Environmental Club

The Newman Environmental Club is dedicated to making our school and extended community greener and more conscientious about our resources. The club, originally the Recycling Club, was started in 2011 by another teacher, and then inherited by Kim Guerra, Science Department Chair. It was very successful in these early days, especially in securing a recycling pick-up at school. 

 

As a Biology major with international teaching experience, Kim was a natural to become the faculty advisor for the Environmental Club. She also brings non-profit experience to the club. After teaching in Mexico, she got a job at a non profit called "e" inc. The organization provides environmental science lessons and action projects to after school programs throughout Boston and Cambridge. Working with kids around issues of the environment solidified her interest in this specific science. She loves environmental science because it invites students to engage with the world around them and focus on solution-oriented learning (though it can feel problem-oriented at times). Likewise, she enjoys teaching IB ESS. Its focus on ecology and experimental design and its consideration of the economic, political, and societal implications of environmental issues “allows students, who sometimes have had a bad experience with science, to truly engage and recognize the immediate implications of scientific understanding.” 

 

The Environmental Club has grown in recent years, especially as a result of Newman adding club time to the schedule and requiring all students to join one. Believing strongly that clubs should be student-run and with the increase in membership, Ms. Guerra turned to her students for project ideas. The current group is spearheading at least six initiatives: hydroponics, run by Esme;  composting headed up by Emilie and Aaron; bulk recycling by Jordana and Adele; the Green Wall led by Josh, Cole, and Tai; a Valentine’s Day flower growing project by Aryanna and Josie; merchandise under the leadership of by Jacob; and energy conservation spearheaded by Emm, Angie, Madeline, and Tigran. 

 

The hydroponic committee is growing two tomato, sixteen basil, six marigold,  and six lettuce plants. They grow the plants without using soil. Instead,  they fill the containers with water and put nutrients in them every so often.

 

The green wall committee is building the wall in the SSC to bring greenery to and build connections within the urban community of Newman. Cole enjoys having been part of this committee and keeping the wall healthy since 8th grade. They have painted the wall, and planted plants over and over again trying to find the plants that best fit the School. 

 

The compost and recycling committees are getting new recycling, trash, and compost bins! All these bins will be labeled, so be sure to sort your waste properly. They are asking everyone to please bring any paper bags you may have at home and put them in the designated box by the front desk. They will reuse these to line the new compost bins for an easier cleaning process.  

 

The flower project committee plans on growing and selling flowers (for Valentine’s Day) grown hydroponically from repurposed seeds. Spreading positivity around the school in this way is much more beneficial to the environment than using store-bought flowers. This saves resources and a lot of money. You can soon check their progress in the hydroponic bins in the biology lab room! 

 

Two years ago the energy conservation committee replaced all the lights in the building with energy-efficient LED lights. Not only are they more energy efficient, but they last longer, creating less waste. In an effort to continue to make the school more energy efficient, this year, they have decided to replace the boiler. The boiler is 30 years old,was only 80% efficient when it was installed, and has decreased to 50% efficient at most. The group is motivated by “ the idea that [they] aren't only making an impact on the School, but [that] the projects [they] are doing will have an impact on the real world. It is also a good way to get exposure to the ways that [they}can all be more environmentally friendly as [they] become more independent adults. The decisions [they] make for the rest of [their] lives will impact the climate crisis, and it is important to [them] that [they] figure out ways…to reduce the effects of the climate crisis now.” 

 

In addition to the committee leaders, Vion serves as the club’s president. Vion has always felt a connection with nature—he is at home outdoors where he loves to play a lot of sports, work, and enjoy eating. Fall is his favorite season for the beautiful walks and views he discovers along the way. As a member of the club for four years, Vion has a good perspective on its progress. He loved working with a group of friends to pick where the Green Wall should live and then using his free time to do the actual painting. He also has liked working with hydroponics. The club is helping the School be greener and also serves as a good connector of like-minded students. As Vion says: “ever since I joined the environmental club in my freshman year, I have been more connected and felt like I was contributing to making our school a more environmentally green space!”