In my first week back on campus, I watched with helpless despair as the disposable food containers piled up in my trash can. Plastic water bottles, wrappers and yogurt containers — all adding to an ever-growing pile of waste. With recycling suspended at the College, I knew all of it would head straight for the landfill. Yes, the pandemic has created extreme circumstances — but even in normal times, we’re not as sustainable as we could be.
In spite of the average Dartmouth student’s environmentally conscious image, behind closed doors, we’re not making responsible decisions for the Earth, and some key policy steps by the College could go a long way in disposing of bad habits.