As an upperclassman, I’ve had the opportunity to explore Grand Valley State University’s beautiful campus over the past few years. Where I’m from, I’m not accustomed to such beautiful landscaping, so seeing the beauty of the Valley Campus and city of Grand Rapids has been a breath of fresh air. I can tell administration takes pride in lawn upkeep and maintenance, however, this year I’m starting to see an issue. Every time I walk around campus, I see crushed cans, beer bottles and spoiled food.

I understand the problem of littering extends far beyond the property boundaries of GVSU, and other campuses also have dealt with the effects of leaving trash around. All things considered though, I feel like littering is starting to become a real issue at GVSU in a way that it hasn’t been before, at least not in my time here.

The littering problem is doing more than just ruining appearances; it’s actively putting students’ health at risk. I have seen bags sitting outside of dorm buildings and piles of trash in the blue bins during move-in. This behavior attracts bugs, mold and bacteria that can spread easily in shared spaces such as dorms or lecture halls. The trash problem creates a cycle: people are more likely to litter when they already see garbage on the ground. Over time, this mentality will worsen if we don’t start cleaning up after ourselves. In the long run, a dirty environment can hurt students’ mental health, and reflects a decline in personal responsibility.

I’ve realized the trash problem mirrors a broader issue of responsibility among college students. Those who cannot be bothered to throw their trash away in the dining hall (when cans are usually less than 4 feet from the exit) probably also struggle turning assignments in on time or keep up with readings. Littering, missing readings and failing to pay rent on time all stem from a similar mindset. Taking responsibility for your trash and picking up after yourself can set off a domino effect in taking care of other responsibilities. Starting small helps build up to larger responsibilities, and once care gets put into the University, others will do the same.

I think we could see a very real benefit from learning to pick up after ourselves. The benefits of change would be significant. While campus currently shows only surface-level effects of litter, it won’t be long before we start feeling more personal consequences like mental and physical health concerns. As adults, cleaning up after ourselves should not be difficult. If everyone does their part, the campus community will be cleaner, safer and more welcoming. Learning to take responsibility for our trash is about more than just appearances. It’s about creating a culture of accountability and respect for ourselves and our peers.