Student Resources

Below are frequently asked questions we have received from students, with our responses:

1. How overlooked do you think reusing and reducing are compared to recycling?

This is very overlooked – one of the examples is with plastic water bottles. These bottles were originally created to be used in time of emergency but then the water bottle industry took off for the convenience factor, and today people might stock them in their refrigerator, forgoing using tap water and a glass. Some throw the bottle away, others justify this because the plastic can be recycled. But the bigger picture needs to be viewed - the carbon footprint to use fossil fuel to make the plastic and then to ship the crates of bottled water all around the country. Recycling plastic has become very difficult in the U.S. because China no longer accepts our plastic and there are very little options for recycling available. The Hefty Orange Bag program is another example that was first piloted in Bellevue. Now rather than cutting back on those non-recyclable plastics, like straws, we can put them in the orange bag. This want the intention but often this is what takes place if you don't step back and look at the entire picture. Just because we put an item in a bag that isn’t headed to the landfill doesn’t solve the bigger picture issues we have with too much materials in the first place. We need to work on producer responsibility – to push the makers into having an “end of life” plan for their packaging and not making consumers responsible for what to do with it. As consumers, we do need to realize that recycling should be the last option besides landfill but there are so many other options like refusing, reusing, reducing before we go to recycling.

2. What can students and minors do to help the efforts of creating a more environmentally friendly space? Average Joe? Residents of Bellevue?

• • Hold only Zero Waste events – mainly composting and recycling collections but orange back collection is also an option for the time being. Find out where to take composting locally (Live Green in Omaha has a free drop off), recycling can go home in your containers.

  • Students can adopt a classroom and take turns taking recycling home while BPS is not recycling

  • Participate in Earth Day, promote the event, attend, be part of the showcase – this is going to raise awareness and educate yourself and more people

  • Plant trees which help absorb carbon and create shade

  • Participate in park clean ups

3. What are the most pressing environmental problems facing a global community

We need to become vigilant about reducing carbon pollution so to slow down the warming of the planet which causes the climate to change. When the climate changes, this is expected to create many irreversible problems such as sea levels rising over communities, water sources going dry or becoming polluted, air pollution and health issues that affect all species.

Here is a resource recommended by a Green Bellevue member: https://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/synthesis/synthesis/chapter7.xhtml

It gives a global view from a European context, and a good overview of challenges, plus it’s only three years old. It also provides more sources.

4. What is the most challenging part of living a green lifestyle/what don't more people subscribe to that lifestyle?

• • There is a lot to learn and it takes effort to find the education

  • There are extra efforts to be made because we are creating a green lifestyle, not just living one. By creating the green lifestyle, it give the children coming in the future a chance to live it.

  • More people don’t to this because it takes extra effort and they haven’t been convinced that it is worth it. That is because our government is not being honest about the drawbacks to not evolving our lifestyle.

5. What do you think causes the most waste in Bellevue?

• • All the people cause the most waste in Bellevue

  • Pollution from cars is also very bad on the environment

6. What are ways for the school district to contribute to the movement and reduce waste? Ways for students to pitch in?

The school district need to create curriculum to teach students how to live a green lifestyle and also lead by example by greening the schools with solar energy, composting, recycling, gardens and trees, low maintenance grounds. Forming green teams and having pride in being part of this movement.

7. How do you think High School Students can make a difference in the community?

Each year we have a young person address the city council at the Earth Day proclamation and some have really spoken frankly about their concern about the future and about the responsibility of the city to fight climate change, etc. I've never seen a more attentive room when that student is speaking. Your words can create action in the adults, we hear you and we know in our hearts we need to work on this issue. So I do encourage you to become educated by attending Green Bellevue meetings and do the research like you are now, everything thing you are doing today for this effort will pay off in big dividends for the future.

It's important to seek out and join a green team. Green Bellevue helps to create Green Teams - we are a Green Team and we welcome youth to serve on our board in a leadership capacity.

We are forming a Student Project Showcase for Earth Day and we want you to showcase your ideas because you are the future who will have to deal with this and we adults today need to listen to your ideas and get to work. We also would love for you to share your project/speech at a city council meeting. Please let us know if you are interested.

Finally, keep learning!

8. With the current political situation of one side vs the other, how can we make going green a thing that everyone does and not a controversy.

It is my opinion that today, controversy about "going green" is mainly taking place in Washington DC by the appointed Federal Government and elected politicians. This controversy does trickle down to the constituents to a degree. But because of the national controversy, this has actually heightened the awareness causing people to seek to be educated, form their own opinion and because most people believe in science, and are seeing the affects that are projected by the science, there is much less controversy. I believe people would rather be "safe than sorry" and will take actions that are recommended to prevent problems for the future versus trust a politician. There are many bi-partisan environmental groups, like Green Bellevue. There is a contingent of those who put their trust in the politician's position solely. This is a choice that they have made.

FYI - This is a 2012 study that has a lot of interesting information and analysis about this issue: The politics of environmental concern: A cross-national analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5017589/

9. What kinds of things does GB focus on?

• We have a large number of Gardners who plant vegetation and trees in Bellevue - over 1,000 trees planted in the last 10 years, trees are excellent with absorbing carbon, providing shade and many other benefits.

• We have a pollinator/monarch butterfly initiative.

• We used to have a large initiative for improving recycling and education but since 2018 the City of Bellevue gave residents the best recycling program in the state and now we have shifted to going Zero Waste which includes adding composting to the city and schools.

• We would also like to write grants to spend on programs like BPS recycling, orange bag and composting.

• We have a goal to form a BPS Green Team!

• We have a goal to create a local solar farm to make solar energy more affordable to Bellevue residents.

• We organize monthly educational programs at BU. We believe the more people who are educated about "take steps to a cleaner future" (that is our Earth Day theme) the better off.

• We organize the annual Sarpy County Earth Day program at the Lied center - all the regional "green groups" converge and display and teach. We have youth programs like a Scavenger Hunt and many things to see and do and learn.

Here is a PPT from the 2019 annual meeting for the latest information - there is a link to a YouTube video that covers the last 10 years also : https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rfnUGiOc0JKJ4f77utDHSPWw8pHajjs3MGuGiZE7Q3U/edit?usp=sharing

10. What are some ways you try to live a more eco-friendly life?

Recycling and composting at home. Here is a good guide for consumption:

11. What aspect of life do you think people live most wastefully and why? (energy consumption, trash production, water pollution, etc.)

Individually we succumb to society's draw to consume and throw-away (that creates trash, stuff, and is wasteful) and we are also having to live with the energy from fossil fuels which is more available today - but Nebraska is unique in that we are the only state that is served entirely by consumer-owned public power entities. So if we push hard enough, we can turn Nebraska greener through wind and solar.

12. What are some resources you can recommend about other young people making a difference?

One of the youth groups making a big difference are those affiliated with Our Children's Trust, young people holding the government accountable for not doing enough about climate change - https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/