2008 Woodie Awards
Litter No. 1 concern on campus
By César G. Rodriguez
Last update: 5/17/06 at 8:20 AM CST
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A simple cup, an empty soda can or a lit cigarette may lead to environmental hazards.
Litter is an aesthetic problem, meaning a problem that can be seen, biology Lecturer Michael Flinn said Tuesday.
Flinn teaches BIOL 2306, Environmental Biology, at this college.
Flinn said littering may affect the environmental quality of life.
In dry conditions, litter may lead to fire hazards, Flinn said.
"A lit cigarette is a real fire hazard, especially in these conditions," Flinn said, noting recent red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
A red flag warning is posted when the humidity is low, there are dry conditions, vegetation is dead and there are high winds provoking a fire to spread faster, Flinn said.
Garbage may be a health issue.
Spoiled or waste food may bring health problems associated with the spread of disease by providing food and habitats for pests such as rats, mice, spiders and roaches.
"Standing water is critical for the life cycle of mosquitoes," Flinn said, adding that the larvae develop in water before the mosquitoes emerge as adults and fly off.
For groundskeepers, litter is a problem. "It's a main concern," grounds foreman Steve Burch said.
Burch said some studies have shown students are attracted to the look of the campus rather than by the classes offered.
"Students are attracted to campuses that are pretty and clean," Burch said.
Parking lots are a main concern for groundskeepers.
Groundskeepers find chip bags, cups, hamburger wrappers from lunch and dinner at parking lots every morning, Burch said, adding the litter pickup is part of groundskeepers' duties.
Custodians take care of the inside of buildings, and groundskeepers are confined to grounds, including parking lots, Burch said.
The wind blows trash from the parking lots to the campus, Burch said.
The parking lots that are most trashed are on the east and south side of campus.
Another area of concern is the mall west of Fletcher Administration Center, Moody Learning Center and Chance Academic Center and farther west to San Pedro Avenue, Burch said.
"It's the heaviest travel area used by students. About 20,000 students registered this semester; figure it out. That's a lot of trash," Burch said.
The trash bags placed along the path fill up quickly, and the bags are replaced by the middle of the day, Burch added.
Nine groundskeepers pick up trash and litter every morning.
The groundskeepers start at 6 a.m., and they take about an hour, Burch said, adding they cover the entire campus before 8 a.m., which is the time most students arrive.
Burch said groundskeepers do not recycle because of a lack of people.
"I don't have the time or the manpower to do that," Burch said.
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