We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do.
- Barbara Ward
Spring break is amazing for so many reasons. Having a scheduled break to decompress and relax is something we should do more than once a year. It also allows us, as students, to have the chance to travel and spend time with friends. We get to put work and expectations on hold for a whole week while we do whatever we want.
The problem with spring break is...well, it's spring break.
It's a toxic recipe: kids in places where they don't live, alcohol and drugs, and no responsibility or a sense of ownership. The results are trashed beaches, damaged environments, and polluted ecosystems.
This week long reprieve is not an excuse to cause damage and return home, never to think about it again. Locals and volunteers are forced to clean up the mess, the trash is an eyesore, and the health of the wildlife, land, and waterways are at risk.
The amount of trash that gets left behind after spring break is horrifying. I help clean up the beach as much as I can as a volunteer but even with a group, it gets really hard to undo the damage that has been done since it’s really extensive.
-Kumayl Iqbal, in an article in The Seminole Newspaper
The solution is very simple:
Pack it out. Whatever you take to the beach, national park, or other natural area/public land, take it home with you. At the very least, make sure all of your garbage ends up in trash and recycling cans so that it can be disposed of properly.
Follow local guidelines. Don't go into areas where you shouldn't: there are often sensitive wildlife species and habitats that need protected that tourists don't know about.
Please consider the impact your decisions are having on the environment while you are on spring break. Importantly, you can still have fun without causing damage, so just clean up after yourself and your group.
“How is it possible that the most intellectual creature to ever walk the planet earth is destroying its only home?” Jane Goodall
“Take only memories, leave only footprints.” Chief Seattle
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