Sparta Students Spruce Up Town on "Bag it Day"!

 By Noelle Hanek and Kavya Kamath

Last weekend, Sparta High students (particularly members of the Ecology Club) participated in “Bag it Day,” where they picked up stray pieces of trash all around Sparta to be properly disposed of. Page Sumowski, president of Eco club, described the event as this: “Bag It Day is really cool in that the entire Sparta community can come together and collectively clean the town while staying socially distanced.”

Though Sparta is perceived as a fairly clean town, there was still dispersed litter waiting to be collected. Participants can attest to this as each member nearly filled their garbage bags to the brim in just a short amount of time! Mr. Crouse, middle school French teacher and leader of the SMS Green Team (Ecology Club’s middle school counterpart), commented, “Looks like there was no shortage of trash to be found in Sparta yesterday!” 

Despite not being aesthetically pleasing, litter also poses threats to both human health and the environment. For instance, when litter degrades, it releases chemicals and micro-plastics which end up in the water and the soil. Additionally, litter poses a threat to animals who commonly get trapped in these products, mistake litter as food and consume them, and get hurt on sharp items such as glass. Therefore, the efforts made to clean up the community are very helpful for keeping the town clean and safe. 

All Spartans can contribute to the overall wellbeing of their community by responsibly disposing of their garbage, educating others, and if possible, participate in events such as this one!

Even if you missed this cleanup or aren’t part of the club (classroom code: 74fbwzo to join), Ecology club will be holding a fabric drive in the near future that you can participate in!