Two weeks ago today, Dr. Davison released a statement over LHS Live expressing his disappointment over the state of the hallways subsequent to the daily Lunch and Learn program, stating that he had collected “two big, huge trash bags full of just… junk” while walking through the empty corridors. Any student who has attended Lambert for long enough understood his sentiments, for merely taking a glance revealed the utter mess the hallways were after lunch. This has been a prevailing problem within the Lambert community for years, this unwillingness to maintain and upkeep the cleanliness of the school. Why does this problem exist, and how can we, as students of Lambert High School, fix it?

First of all, why do people litter in the first place? Is it the sense of irresponsibility for their actions, the prevailing sense of “this isn’t my problem” that leads to this behavior? Is it the mentality that their actions hold no consequence as the janitors, who work night and day to maintain the school, would clean it up for them? There is no definitive answer to these questions as there are many factors that go into the psychology of littering, but the most prominent variable is the awareness of one’s surroundings. Someone who is mindful of the environment around them would likely understand the importance of keeping that environment clean, in this case, the Lambert High School hallways.

Notwithstanding, we have yet to completely remedy this problem of littering. After a week of observing the halls after 6th period Lunch and Learn, the trash problem, while mitigated somewhat, remains despite the suspension of the Lunch and Learn program just a week prior. Still, bottles lay prone on the floor, milk cartons remain on lunch tables or the ground, and the occasional snack bag floats about the corridors as Lambert comes alive with students strolling to their next classes, ever oblivious to this problem that persists within their school.

So, what to do about it? The answer to that is not so simple. There will always be someone, somewhere that will continue to litter even despite the best efforts of the staff and the rest of the student body. However, that is not to suggest that endeavoring to solve this problem would be futile. Perhaps attaching “No Littering” signs onto the walls would be best in diminishing the problem of trash in the halls, or perhaps a daily reminder over the news to upkeep the corridors through LHS Live would do good against it. No matter the case, the students of Lambert High School must come to appreciate the environment provided by the school and maintain said environment through throwing away or picking up trash off the hallways.