The Cypress Ranch Eco Alliance is working to curb growing concerns about pollution through recycling and beautification efforts on campus.
Both global and local pollution rates have risen since the mid-18th century due to widespread burning of coal in homes and factories.
“I would categorize pollution as something that just contaminates the earth,” said Kyle Bui, Eco Alliance club president. “[It is] things that fill up the earth that are not necessary after use and just lay around and are harmful to the Earth.”
Pollution comes in various forms and can be a serious threat to the future of Earth. Landfills can produce harmful greenhouse gases like methane as organic decomposers, contributing their part to climate change. Unmanaged waste can often find its way into habitats, warming the Earth and affecting wildlife.
Cypress Ranch High School is a large school with thousands of students who can often generate waste, increasing the importance of taking care of the Earth.
Brianna Chu, member of the Eco Alliance club, said she would like to invent edible utensils to help reduce the amount of pollution in the world.
“Let’s say in our cafeterias, a lot of utensils go unused and wasted,” Nguyen said. “An idea of mine is to make these utensils edible. So let’s say, for example, you’re eating spaghetti. You have a big golden cracker spoon that is able to be used to eat the spaghetti or a fork that is able to be used. But at the end of use, you can consume it. It’s a quick and easy snack and something that is able to be digested, and so it’ll really help cut down on that plastic waste as well as utensils.”
The Eco Alliance club does the vital work of collecting recycling across the school. Their efforts ensure that plastics, papers and other materials are separated, a process that conserves energy and water.
The success of the Eco Alliance club is based on the entire school’s participation. To stop pollution and save the future of our Earth, we must work together as a community. This club can serve as an example of how students can bring powerful change to our future.
