On Sunday, Nov. 6, the International Student Council hosted a Campus-Clean Up day to kick off International Week at Iowa State. Both international and American students joined forces to pick up trash on campus.

Scott Byrd, humanitarian director of the International Student Council, said that cleaning up campus helps “bridge the gap” between International and American students. “Any chance to get International and American students working together is great,” Byrd said. “[Campus Clean-Up] is a great opportunity to do that.”

The day started at 11 a.m. with a presentation about campus sustainability facts. The presentation also suggested ways that student can reduce the amount of resources they use on campus, such as using reusable water bottles, printing double-sided and purchasing a reusable to-go container from ISU Dining for when they wish to take meals back to their rooms.

The International Student Council also informed students about the strides Iowa State has been making in saving energy, having recently reduced their energy consumption by ten percent. “It’s important for people to understand that the little things are what is important,” Byrd said. He suggested that students commit to practicing sustainability everyday, even if their efforts are as simple as turning off the water while brushing your teeth.

After the presentation, students were divided into five groups and assigned a zone to clean. Around 30 students were involved in the Campus Clean-Up. Josh Kublie, a member of Freshman Student Council, said that he decided to join Campus Clean-Up to set an example for other students. “It’s important to get involved and for everyone to do their part.”

Kanchana Perera, an international student from Sri Lanka, said “We are all aware that we should [clean campus], we just don’t have the motivation.” She believes that hosting clean up events not only gives students the extra push to keep Iowa State beautiful but also prevents students from taking a trash-free environment for granted.

“You actually know how hard it is to keep the campus clean,” she said.

The main objective of Campus Clean-Up is to create a welcoming and environmentally friendly atmosphere at Iowa State, but for the International Student Council it represents something more.

Maurice Aduto, originally from South Sudan who newly gained American citizenship, said that they are “trying to promote diversity… . There is a lot of enrichment we can bring to Iowa State.” He continued to say that the international students “wanted to show they are a part of the ISU community and the Ames community as well.”

By hosting Campus Clean-Up, the International Student Council brought international and American students together to make their university a cleaner and more beautiful place. By doing this they not only showed they cared about the environment but also about forming new bonds as fellow students.