Colorful strips of confetti can be found around campus as graduation approaches and seniors head to OU landmarks for commemorative photo shoots. For many, the confetti is a symbol of the work put into their degree. However, if not cleaned up, confetti materials can leave lasting impacts on the environment.
Celebratory confetti on OU's campus raises environmental concerns
Chris Snider, OU Environmental Health and Safety director, wrote in an email about the negative effects of confetti on the environment.
“If confetti is used outside and not fully cleaned up, particularly products made from plastic, metallic foil, Mylar, or coated paper, the lightweight material can be easily transported by wind and stormwater runoff from sidewalks, lawns, and event spaces into nearby storm drains, curb inlets, and retention areas,” Snider wrote.
Snider wrote even small amounts of confetti can cause pollution issues in bodies of water. Snider wrote these issues worsen with greater quantities.
“In larger amounts, confetti can also accumulate on drain grates and curb inlets, reducing water flow and potentially clogging stormwater infrastructure,” Snider wrote.
In a Monday email, OU Marketing and Communications wrote that while graduation is a milestone worth celebrating, the use of confetti litters campus grounds.
“While the university does not promote the use of confetti while taking graduation photos, if students choose to do so, cleanup is encouraged,” the email read.
Amal Kamdar, a business management senior and first-generation student, said using confetti in her graduation pictures was symbolic.
“I'm the first one in my whole family to go to college and graduate,” Kamdar said. “So it wasn't so much about a material thing, but I wanted to go as big as I could the one time that I'm doing it.”
Kamdar said she didn’t take professional graduation photos during high school. Using confetti added color to her photos and helped them feel more momentous, she said.
Owen Cunningham, Undergraduate Student Congress representative and chair of the Sustainability Committee, hopes to spread awareness about confetti waste on campus.
Cunningham said the amount of confetti left on the ground this year is greater than last year and told the Daily about the committee’s efforts to cut down on confetti waste.
“Just a few days ago, we had a confetti walk where several members of (the Student Government Association) walked around picking up confetti over by the stadium,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham said while he and the rest of the committee understand what confetti means to some, they still want to encourage responsible behavior, ideally by celebrating with alternatives.
Champagne and hole-punched leaves are some of the preferred substitutes. Biodegradable confetti, while better than regular confetti, is still considered harmful, according to Cunningham, “because there are still some residual chemicals.”
Currently, signs put out by the committee can be found around campus, serving as a method of promoting clean grounds. Signs display the slogan, “Know before you throw,” and offer alternatives to confetti such as bubbles and flower petals.
Sign posted by the Student Government Association sustainability committee warning students about the harmful impacts of confetti on campus.
“(The signs) have a short little thing saying, ‘Hey, confetti is harmful for the environment. It's harmful for wildlife. It causes a lot of problems for Facilities Management,’” Cunningham said.
The signs are one of the ways Cunningham said the Sustainability Committee is working toward the goal of bringing up conversation around confetti.
“Our efforts as SGA are primarily around awareness and damage control,” Cunningham said.
This story was edited by Macey Thaxton and Audrey McClour. Larkin Bock and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
