butts and fast food wrappers,” TxDOT said on their website. 

We need to hold ourselves and others accountable when it comes to throwing trash and other things on the ground.

There are roadways all across the great state of Texas, and the trash that is thrown out of vehicles can be washed into waterways.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works to reduce environmental risks and ensure Americans have clean air, land and water.

“EPA’s Trash Free Waters (TFW) program refers to the garbage polluting U.S. rivers, lakes, streams and creeks as ‘aquatic trash.’ Most of the garbage that ends up in waterways comes from land-based activities,” the EPA said on their website. “Garbage can easily become aquatic trash if it is not properly disposed of or securely contained. When garbage is littered on the ground rather than placed in a recycle, compost or trash bin, rain and wind often carries it into storm drains, streams, canals and rivers.”

This not only puts the environment at risk but also us. Our survival is heavily dependent on the water, plants and animals often affected by pollution. Without protecting our resources, we endanger ourselves.

Whenever we are out on walks, hikes, fishing trips or anything that gets us out into nature, we should keep track of the trash we produce. Anything that we bring with us should also leave with us. 

It can also be good to bring something to pick up the trash other people have left behind.

Making sure litter ends up in a trash can or recycling bin is a great way to prevent pollution and keep our planet clean for a long time.