The Environmental Club has worked on multiple projects inside and outside of Park, such as working with the city to create gardens and rain gardens throughout Park. Now, the club is working on creating a more sustainable system at Park, as well as improving Park’s ability to recycle.
Senior and club member Estella Hughes said students don’t have the chance to be environmentally friendly at Park. She said budget cuts have impacted students’ ability to be environmentally conscious.
“I don’t really think we as students have the opportunity to be environmentally (friendly) at Park. We only have trash in the lunchroom, that’s it,” Hughes said. “We don’t even have recycling, which is not anyone’s fault, it’s just related to budget cuts.”
Environmental Club adviser Emily Rennhak said the Environmental Club is actively working on outside projects that support native plants and new policies that promote recycling and composting at Park. She said the club is intentionally trying to better their own practices.
“In terms of recycling and composting policies, we as a club still have a lot of work to do — it’s something in the Environmental Club that we have been struggling with,” Rennhak said. “We are in the process of designing some more landscaping outside that would be more environmentally friendly and support native pollinators.”
Senior and Environmental Club president Abigail Oppegaard said schools don’t properly inform students about the responsibility of recycling.
“It’s not always that students are or are not doing something that they think is environmentally friendly — there’s just a big lack of education on the subject,” Oppegaard said.
Hughes said the Environmental Club recycled old pottery scraps that were fired by making them a new pathway to the gardens in collaboration with the city. She said this was a solid step in the direction of minimizing waste at Park.
”We’ve recycled some pottery and ceramic stuff that was fired and used it in the pollinator garden in Parkview Park (which is) just a block from Park,” Hughes said. “This really helped us minimize waste in Park, which is a big goal of ours.”
According to Oppegaard, the best way Park students can help out with making Park greener is to try to reduce waste, drive less or try to minimize food storage when on the go as a way to start.
“I know it sounds simple but waste reduction in general. Instead of bringing a brown paper bag, bring a lunch box, as well as being able to carpool with a friend or ride the bus,” Oppegaard said. “That has a really big environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gases — there are usually very small steps we can take.”
Rennhak said the Environmental Club has been focusing on varying ways to improve the recycling at Park. She said since many students don’t recycle correctly, the Environmental Club spends their own time sorting.
“A big thing for us has been the recycling program. Three years ago we were really trying to make recycling more efficient,” Rennhak said. “When garbage or dirty plastic with liquid in it ends up in the recycling, it spoils the batch and the students spend their own time sorting through the recycling.”
