Go green for Earth Day Writing and Art by Niamh Marren
With climate change becoming a pressing issue, individual actions against carbon emissions have increased in recent decades. Earth Day first began in 1970, as more people worldwide became aware of environmental issues that humans were causing. In the years prior, pollution in the air and water were normal for all living in the United States. There was little research on the impact of pollution from many manufacturing plants, car emissions, and the burning of fuels. However, as national awareness of environmental harms caused by humans grew, the first Earth Day occurred on April 22, 1970. Earth Day was first supposed to educate students at colleges and universities about the impact daily practices had on the environment. Eventually, this holiday spread to more than just students and inspired over 20 million Americans to participate in the movement, creating the Environmental Protection Agency. Soon after, many national environmental policies were passed, such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. This education that first started in 1970 is still relevant in schools today. At Carlmont, many students actively participate in protecting the environment from human actions. Nadine Lahlouh, a senior, explains some of her daily practices to help protect the Earth. “When I first learned about the harmful effects on the environment caused by humans in eighth grade, I made every effort to recycle, volunteer at beach clean-ups, and buy sustainable clothes as best as possible,” Lahlouh said. With the increased participation in climate change prevention among Carlmont students, many clubs have also started to help spread awareness about environmental issues and how to prevent them. One club is Mission Marine, and their main goal is to educate people in the field of marine biology and protect
the oceans and environment as a whole. Kaitlyn Fong, a senior and a member of Mission Marine expresses Earth Day’s importance. “Earth Day is a vital way for which we can both educate, celebrate, and bring awareness to the importance of the Earth, its natural resources, and its impact on our lives,” Fong said. Since joining the clubs, Fong has participated in clean-ups that eliminate the increased plastics and trash on beaches. Climate change affects our waterways, and Mission Marine increases awareness of how everyday activities affect our environment. Alyssa Attard, a senior, has seen drastic changes in the climate due to increased temperatures in California. “There have been more severe storms across the United States. Especially in California, wildfires have drastically increased, endangering many species and also lives,” Attard said. Climate change is also affecting our oceans drastically. Soon after countries around the
world started burning fossil fuels in the 1800s, the ocean level began to rise, only worsening in the past years. “Sea levels rising, increased ocean pH resulting in coral bleaching, oil spills that kill aquatic animals, and plastic in the ocean that harm aquatic life are all effects of the environment changing,” Fong said. Some students believe that Carlmont could still improve on becoming more environmentally friendly. Lahlouh explains some ways students can become more involved in learning about the impact of their actions on the environment. “I think Carlmont could do more to protect our local community. There should be a weekly trash pickup day to allow students to be more aware of the trash around the campus. Carlmont could also move towards online textbooks and worksheets to reduce paper use,” Lahlouh said.
APRIL 2022 HIGHLANDER 13
