2008 Woodie Awards
Litter brings beauty to campus
Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: Combat Zone
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Here at UPS, amongst the manicured trees and overzealously-watered lawns, we constantly hear the phrases "sustainability," "recycling" and "it's malignant." Yes, sustainability is important, but in all our preaching we seem to have forgotten a time-honored pillar of sustainability: littering.
What student could possibly wander amongst our large fields of grass and tree-lined paths without thinking, "I feel so incredibly free and full of life right now that I can't possibly leave this area without throwing a candy bar wrapper on the ground."
There is nothing more empowering and life affirming than leaving behind a piece of human civilization in the wilds of nature. Every cigarette butt, every shard of a broken beer bottle, every crumpled ball of junk mail - these are signs of mankind's strength, our ability to prosper. Yes, there is something breathtaking about the wonder of the outdoors. However, that wonder is magnified by at least seven times when a dirty sock is tangled in a bush, because that piece of nature is marked with by passing.
All too often it is overlooked that we students are part of nature too. As such, our trash is not some sinful byproduct to be immediately buried and forgotten; our garbage should be heralded as a unique and colorful addition to the world's ecology. Who could possibly look at a discarded bag of Cheetos and not compare it to the peacock's tail, or other things on animals that are bright and shiny?
It is both a disappointment and a tragedy that a particularly vocal minority of hippies and transients has coerced our government into enacting laws against littering. Laws against littering? We might as well outlaw take-out food, or deny our burrito wrapper's participation in the circle of life. Littering is an ancient and noble tradition that should be encouraged in every facet of civilization.
I will tell you right now, there is far too much emphasis on garbage cans around our scenic campus. Instead of throwing away a teacher's handout in some sterile trash container, why not toss it to the winds in the middle of the North Quad? Or plaster it on the wall of a bathroom stall, for everyone to see.
What student could possibly wander amongst our large fields of grass and tree-lined paths without thinking, "I feel so incredibly free and full of life right now that I can't possibly leave this area without throwing a candy bar wrapper on the ground."
There is nothing more empowering and life affirming than leaving behind a piece of human civilization in the wilds of nature. Every cigarette butt, every shard of a broken beer bottle, every crumpled ball of junk mail - these are signs of mankind's strength, our ability to prosper. Yes, there is something breathtaking about the wonder of the outdoors. However, that wonder is magnified by at least seven times when a dirty sock is tangled in a bush, because that piece of nature is marked with by passing.
All too often it is overlooked that we students are part of nature too. As such, our trash is not some sinful byproduct to be immediately buried and forgotten; our garbage should be heralded as a unique and colorful addition to the world's ecology. Who could possibly look at a discarded bag of Cheetos and not compare it to the peacock's tail, or other things on animals that are bright and shiny?
It is both a disappointment and a tragedy that a particularly vocal minority of hippies and transients has coerced our government into enacting laws against littering. Laws against littering? We might as well outlaw take-out food, or deny our burrito wrapper's participation in the circle of life. Littering is an ancient and noble tradition that should be encouraged in every facet of civilization.
I will tell you right now, there is far too much emphasis on garbage cans around our scenic campus. Instead of throwing away a teacher's handout in some sterile trash container, why not toss it to the winds in the middle of the North Quad? Or plaster it on the wall of a bathroom stall, for everyone to see.
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