Among other projects announced last week at the Student Association’s first meeting, a task to clean up the university neighborhood will make the area a bit more pleasant and green.

The project brings three new trash cans to Euclid Avenue this fall, a step in the right direction for keeping our campus clean. It’s a tried and true method for beautifying a neighborhood in the simplest of manners.

Having the option to simply place garbage in a container, rather than on the street or on someone’s lawn, will directly lessen the amount of litter.

Though it may take time to iron out logistics for the new trash cans, creating more options for residents to properly dispose of garbage will make the area a nicer place to live for all – from humans to wildlife populations.

Almost every returning student and local resident is familiar with the garbage problem in the university neighborhood. Trash accumulation especially around parties and events creates an eyesore around the neighborhood, as well as health hazards for animals and pets.

Keeping litter off the ground and out of our streets is one of the simplest ways to help our environment. A countless number of creatures throughout the world die each year from ingesting or living among toxic trash.

Even things that may seem benign can really hurt the world around us.

Litter is not only hazardous if ingested by animals – both wildlife and pets alike – but also can pose a threat for humans. Broken glass or metals can cause serious damage to a bike tire or cut a gash in a foot when the materials are just thrown on the street.

Coupled with making Euclid Avenue greener and safer, proper garbage disposal will make the area more visually appealing. When there is a simple option to put garbage in the cans and not all over the street, the result is a pretty beautiful place.

The proposed three trash cans will have to be placed in appropriate spaces along Euclid Avenue to see the true, positive affect that containers will bring. Once it is realized how beneficial the project can be for the area, more trash cans should be installed, especially on Euclid Avenue.

Euclid Avenue has enough traffic flow where public garbage cans would be applicable and comparable to other streets, such as Marshall Street and Westcott Street, though Euclid Avenue does not have the commercial establishments and restaurants of the other streets.
SA should receive support from the university to bolster this new initiative. It is a simple answer to our garbage problem that should have been addressed years ago. The time is now to clean up our acts.

Meg Callaghan is an environmental studies major at SUNY-ESF. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at mlcallag@syr.edu.

Published on September 3, 2013 at 1:21 am