Our Perspective | Roots and Shoots creates positive change for Park

Green efforts benefit school, environment

Recycling efforts by the Roots and Shoots Club in the lunch room finally brings Park up to speed in their effort to help the environment.

Until last week, the school did close to nothing to minimize the waste generated by students. Non-recyclable styrofoam trays are used regularly in the lunchroom, creating unnecessary waste.

Seniors Hannah McDonell and Joshua Kuether took the initial step in addressing the problem by working with adviser Al Wachutka and the Roots and Shoots Club to install a recycling program in the lunchroom. The new system encourages students to become more environmentally conscious and to participate in recycling efforts.

To assure participation and implementation of the new system, the club continues to  educate students on the correct ways to dispose of waste. A further push from the school will help get everyone on board.

Additional education could take place as part of the advisory curriculum or through posters advertising composting and recycling in the school. A few unaware or reluctant students could hinder the efforts of the school if they are not properly educated.

Park should use this spark of environmental activism by the Roots and Shoots club as an opportunity to generate a cleaner school overall by expanding the recycling program to classrooms and hallways, instead of confining student participation and activism to the lunchroom. In addition, the use of styrofoam trays is wasteful and harmful to the environment.

Understandably, cleaning some types of food off of reusable plastic trays is a tedious task, but trays made from other disposable materials would be a much greener alternative. Many additional steps should be taken to reduce the school’s waste.

Park should feel the moral obligation to help the environment to the best of their abilities. Instead of throwing recyclables or compost into the garbage out of laziness or negligence, students should follow the rules to benefit the environment and help lower Park’s environmental impact.

Students should participate fully in the initiatives by the Roots and Shoots club. Those who are passionate about the issue and have ideas on other ways to make Park greener are encouraged to get involved.