Photo courtesy of senior Ahmee Smith.

  While the parking lot of San Luis Obispo High School has never been totally clean, the amount of litter recently has increased. Because of objects like masks and gloves, new kinds of trash can be seen among the cars.

  Some of the worst places for litter are on the outside edges of the lot. These areas often have grass and trees, so the trash gets lost among leaf litter and dirt. 

  “In the corners of the parking lot there is a lot of litter and I think it’s kind of sad to see because SLO is such a beautiful place,” said junior Sofiana Garza.

  These pieces of trash are all varied in materials. Most are plastic, but some cardboard, like from pizza boxes can also be found. It’s also common to see papers, like from a notebook or classwork.

  “I see chip bags, like bags from food and stuff like that,” said senior Ava Walsh.

  The staggering amount of litter is caused by how there are very few trash cans in the parking lot. Many students eat lunch in or near their cars. When they finish lunch, many are simply too lazy to go out and search for a trash can. Often, they just throw their trash on the ground.

  “I think having more garbage cans in the parking lot to remind people to pick up would be helpful. I don’t know if the custodians go in the parking lot, but they shouldn’t have to,” said Walsh.

  School custodians already have the rest of campus to clean up. Trash can be seen among the dust and leaves that gather in the corners of hallways or buildings.

  The parking lot may seem inconsequential to litterbugs, but it is still a major part of campus. Pick up your trash, so we can keep our school clean.