You begin to notice a lot of other things in the street, too: aluminum beer cans, solo cups, discarded plastic vape packages, empty Fireball shooters, cigarette butts, smashed glass bottles and plastic bags.
If you have stepped foot on Court Street on the weekends, then you are familiar with the amount of improperly discarded waste that accumulates on the sidewalk, in the gutters and along the road seemingly overnight. What's even crazier than how quickly trash accumulates is that Court Street is quite literally lined with trash and recycling bins- you are never more than a couple yards away from one.
If there is one thing Ohio University students love, it's a party. Weekends, Fest season and Homecoming are all greatly anticipated times where students can let go and have fun. This is a good thing! However, with Homecoming rapidly approaching, it is important to remember what makes OU such a beautiful and unique campus: the plant and wildlife.
We are very lucky to have such a variety of animals on campus- deer, ducks, rabbits, groundhogs, raccoons, chipmunks and squirrels. So many squirrels. But we put these wonderful little creatures at great risk by not throwing away our trash- just last winter, I was taking photos of deer behind my dorm when one of them picked up a piece of thick plastic and started chewing on it. Although I got the deer to drop it and proceeded to throw it out, the vast majority of times animals get ahold of garbage, there is no one there to help.
Litter can also cause major problems within the ecosystem. If the plastic is not eaten by wildlife, it will also not biodegrade but instead break into smaller fragments known as microplastics that then seep into soil, water, and air, resulting in harm to both humans and plantlife.
Even if you are not an avid environmentalist, simply recycling and responsibly discarding your trash can make an immense difference in the campus ecosystem and even be the difference between life and death for the delicate beings that also call these hills home. Respect them. Take care of them. We are so lucky to have them around.
This Homecoming, have fun, be safe, party hard and dispose of your trash responsibly. The planet will thank you.
Megan Diehl is a sophomore studying Journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Megan know by tweeting her @megandiehl02.