Why it Counts to Keep Canton Clean

As college students, we often have bustling weekends filled with hanging out, making memories, and letting off steam after a busy week. However, after this past Halloweekend, some students noticed that our beloved college town, Canton, seemed to bear the marks of a wild night out. The next day, trash was left scattered on the streets, sidewalks near campus and even creeping into Ives Park. This made me think that it’s high time for a PSA on why keeping our college town clean is so important.

Firstly, leaving trash around town, especially near SLU, makes our campus look bad. Let’s be real: when has junk ever made a place look inviting? Additionally, littering harms the environment, particularly our Adirondack ecosystem. Beer cans and other debris from a fun night out may seem harmless, but if not cleaned up, they can have a lasting impact. Did you know that, according to the Northeast Illinois Council, aluminum cans take anywhere from 80 to 200 years to fully decompose? That’s not until the year 2104 at the earliest! Lastly, think about how it affects local businesses. When litter piles up, it makes the town look unclean, unsanitary and frankly, tacky. This isn’t about trying to ruin anyone’s fun or rain on anyone’s parade.

I simply hope this serves as a reminder to party mindfully and be considerate of where cans and trash end up. The town is part of our campus and our community and most importantly, it’s our home.