Earth Week Seminar educates students on environmental issues

To celebrate Earth Day this year, the school’s Environmental club decided to localize the holiday and host a school-wide Earth Week on April 22-28. Each day, the club hosted various activities to promote living an eco-friendly lifestyle.

“Overall, the desire to engage more students in environmental action pushed us to organize Earth Week,” sophomore club president Annie Xu said.

On Monday, students were encouraged to ride a bike or walk to school in order to reduce the carbon emissions created by cars.

Tuesday’s theme was “Improving Worldview Day,” in which students watched “Chester Environmental Justice,” a documentary about Environmental justice.

On Wednesday, or “Seeking Solutions Day,” leaders from local environmental preservation agencies spoke at a seminar at the school library after school.

The speakers included Dave Carter, a senior tech writer at Tesla; Catherine Foster, a volunteer and stewardship manager at Our City Forest; Julie Andersen, who works with the Mid-Peninsula Open Space District and Li Ping, from Saratoga Parks and Recreation.

The Environmental Club worked with Biology teacher Kris Orre and AP Environmental Science teacher Kristen Thomson to facilitate the event. They also collaborated with the facilities manager Brian Moran in setting up the libary.

There were roughly 60 students in attendance, and many went after receiving encouragement from their respective science teachers.

The next day, students helped make informative posters during lunch about “Water Conservation Day.”

Finally on Friday, the EcoArt Club hosted an event in the quad at lunch where students could make potted plants. The goal was to encourage the growth of trees in the environment.

“We hope that SHS students will become more aware of the types of efforts being made to conserve the Earth, and become more conscious of the impact of their choices on the Earth,” Xu said.