If you are walking behind Knapp, don’t be startled if you see sudden movement in the rain pipes.

Meet one of Denison’s little wild friends, Chippy (or at least that is what I am calling him). I don’t know much about Chippy other than he, or she, is a chipmunk, hence the name. I see Chippy occasionally as I head to Slayter. He often sits out enjoying the sun until I get too close, that’s when he dashes away.

I know that I am not the only one who sees him. I have asked a few other students and believe Chippy is becoming a popular little fellow for those that spot him.

Chippy got me thinking about how close we are with our environment on campus. It’s not just the deer or buzzards that live on the hill, but a whole ecosystem of creatures that we should be mindful of in our actions. That is why today I would like to review the Denison students’ care of the environment.

Waking up in Beaver Hall after this past weekend’s East Quad parties, I saw nothing but trash. Walking up from Mitchell last week I saw red solo cups and beer cans sporadically placed throughout the brush. Heading to Huffman on any given day I will see the trash can outside of Shaw overflowing or tipped over.

I don’t think Denison students have done our best efforts to be mindful. Although the deer have become pretty tough, we can do better to keep our campus clean.

If a trashcan seems full, just hang on to the trash until you see one with more space, which is probably only a few feet away. The ground is not your dumping spot.

Don’t leave your mess for someone else to clean up either. If everyone was cautious of their waste and picked up after themselves, the campus becomes that much cleaner.

Being drunk is not an excuse for being messy or rude. It takes little effort to just put your can in a trash bin. I became increasingly aware of the trash around campus after seeing it right outside my door.

I know the Sunnies can have a similar problem, but the cleaning staff is not here to pick up after you. Taking care of your trash only adds more work onto what their job actually entails.

If you take the time to see how closely tied we are with our environment and our impact on it, I hope that you will recognize the importance of cleanliness.

If not for yourself or the school, at least for Chippy (or whatever you want to call him).