Behind the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center, a small body of water and tree coverage make the perfect canopy to sit under. Waller Creek runs through about six miles of the city of Austin, with the UT campus section spanning over one mile. The creek is a vital part of Austin’s ecosystem; therefore, it is important that we, as students, assume the responsibility of taking care of our stretch of it.
The student-sponsored campaign Longhorns Don’t Litter collected information about natural areas on campus.
“We found that nine out of 10 students appreciate our green spaces on campus, however, only half are aware of Waller Creek,” said Valerie Salinas-Davis, assistant professor of instruction for the College of Communications and Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations.
Salinas-Davis both appreciates the beauty and potential of the landmark and sees it as a possible staple for UT students.
The creek’s beauty is overshadowed by mistreatment. Its watershed is contaminated with pet feces, motor oil and litter that permeate the creekbed.
“We all need to protect Waller Creek,” Salinas-Davis said. “It’s becoming a new campus corridor. The campus is growing east. UT and everyone who enjoys UT has a responsibility to protect it.”
Situated in the middle of an urban metropolis, the University has only a few natural areas on campus, and Waller Creek is the perfect place to connect with the environment.
“Natural spaces are a really important part of UT’s campus life, and I thoroughly enjoy being in all of them and think that they’re very important,” said Sophia Snapp, an environmental engineering junior who is also involved with Longhorns Don’t Litter.
Waller Creek’s beauty needs to become a student priority. UT has many student groups and organizations that are putting in an effort to improve the well-being of our environment. Don’t mess with Texas and the celebration of October as sustainability month at UT share the importance of taking care of our local environment, and students can get involved through these opportunities.
Additionally, UT has many social organizations that dedicate themselves to community support work. When adopting a philanthropy or a cause, student groups should focus on our campus’ health. Creek cleanups and beautifying campus are fantastic examples of causes that should be adopted.
Creek cleanups are not a new concept. Throughout the years, many organizations have hosted them once or twice; however, they need to be far more consistent in order to be effective.
“If other organizations started getting more involved with Longhorns Don’t Litter, or any other organization that cleans up the creek, they would be able to give their members volunteer hours and help them fill any service requirements,” Snapp said. “It would also help raise awareness about the creek itself and about reducing litter, hopefully discouraging people from littering in the future.”
If various groups were to take up the responsibility of hosting cleanups once or twice a semester, Waller Creek could change from an unknown landmark that regularly falls victim to a lack of maintenance to a campus asset that continues to contribute to the city of Austin.
Meltzer is a writing and rhetoric freshman from San Antonio, Texas.
