As cigarette butts continue to collect in the Peace Quad, more students are complaining to Student Government Association.
In the March 23 SGA meeting, it was brought to the organization’s attention by Dustin Lindberg, SGA senator, that students were becoming frustrated with the amount of cigarette butts in the Peace Quad.
Michael Morin, music senior and SGA vice president-elect, suggested that SGA, Loyola University Community Action Program and some volunteers clean up the cigarette litter.
This would not be the first time a volunteer group cleaned up the litter.
Jasmine Barnes, mass communication freshman, SGA senator and Maroon staff writer, and her friend Raven Richard decided to clean the litter themselves one Saturday morning last semester.
“There are trash cans and receptacles at every entrance on this campus, and yet students, faculty and staff still flick their cigarette butts to the ground,” said Barnes.
Many students are willing to volunteer in cleanup efforts, including Kate Gremllion, SGA president.
“I would definitely help clean up the Peace Quad with other volunteers,” Gremillion said.
Some students think fines are the solution to Loyola’s litter problem.
“What would help is a fine system. You wouldn’t throw something out your car window because you would get a fine. Why shouldn’t that law apply to Loyola? People would rethink their actions if there was a punishment attached to it,” Barnes said.
“I throw most of my cigarettes in the cigarette reciprocals and trash cans when I am sitting near them. But when I am walking, I usually throw my cigarettes on the ground,” said Andrew Krawezyk, business sophomore.
“If there was a fine for littering, I would make more of an effort to throw away all my cigarette butts,” Krawezyk said.
Jamie Futral can be reached at
