Marianapolis Celebrates Earth Week

By M. Jutras '22 - Media Team

Photo by N. Nguyen '22 - Media Team

Despite “Planet Earth, Together” being the past School theme, the ideas and motivations that came with it never left the community. This year at Marianapolis Preparatory School, students and faculty are working together as a community to celebrate the beauty and strength of the Earth and to find ways that the school can be cleaner and greener. 

Throughout this week, the reserved Community Programming blocks were taken advantage of, with environment-themed curriculum taking the forefront. This Thursday’s Community Programming was led by students in the Environmental Science classes, teaching the rest of the students about all things planet earth, from bees and polar bears to sustainable fashion, permaculture, and food systems. 

L. Mueller ’22, a member of the Green Knights, spoke about the importance of the Earth Week celebration for the Green Knights. One of her favorite parts is seeing people learn more about a challenging topic.

 “I enjoy seeing the almost... awakening of consciousness among the school. News on the climate can definitely be scary and easy to ignore, but oftentimes the most challenging topics are the most important to tackle, and Earth Week is dedicated to that,” Mueller said.

Mueller reminds the community that “on Earth Day itself, programming will be on hold in recognition of GLSEN’s National Day of Silence before resuming in the evening (5-7 p.m.) for our first-ever Earth Day Festival, where participants will enjoy a movie screening, snacks, and various games.” 

While there is always more that can be done, it is important to acknowledge the great work already underway on campus. The School has two compost bins taking in food waste from Sage Dining, an “up-and-running” greenhouse, newly color-coded waste bins in the main building to help us separate trash from recycling and food waste, and the addition of three newly-planted apple saplings.

According to the Green Knights, students should use the momentum gained from this week and bring it with them in the future, even after the school-led programming ends. Small things like bringing reusable water bottles, being conscious of how much food is being wasted and how much water is being used, or even trying some vegetarian or vegan options through our very own Sage Dining are all ways to be sustainable throughout the year and beyond.

“Next time you're doing back-to-school shopping, consider shopping secondhand or swapping with friends and family. If you have friends in similar sizes, it can be fun to swap dress clothes for dances, saving you money & saving the earth!” Mueller said. “Carpooling, taking notes online if that works for you, and buying necessary items in-person (to cut down on the environmental impact of shipping) can also be a small boost to your sustainability.”