Using the same mask everyday will make it dirty like any other piece of clothing. In order to keep reusing the masks we need to keep them nice and clean. “I wear cloth masks because I believe they’re easier to reuse,” junior Paris Rivera said.

Some students throw them in with their laundry load while others wash them by hand. “I use a plain black cloth mask which I wash after a few uses with soap and water,” Maddy Diaz (‘22) said.

For the disposable masks, it’s a different story. “I cut the straps off but originally I was not informed on doing that. They did not provide a lot of information from the start, even with disposable masks I use them multiple times before throwing them away,” Diaz said.

Millions of masks have been used since the start of the pandemic. Doing what Maddy said, cutting the straps of the masks, will help lower pollution and cut the risk of hurting our wildlife in half.

“I make sure my mask lands in a closed trash can so it can’t fly away,” Rivera said. Just being a little more careful can go long ways.

The littering of masks has been a serious problem recently, this created environmental and health hazards. Many animals have been found tangled up in masks such as ducks, birds, and many washed up from the ocean. There now seems to be more masks in the oceans than jellyfish. It’s time to start taking care of our masks before it gets any worse.