So I was walking into my friend’s place in Buchanan Hall and I saw another one of the large, green garbage cans being installed by the main entrance.

The “Big Belly” is a self-compacting garbage can that uses the sunlight to compose its contents when it reaches maximum capacity. It is said that each can would be equivalent to five regular garbage cans. It even says so right next to a big picture of Cy.

What most students don’t realize is that each of these garbage cans costs around $5,000. With more of them popping up around campu,s the university is spending more than $150,000 on these garbage cans.

I am very aware of the budget cut bills the state of Iowa has been passing over the years and how they are requiring universities to make cuts, but I am seeing my tuition increase while fancy garbage cans are being placed up all over campus.

I have been doing a small survey around campus, asking students which garbage can they would prefer to use, the “Big Belly” or the standard, open-top trash can. It was pretty obvious from what I was hearing, students said they preferred the open-top garbage can. They gave me different reasons like, “I don’t want to touch the handle on the garbage can,” “It’s easier to just put it in an open can.”

A few students said they throw most of their garbage away inside rather than outside. This is just due to the fact that dining and living locations are inside. So while these new garbage cans may save the trip of employees having to empty five other cans, this only works if they are in use.

I don’t see them in very high use. I am a meteorology major, and I don’t have any problems with the concept of greener garbage cans, and I want to do what I can to help the environment, but I just think at a time when tuition is going up and schools are hurting for money, this is not the appropriate time.