Within the past week, students have been seen not only in the halls of Staples, but also throughout all of Westport with garbage bags clenched in their hands. This new trash dwelling species of student has been the result of the recent AP environmental science project that requires students to collect all of the garbage they produce and store it in one garbage bag.

There are several rules to this project that must be followed strictly.

The main purpose of the project is to have all the trash that a student generates put into one bag in order to display the amount of garbage a single person can produce.

Other than keeping track of all their trash, students must have their bags on them at all times which can sometimes be inconvenient.

At dinner, sports, parties, and any other events, the trash bag must be side by side

with the student.

“I don’t think it’s very embarrassing,” APES student Olivia Daytz ’16 said. “I think it’s a cool project that really teaches us about how much trash we go through.”

Some students disagree, which is understandable. It is not the most pleasant image to be seen with a garbage bag all the time.

“it is a little embarrassing to bring the garbage around with me outside of school,” Amy Liu ’15 said. “In school I don’t mind, but the fact that I’m carrying my trash with me to public places is kind of gross and embarrassing.”

It is not the easiest project to keep track of; however, students believe the message of the project is strong.

“I think the project is very smart,” Anna Miller ’16 said.  “It makes you really think about how much you waste and it made me more conscious for the future.”

At the end of the week students weigh their bags to see how much trash they accumulate. It teaches students to cut back on the amount of waste they produce and to reduce, reuse, and recycle.