KRISTA ALBRITTON Staff Writer

I would just like to start off by saying that humans suck. We, as a species, are actually the worst. We litter, decimate forests, kill out entire species and show blatant overall disrespect to the earth that provides for us. We get so much from the world and we barely do anything in return. We are choking the life out of our planet because it’s more budget friendly when things are less environmentally friendly.

Yes, there are some people, countries and companies that go green and do their part in minimizing the further destruction of our planet. However, the majority of us can’t even manage to do something as simple as recycle. Your trash is already going to be put in a trash bin (unless you’re a littering monster); it isn’t much more difficult to put it in a recycling bin.

So many things can be recycled and yet, the majority of recyclable goods continually end up in landfills, forests and our oceans. Marine animals are constantly being killed by the junk that ends up in their water and state parks are full of empty cans and bottles littering the ground. We are filling our planet with trash, and I, as should many of you, feel terrible about this. Recycling, such a small thing, can make one of the biggest impacts on the earth.

Now, I know that a number of you reading this are thinking, “There aren’t enough places that have recycling bins, though.” You would be correct about that. Our own student commons is profoundly lacking in recycling. This is ridiculously commonplace in our country. Too many places have forgone recycling because they view the bins as dirty or ugly. Well, do you know what else is dirty and ugly? The earth when it’s been covered in trash, that’s what. I would also like to point out that regular trash bins are far dirtier and aren’t very aesthetically pleasing.

We can’t start there though. Being friendly and caring to the environment has been stereotyped and somehow given negative connotations. Environmentalists are always associated with the “crazy tree-huggers.” Why is worrying about the wellbeing of our planet viewed in a negative light? If anything, it should be the complete opposite. Those who don’t care about the environment are the “crazy” ones.

We, as a country and as individuals, need to get rid of the absurd stigma that is associated with being environmentally conscious. We need to wake up and start doing something. The planet needs our help, not our trash.