Trash Builds Up On Campus

As the student body nears its sixth week of school and the pandemic enters its seventh month, many things have become overlooked in the day-to-day grind. With both students and teachers (who are really just trying to make it through the year) being pulled in every direction, the image of the Argyle campus has become less of a priority.

Argyle students need to do more to keep the school clean and protect the local environment.

Gallery • 10 Photos

©The Talon News | Stacy Short

Pollution has become a big issue on the Argyle campus. (Stacy Short / The Talon News)

The first things visitors to Argyle High School see are the student parking lot and the front lawn, both of which are frequently in less than desirable state. Abandoned food, litter, and tire streaks are far more than common across the campus and reflect poorly on the student body and school staff. Even with school janitors working tirelessly, not only to keep the school presentable but also to keep the school within quarantine regulations, the build-up of litter has become worse and worse. This is especially true in areas further away from the main building, such as the school pond and backfields, which are dotted with forgotten bottles and plastic wrappers. The fault for this lies with the student body, whose disregard for both the environment and the campus has left many parts of Argyle High School looking distasteful.

Beyond just the way the campus looks, the litter around the high school is also bad for the local ecosystem. The school pond, essential to the fishing team, outdoor ed, and the science classes, is one of the most affected parts of the school. This sad fact raises real concerns for the safety of the small ecosystem, mostly composed of fish and small animals and insects, as plastics and waste pollute the pond and harm the creatures. Litter is also very commonly found in the student parking lot, where birds and small animals can be seen after hours picking through the trash to find food. 

In order to both restore the beauty of the High School campus and help protect our local ecosystems, the Argyle student body needs to be more aware of their surroundings and pay more attention to combating litter.