A student at Binghamton University in New York City shared a rather depressing case of littering on school grounds.
The campus hosts its own nature preserve that spans over 190 acres of land, including 20 acres of wetland, and is home to a variety of wildlife species, such as deer, beaver, fox, mink, muskrat, a diverse range of amphibians and reptiles, and over 200 bird species, according to the university's website.
While this allows both campus officials and students access to the natural world for leisure and learning, the student encountered an unfortunate incident while walking through what appears to be the wetlands: several small bottles were thrown onto the ground and into the water.
"Do you not realize how privileged we are to have this as the university's backyard?" they wrote under a Reddit post. "'Premier public ivy' but we treat it like this. Be better."
This is especially disrespectful because the purpose of a nature preserve is to protect the surrounding landscape and provide a safe haven for a variety of wild animals.
Not only does litter like this stand as an eyesore, but it also actively endangers wildlife by easily entangling them and leading to ingestion, which can cause choking or even poisoning.
Perk up the winter blues with natural, hemp-derived gummies Camino's hemp-derived gummies naturally support balance and recovery without disrupting your routine, so you can enjoy reliable, consistent dosing without guesswork or habit-forming ingredients. Flavors like sparkling pear for social events and tropical-burst for recovery deliver a sophisticated, elevated taste experience — and orchard peach for balance offers everyday support for managing stress while staying clear-headed and elevated.
Learn more → |
Most litter is also made of plastic, which does not naturally decompose and can leach harmful microplastics into soil or water, potentially harming vulnerable marine ecosystems if ingested, even impacting humans who consume seafood contaminated by it.
"This is why we can't have nice things," one user commented.
"Maybe folks could petition to get a garbage can put out onto the bridge or smth?" wrote another. "I see litter every time i go, it's so upsetting."
Binghamton already has rules in place for cleaning up litter in nature preserves and on campus, and other universities in the city have firm littering policies with clear consequences that Binghamton can learn from.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more 💰 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
