Climate Conversations (Middle School Edition)

Right now, climate change is a much discussed topic among many people, from experts around the world to people at home who don’t feel like they can do anything about it.  While we may feel like we cannot help, there are still measures we can take to combat climate change as individuals and as a school community.  While we may not have the ability to take actions that will help on a global level, every action matters when it comes to saving our planet.

Besides the ideas you have probably already heard, like recycling and reducing resources such as paper, there are many other ways that our school can take action that you probably have not even considered.  Something everyone can do is bring a cloth napkin for lunch instead of using a paper one.  Ask other people, within Seabury and otherwise, to do the same.  Another easy step is using less energy.  While this may sound hard, it is actually simple when properly considered; it can be as easy as turning our air conditioners and heaters down two degrees.  While it may be so small a change that we don’t even notice it, it has a much greater impact than we think.

Some ways to help the environment can be a lot of fun!  Something Bishop Seabury has the ability to do specifically as a school is organizing walk or bike to school days.  If we decide that once per month we will encourage people to walk or bike to school, we can decrease car pollution.  Those who live too far away to walk or bike could make efforts to carpool.  We could even offer prizes to those who participate.

In conclusion, everyone has the ability to help the climate.  Not only are these ideas that can help the climate, they are realistic ways to do so.  We may only be students, but we have more power to save our home planet than we can imagine.