Graphic by Trinity Kendrick ’21
BY JAHNAVI PRADEEP ’23
As I sip my warm morning coffee on the long trek from my residence hall to main campus, I am met with an issue: There is nowhere to dispose of my paper cup. There are no outdoor trashcans and I am stuck holding my cold cup of coffee until lunch.
Mount Holyoke should have more garbage disposal facilities outside of the main campus buildings.
I say this especially because I live in MacGregor Hall, and despite the long walk between MacGregor Hall and more centrally-located buildings, there are no trash cans to throw waste in.
“There should be bins on campus. There are none. Not on the grass. Not by the benches. I feel that there are no dustbins for the sake of aesthetics,” Alizeh Azhar ’23 said.
While trash cans may not be the most aesthetically pleasing, littered candy wrappers and plastic bottles are hardly better sights. When deciding between two unattractive choices, why not choose the more eco- friendly option?
According to Gary Laverdiere from Mount Holyoke’s Facilities Management team, one reason why the Mount Holyoke administration chose not to place trash cans outside is because they attract bees, wasps and squirrels. Colder months also present difficulties, as the contents of waste harden.
However, measures can and should be taken to work around these issues. We could use trashcans with lids that fully shut, instead of open cans, which are more prone to attracting pests.
In addition, we should add recycling bins. Recycling is widespread on campus, but there are no bins that are designated for the disposable cups available in the dining hall. What is the point of having recyclable containers with no designated recycling bins?
It would be beneficial and convenient for students to have trash cans around campus and also inside all classrooms.