I spotted an unfortunate squirrel near the creek by the Neptune Hall wearing the upper lid of a McFlurry cup around its neck this previous summer.

NIU has a rich culture full of student organizations that work toward preventing environmental degradation and increasing awareness of campus wildlife. Not everyone else seems to care.

“If people took two seconds and you’re OK with picking [litter] up and throwing it away, it would definitely help,” said Sarah Trygstad, Committee for the Preservation of Wildlife president. “It’s two seconds out of your day. I understand it’s not the most fun thing picking up after someone else, but it’s the little things.”

I’ve watched adult students hold onto their last Dorito and drop the empty bag as if someone else will throw away their trash. I have seen a girl drop her soda bottle outside and watch it roll away with no intention of picking it up.

We all have a responsibility to maintain the university. Going beyond our autopilot tendencies to throw trash away, no matter how overflowed a trash bin may be, is common sense. If the trash bin is full, hold onto that empty pack of cigarettes for a few more minutes until you pass another empty bin.

“Whenever I’m with someone, if they try and litter … a lot of times it’ll happen in the car: They’ll try and throw something out the window and I just tell them to leave it in my car and I’ll get it later,” said sophomore nursing major Mariah Dach. “I just try to discourage it.”

NIU is our home, even if temporarily.

I’m not asking you to chain yourself to trees, become an animal activist or join PETA. Just be more conscientious.