By Juanita Zuniga The Howler
Erika Hicks, a senior at Detroit Cristo Rey High School, believes the future of our environment “is in our hands alone.” While looking for a way to get involved with her community, Hicks came across the website DoSomething.org.
DoSomething.org is an organization built for anyone to help their community. With the organization’s 4.2 million members, they strongly support social change. Hicks applied herself to the organization’s Get The Filter Out (GTFO) campaign and is currently working on getting students on board before the deadline.
The Get The Filter Out Campaign focuses on the dangers of the cigarette butts. According to DoSomething.org, cigarette butts end up as toxic trash every year and can also poison the food chain. The cigarette butts are not biodegradable and the toxic waste is ingested by wildlife, pets and children, who may suffer major health issues as a result.
After hearing the facts Hicks stepped up. She made it her duty to educate the future generations on how much damage these cigarette butts were really doing. This campaign also hits home for Hicks.
“My stepfather was recently in the hospital the week before school started because, for a long time, he has been dealing with his health due to cigarettes,” said Hicks.
Josiah Walker, a transfer junior at Detroit Cristo Rey, is also a participant with DoSomething.org. When he first heard about Hicks’ campaign, he was astonished.
“DoSomething is a great organization for students who want to make a real difference in the world,” said Walker. Walker is in full support of the campaign and believes that this is a great start for our school, community, and greater Detroit.
“The process is easier than you think,” Hicks said. “You have to collect as many cigarette butts as you can find and turn them in a plastic bag during or after school.”
By picking up the cigarette butts participants are able to clean them up before they are everywhere and cause the harm to the environment. “To prevent yourself from getting sick, use plastic gloves,” she said.
Anyone can participate in this project and students have already begun to show their support.
“If we educate the world about pollution that’s caused by everyday events, it can help us with the future of our environment,” Hicks said. “At the end of the day we all have to share this planet and if we don’t keep it healthy it will affect us all.”
