As students get back into the groove of the new school year, some struggle to retain old habits.
According to some staff members, one habit that the student body can improve on as a whole is remembering to clean up their trash.
Since the beginning of the school year, staff members have noticed a large amount of trash on campus, especially after lunch.
Because a portion of Carlmont’s campus is under construction, other areas have been more densely populated during lunchtime, causing larger buildups of trash in those areas.
“There are pockets of trash in familiar locations on campus. I don’t necessarily believe that it is more than in the years past, but what has made it more noticeable is that construction has pushed a majority of kids into the Quad at lunch. Thus, there are more kids eating in that area,” said vice principal Gregg Patner.
Large amounts of food litter can also lead to an unsanitary or unsafe environment.
“It’s kind of a safety hazard because people I know and myself especially have slipped on trash that people have left behind. Plus people are allergic to bees so eating lunch outside is sometimes tricky,” said junior Kalea Pasion.
Seagulls are also attracted to the trash and take away from the cleanliness of Carlmont’s campus.
“I was pooped on my freshman year. You can’t sit in certain spots because it’s everywhere,” said junior Cassidy O’Connell.
Many students are concerned about the extra work that the trash is creating for the custodial staff.
“The student body really makes a lot of work for the custodial staff, and they already have a lot to do in caring for our campus,” said Pasion.
Much of the Carlmont staff believe that although students don’t realize it, they contradict Carlmont’s well-known sense of spirit when they leave trash on campus.
Patner said, “If you dress up in Scots blue and cheer at the top of your lungs for your school, then turn around and throw your trash down for someone else to clean up, do you really have pride in your school?”
