For years, students have gathered in front of Hepner Hall to commemorate their graduation with celebratory photos. These photo shoots typically involve confetti, glitter and champagne.
Hepner Hall is a historical and iconic location on our campus. Hepner Hall was completed in 1931 and was named after Walter R. Hepner, SDSU President from 1935 to 1952. It also became the centerpiece of the SDSU logo and Presidential Seal. All of these reasons and its physical beauty make Hepner Hall a great place for graduation photos. BUT. WE NEED TO RESPECT OUR CAMPUS, WILDLIFE, AND EMPLOYEES. Below are the current conditions of our campus in front of Hepner Hall and above the Koi Pond.
I’d like to state that there is nothing wrong with celebrating all of the hard work you have put in here at SDSU, but we need to collectively be more aware and intelligent about the way that we celebrate. All of this litter, including the spraying of champagne, damages our beautiful landscape that the landscaping and the facilities services team puts into SDSU beautification. It also poses a significant threat to our beloved red-eared slider turtles that hang out by the Koi Pond.
Environmental factors, like wind and rain, carry the litter down to the pond where our turtles and koi fish can mistakenly eat them. Recently, students have begun to take photos and litter directly next to the pond.
As of one week ago, April 22, six hours or roughly $270 were spent on cleaning up littered debris in front of Hepner Hall. This extra-work and labor cost will continue to be recorded throughout the rest of this semester. We kindly urge you to opt for alternative products to celebrate with. There are biodegradable confetti products on amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Multi-Color-Biodegradable-Confetti/dp/B00IPZ5O3K) you can use flower petals and plant leaves, or opt for an instagram/snapchat filter.
It is very important for all of us to take care of the school that has taken care of us. Don’t litter. Go Aztecs.
Enviro-Business Society (e3) 