Last Friday Oct. 25 was the first meeting of the OHS green team, whose goal is to help the school become more eco-friendly. Regardless of whether or not someone believes global warming exists, it is difficult to deny the ever-changing climate. There are so many groups around the world trying to make a difference to help, including students at OHS. Junior Abigail Moran felt that differences could be made within our school. She felt like she could help make that difference. Moran said, “On Sept. 20, I went up to the climate strike in Minneapolis, and I was just really inspired. I saw people with ‘Green Team’ shirts and I was like, maybe we should start one.” 

Moran hopes to compile a list of ideas from their meetings, and, from there, vote on what they think they should do. Though the club is just beginning, and there are no concrete plans set in place, she hopes the team can educate the student body at OHS about environmental issues and how we can help to bring down our waste and assist in improving our eco-friendliness as a school. One of Moran’s current ideas was to create a better recycling system so more students would recycle. Moran said, “We could set up a water bottle donation center, so like you could bring in your reusable water bottles that you don’t use anymore, and we’ll make sure they’re clean, and then people who don’t have a reusable water bottle can come get one, so we can eliminate plastic water bottle usage at our school.” 

Moran knew that the club would need an advisor, so she decided to approach English teacher Ms. Polly Shives. Moran had approached Ms. Shives to ask if she would be the club Advisor, and she agreed. Ms. Shives said, “I think that there are some fabulous clubs and organizations at our school, but climate change and the awareness of the climate is something where there is a gap I feel. I think with the ever-present dangers of what is going on in our world with climate, we need to be doing something about that, and the kids at Owatonna High School should be spear-heading that.” 

When Ms. Shives was in high school, she had joined a new recycling club in the school, because no one had recycled at the time. Ms. Shives understands that just within the school there is so much waste that could be cut back on. Ms. Shives said, “There’s so much waste on a day to day basis here at school, and then I think of all the schools in our district. Simply just replacing lunch trays and silverware would be so much better.” Moran and Ms. Shives hope to start putting together plans for this year in their next meetings. While most things are still up in the air as the club is just beginning, Moran and Ms. Shives hope that this year they can begin to raise awareness about climate and environmental changes and how the students can have an impact. Ms. Shives said, “I think a lot of it is just awareness.”

Senior Tessa Schirmer also understands that students and teachers can have a huge impact on these issues, and wants to spend time helping how she can. Schirmer said, “I think that environmental climate change and different issues are very important, and is a very big epidemic in the world right now and it’s very important to put first for our future generations.” Climate change and other environmental issues are very big things going on in the world, and the smallest things can end up making a huge difference. The Green Team is open and available for all students and encourages students to join. Meetings for the Green Team will be every other Friday, the next one is Nov. 8 in Ms. Shives’s room (B-208) at 7:30 a.m.