Saint Mary’s in Berkeley is making big advancements towards saving the environment. Their new club, the Environmental Action Team, has been making steps toward lessening the carbon footprint of the school. A carbon footprint refers to the amount of greenhouse gases produced by a certain area that are emitted into the atmosphere, contributing to the effects of global warming. The team, which focuses primarily on plastic recycling and paper recycling, and how it relates to energy consumption, has been working to reduce plastic and paper waste and raise awareness on the devastating effects of environmental destruction. The team’s newest developments include an organic garden, complete with fruits, vegetables, and seasonal flowers. Essentially, the new team hopes to both improve the environmental conditions at Saint Mary’s and raise the bar on green participation among schools in the Bay Area and beyond.

The Green Panthers, a club founded during the 2006-2007 school here at Saint Mary’s, is continuing the effort towards a cleaner, greener campus and world. The Green Panthers work by collecting plastic bottles, cans, and glass bottles in designated receptacles, sorting the materials, taking them to a nearby recycling center, and then donating the money to aid efforts in the Darfur region of the Sudan, in Africa. Over $1,000 were raised last year to support aid efforts. The actions of the Green Panthers have inspired students throughout the school to become more conscious of the consequences of waste as well as the positive effects of recycling. Congratulations to Saint Mary’s on all their green accomplishments, and keep up the great work!