The Environmental Club at DeLaSalle originated as a recycling advocacy group entitled the “Green Team.” Under the leadership of Pam Beckman and several motivated students it has grown not only its membership but its mission. It aims to motivate students to care about their environment.
The effects of climate change on this planet are well documented. It has become clear that humans are having a negative, possibly irreversible, impact on the planet. In a 2021 report conducted by The New York Times it was reported that not only has the earth warmed more than 2.2 degrees since 1880 (pre-industry) but that natural disasters such as drought and wildfires are becoming more frequent and more extreme. In fact, a report conducted by the American Meteorological Society found that climate change makes severe weather events such as heat weaves, storms and droughts worse.
In spite of the evidence of the effects of climate change only 54% of Americans say that climate change is a “major threat” to the country (Pew Research Poll). When it comes to the environment, American apathy is astounding, and it's something DeLaSalle’s environmental club aims to combat. Pam Beckman, the club’s long time moderator, said in an interview that one of the club’s primary goals is to get students to, “care about [their] school and the campus, and how [they]. contribute to the greater area.”
DeLaSalle’s Environmental Club is about engagement. Beckman says, when it comes to the club, she’s “more focused on experiences and exposure to the outside and what's going on in the environment as opposed to just policies.”
Rather than immediately tackling rising sea levels or raging wildfires, change starts here, on Nicollet Island. Class of 23’ graduate and former club leader Ella O’Connell said that in addition to the composting program they have already implemented, they are looking to further lower lunchroom waste by encouraging students to “learn more about composting and recycling and…just ask people.” This notion of encouraging student initiative is demonstrated by Beckman’s goal for the club, “expose students to outdoor situations and… to get them outside.”
While it all starts here, on Nicollet Island, the club's impact spreads far beyond the school’s walls. O’Connell says, “It gets kids opportunities as well, we do a lot of summer stuff where kids can go into summer programs for environmental things” Beckman adds, saying “Our kids have had a chance to have internships with friends of the Mississippi and Tree Trust.”
When it comes to obstacles, O’Connell says the biggest roadblock is “Ignorance.” Getting students to take their own initiative especially when it comes to composting has proven to be a challenge. “It shouldn’t be a hard sell but it kind of is.” However, Beckman says that largely they’ve felt, “We’ve done a lot, snowshoeing, planting, hiking.”
When asked what future students and leaders can do, O'Connell says, “Just make the biggest effort to get people because that's what I’ve been trying to do this whole year. Just get as many people as I can to come try it…try to find people who you know will enjoy it and help out and actually care.” And as it turns out, actually caring is pretty radical.
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