Students at TJ are encouraged to support the environment and Earth day by reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. graphic by Leila Olbricht-Simon
Thomas Jefferson High School makes big strides to raise environmental awareness in support of Earth Day.
Every April 22nd, Earth Day is celebrated in 190 countries around the world. While this celebration is not considered a national holiday, Earth Day is a globally recognized day of environmental action and awareness. Many sustainable actions are taken around the world in support of this day. TJ Sustainability Club participated in this environmental day of action by organizing a plethora of events in order to positively impact the environment on a local level.
In order to bring awareness to this special day and help the earth, Thomas Jefferson High School has taken a variety of steps. In particular, Sustainability Club, a club focused on raising environmental awareness and action within the TJ community, led projects in support of Earth Day. Specifically, students in the club went into the cafeteria during lunch in order to encourage and teach their peers to compost food waste. TJ sophomore Ella Olbricht-Simon recalled that, “many students who eat in the cafeteria during lunch either don’t know where to throw away their food, or just seem too rushed to care about where their waste is going.” By educating students on composting, Sustainability Club hopes that even a small redirection will make a large difference within the TJ community.
Additionally, a group of students from the club visited Southmoor Elementary to educate younger students about composting, recycling, and trash. Second grade students participated in an educational lesson led by the club members to raise awareness regarding where to throw away their trash. Maggie Kennedy, counselor and sponsor of TJ Sustainability Club, expressed her excitement about this project. She shared “that it’s really special to see and especially the light bulbs that went on for the little second graders…it means so much more coming from teenagers versus adults sometimes.”
One week after Earth Day, Sustainability Club continued their commitment to the environment and attended the DPS Climate Summit. Students from the club had the opportunity to visit the CSU Spur, where they had the privilege of hearing from Governor Jared Polis regarding sustainability. Furthermore, Kennedy shared that, “there was a speaker who had started DPS students for Climate Action, who spoke, and there were workshops that students could attend based on gardening or talking to climate skeptics and how to bridge the gap.” The whole experience was highly educational and an amazing environmental learning opportunity for the Sustainability Club members.
Regarding the future, Sustainability Club is looking forward to a new garden at TJ. Pollinators are crucial for healthy ecosystems, and enable the reproduction of flowering plants and food crops. Senior Riley Rimkus, the president of Sustainability Club, wrote a grant expressing care and concern for pollinators and native species alike. Sustainability will be planning a pollinator garden before the end of this year using the money received. Regarding the upcoming school year, Kennedy hopes to “see more initiatives with food waste and composting.” As for further sustainable actions being taken around the TJ community, AVID teacher Elizabeth Lynch works hard to reduce the carbon footprint with her Spartafil business. By reusing plastic waste, Lynch sells reusable containers filled with soap and laundry detergent at a farmers market, benefiting the local community and taking sustainable steps at TJ.
This year six students from TJ were presented with their Seal of Climate Literacy. The Seal of Climate Literacy is a special recognition awarded to Colorado high school students who demonstrate a strong understanding of climate science and solutions. The seal promotes environmental awareness and action and encourages students to participate in climate-related coursework, community service, and projects that support sustainability. The hope is to bring awareness and have more TJ students gain this honor in years to come.
All students and staff at TJ can make a big difference in protecting the environment by taking simple and sustainable steps. Reducing waste, using reusable water bottles, bags and containers, and recycling properly at school and home all make a difference. When possible, choosing to walk, bike, or carpool instead of driving helps significantly cut down on pollution. Supporting eco-friendly brands and getting involved in environmental clubs (like Sustainability) or community clean-ups is also exceptionally helpful. Small actions when done consistently, like these and many others, can have a much needed and powerful impact on the planet.
