Do you know what this Saturday is? Besides College Fest? It’s also Portage County’s Earth Day Festival (this year themed “Who’s your mama?”). There will be a festival on Main Street in downtown Kent as well as movie views and other events both on and off campus.

And what’s ironic is that many students will likely be standing somewhere on College Avenue, drinking and immediately dropping their beer cans or bottles on the ground. It’s probably the most disrespectful thing to do to the earth — these materials are not compostable. So, may we suggest some options?

For starters, we understand that College Fest may sound a little more exciting than Earth Day, but you don’t have the start drinking the moment you wake up on Saturday you can stop by Main Street and see what the vendors have to offer.

If you do plan on drinking on Saturday, try to make a point to recycle and encourage others to recycle as well. We’re sure you can somehow make a drinking game out of recycling; people have made drinking games out of stranger topics.

And believe it or not, there are organic options when it comes to alcohol, be it beer, wine or hard liquor. There also exist drinks that come in biodegradable containers — which usually look like juice boxes for adults, but talk about a conversation piece.

Or maybe take a walk down College Avenue — or whatever street you live and party on — the following day and pick up cans and bottles that have been strewn about. Not only are these items bad for the environment, but they’re really just a huge eyesore as well.

But don’t limit your cleaning to Earth Day and the few following days. It’s important to make it a habit. If you set the recycling bin next to the trash can, you couldn’t make it easier for you to toss the can in the bin instead of the trash. Start making smarter choices when you go shopping as well. If you are craving a quick snack, hop over to the Kent Food Co-op where they offer organic and locally grown foods — it’s not only a healthier decision than fries from Wendy’s, but it’ll help the economy by avoiding foods that have been sprayed or manufactured.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.