Masters Celebrates Earth Day

On Monday, April 20, in advance of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22, Head of School Laura Danforth and a group of faculty and staff picked up litter near and around campus. They filled more than 20 large bags, all while practicing safe social distancing. 

The students in EFFECT, the School’s environmental sustainability club, are dedicating the entire month of April to raising awareness about the importance of environmental protection. They have sent out weekly emails to their peers highlighting issues such as overconsumption and energy and technology; and they have utilized social media to host a Foodathon, where students share sustainable and waste-reducing recipes based on the EFFECT Food Guide, a document that provides information on the different types of food that can positively and negatively impact the environment. The group is currently in the midst of an Earth Day challenge, wherein students send pictures of themselves picking up trash, planting something green, posting an environmental meme, or starting their own compost. The winner of the challenge gets to symbolically adopt an endangered animal from the World Wildlife Federation. 

Olivia Sharenow ’20, a co-president of EFFECT along with Sophia Forstmann ’20, is confident that their initiatives made an impact on the community, despite the challenges of being separated due to remote learning. “Our hope is that even though we are distanced at home, we can help encourage people to think about the environment and take action.”

Although Earth Day may be over, prioritizing environmental sustainability throughout the year dovetails with the School’s mission: to be a power for good in the world.