By Ezra Embrey
Interaction
The human interaction that was noticed is that most outdoor trashcans around campus do not have lids. This allows birds and other small mammals to easily access the trash and scatter trash nearby and possibly consume harmful substances like plastic. A lid would be designed to prevent this. This issue is most seen in the parking lots around campus. It is not uncommon to see trash scattered around while crows scavenge through the central trashcan. Simply, the resolution to this problem as stated would be lids. With access denied for the animals to enter the trashcan, the amount of human waste will be contained in the trashcan.
Resource characteristics
A particular pollutant that enters the environment from being displaced from the trashcan is plastic. Plastic is particularly dangerous in the environment because critters may eat the plastic which often directly leads to their death (Webb Et Al). This is because the animals become entangled in plastics and they block airflow if ingested. Not just directly, but the accumulation of plastics in the environment lead to “biomagnification and may potentially pose a direct risk to human health (Webb et al).”
More risks with the trash entering the environment are the common known effects of pollution, leading to microplastics in the environment which end up in the food we consume. A recent study shows that pollution goes well beyond the expected pulmonary and cardiovascular implications, suggesting that pollution/microplastics affect our neurological development as well (Sidney J). so, we have many consequences with allowing trash to enter the natural environment.
Governance/user characteristics
So, after some scoping on the website, the office of sustainability appears to be in charge of the trashcans, this is surprising because to me it seems so obviously unstainable that the outdoor trashcans do not have lids. There was project started to place geogrid trashcans, though the link was broken to access more information about this project. I did find something interesting on the GMU event procedures and guidelines. This is about disposal of ashes after using a personal outdoor grill. They state “Ashes must be disposed of in a metal trash can or container. Ashes may not be placed cool or hot in any plastic container or trash receptacle, including dumpsters (GMU Guidelines)” I find this interesting because the outdoor metal trashcans do not have garbage bags in them either, so small substances like ashes will not be contained in the trashcan either because they have small holes on the can like shown in the pictures.
Social/cultural/economic/political settings or related ecosystems
The only outside factor affecting this decision of placing lids on trashcans is that it may very minimally make it slightly more inaccessible for people throwing trash in the can, they need to make sure the trash goes into the can, by opening the lid. But this is outweighed by the stated pollution impacts from animals scattering trash.
What can we do?
So, as stated, the most feasible solution is to add lids, but to incorporate an academic source, the lids must be self-latching, which ensures the animals can not easily open the lid (USA Department of Agriculture). Another common animal access prohibition method is to anchor the trashcan to the ground with a post, this is to stop larger animals from tipping the trashcan, but interestingly, I noticed the GMU trashcans use this method, they are anchored to the ground.
These two photos show the problem, you can see pieces of trash laying outside of the trash cans, the two animals I have seen do this are crows and squirrels. One trashcan does not have a trash bag either. This is particularly an issue in the parking lots because there is less foot traffic deterring animals.
Map
Works Cited
Segalowitz, Sidney J. (2008) Public health, brain health, and the dangers of air pollution for neural development. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Apa PsycNet. American Psychological Association. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-15657-001
Event procedures and guidelines. George Mason University Student Centers. (2022, January 25). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://studentcenters.gmu.edu/events/policies-procedures-guidelines/
United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Animal resistant garbage containers. Google Books. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=cMOZPKtPRDEC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=trash%2Bcan%2Blid%2Bto%2Bprevent%2Banimals&ots=9zZo2NLqDo&sig=hr8FlMaxutE-6xESWGdYlndEjto#v=onepage&q=trash%20can%20lid%20to%20prevent%20animals&f=false
Webb, H. K., Arnott, J., Crawford, R. J., & Ivanova, E. P. (2012, December 28). Plastic degradation and its environmental implications with special reference to poly(ethylene terephthalate). MDPI. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/5/1/1/htm