Story by: Ali Booth
ThunderRidge High School is suffering from an epidemic- litter. The amount of trash around the school is staggering, and it seems to be increasing. According to ThunderRidge custodian Gregory Skarda, the custodians can spend 2-3 hours picking up the trash, a testament to the sheer amount of it around the school.
“There are plenty of ways for students to dispose of trash around campus, so I don’t think there is much of an excuse to leave trash laying around.” says senior Madeline LaMee.
There is garbage in the parking lots, by the picnic tables and on the fields around the school, most of which is left there by students.
“I find it to be sad,” says TRHS history teacher James McCord, “I’m shocked that a few students have such disregard for where they spend their time and feel it is okay to expect someone else to pick up after them.”
The litter around the school “...gives the impression of apathy. Our school has the responsibility to demonstrate our high expectations of excellence not just in the classroom, on the field, [or] on the stage, but in our community at large.” adds science teacher Beth Radefeld.
The trash not only makes the school look bad, it also damages the environment. According to Radefeld, “any [litter] may be ingested by [animals and] is often toxic to these organisms. It also attracts [them] to our school and parking lot where they can be injured… [Trash] end[s] up in our local streams where aquatic organisms [can be hurt] and water quality decreases.”
Since the custodians spend so much time picking up trash McCord thinks it “makes sense to have students and teachers pitch in to help keep the school grounds clean”, leading him to create an adopt-a-
location for trash pick up.
There are 10 areas available for adoption, and both seminars and clubs can sign up to be in charge of cleaning a certain area for one month.
McCord says that he was “really hoping that all seminars would adopt an area…” but that only 30 percent of them have signed up so far, along with some clubs. “There are plenty of spots open in the winter!” he adds.
McCord can already see a difference in the amount of trash around the school since he started the adopt-a-location, and Skarda says that it has helped reduce the amount of time he and the other custodians have to spend on trash pick up.
“I don’t think the staff or students really ever knew how much of a problem the litter around our building is. [Helping clean up the litter] definitely opened their eyes to how much of an issue it is.” says Skarda.
But that doesn’t mean the issue is fixed- both McCord and Skarda say they still see new trash around the grounds every day.
Skarda has even seen students open their car door in the parking lots, set their trash on the ground and drive away.
“The litter will always be an issue, but with the help of the entire Grizzly family I think we can definitely stay ahead of it.” Skarda says.
One way students can help with the problem is by picking up any trash they see and throwing it away: “Don’t just walk by thinking it’s okay [that] the trash is there,” says Radefeld.
Find out if your seminar is involved in the adopt-a-location, and if not, ask your teacher if you can sign up, and be sure to always put your trash in the provided receptacles.
As LaMee says,“We should all work [together] to make our school a cleaner, greener place.”
ThunderRidge High School is suffering from an epidemic- litter. The amount of trash around the school is staggering, and it seems to be increasing. According to ThunderRidge custodian Gregory Skarda, the custodians can spend 2-3 hours picking up the trash, a testament to the sheer amount of it around the school.
“There are plenty of ways for students to dispose of trash around campus, so I don’t think there is much of an excuse to leave trash laying around.” says senior Madeline LaMee.
There is garbage in the parking lots, by the picnic tables and on the fields around the school, most of which is left there by students.
“I find it to be sad,” says TRHS history teacher James McCord, “I’m shocked that a few students have such disregard for where they spend their time and feel it is okay to expect someone else to pick up after them.”
The litter around the school “...gives the impression of apathy. Our school has the responsibility to demonstrate our high expectations of excellence not just in the classroom, on the field, [or] on the stage, but in our community at large.” adds science teacher Beth Radefeld.
The trash not only makes the school look bad, it also damages the environment. According to Radefeld, “any [litter] may be ingested by [animals and] is often toxic to these organisms. It also attracts [them] to our school and parking lot where they can be injured… [Trash] end[s] up in our local streams where aquatic organisms [can be hurt] and water quality decreases.”
Since the custodians spend so much time picking up trash McCord thinks it “makes sense to have students and teachers pitch in to help keep the school grounds clean”, leading him to create an adopt-a-
location for trash pick up.
There are 10 areas available for adoption, and both seminars and clubs can sign up to be in charge of cleaning a certain area for one month.
McCord says that he was “really hoping that all seminars would adopt an area…” but that only 30 percent of them have signed up so far, along with some clubs. “There are plenty of spots open in the winter!” he adds.
McCord can already see a difference in the amount of trash around the school since he started the adopt-a-location, and Skarda says that it has helped reduce the amount of time he and the other custodians have to spend on trash pick up.
“I don’t think the staff or students really ever knew how much of a problem the litter around our building is. [Helping clean up the litter] definitely opened their eyes to how much of an issue it is.” says Skarda.
But that doesn’t mean the issue is fixed- both McCord and Skarda say they still see new trash around the grounds every day.
Skarda has even seen students open their car door in the parking lots, set their trash on the ground and drive away.
“The litter will always be an issue, but with the help of the entire Grizzly family I think we can definitely stay ahead of it.” Skarda says.
One way students can help with the problem is by picking up any trash they see and throwing it away: “Don’t just walk by thinking it’s okay [that] the trash is there,” says Radefeld.
Find out if your seminar is involved in the adopt-a-location, and if not, ask your teacher if you can sign up, and be sure to always put your trash in the provided receptacles.
As LaMee says,“We should all work [together] to make our school a cleaner, greener place.”