Club Announcement: Spring 2024
Over the last several years, Enviro-club has found it impossible to nurture the eco-advocacy that promotes systemic and institutional change.
For this reason, we are sad to announce that there will no longer be an Enviro-club offered in the high school.
It has been our observation that JFK cares to support socio-political initiatives over environmental ones. Though these are often interconnected efforts, the structures at the school treat them as mutually exclusive endeavors - for this reason, the club has not been able to sustain regularity nor establish a sustainable footprint on campus.
A JFK student's free time is arguably the most precious non-renewable school resource - and we have observed that very few students are able to juggle several initiatives that operate in this mutually exclusive fashion. Despite making suggestions back in 2020 to reduce mutually exclusive behavior, student activities continue to operate in this fashion.
Some of the suggestions made back in 2020 include:
Establishing a school newspaper instead of maintaining multiple independent club/activity publications
Establishing a more equitable meeting schedule to rotate student availability and to minimize conflicts between clubs/activities
Establishing and maintaining a school calendar exclusively for school-based clubs and activities
Even with these tangible suggestions, the powers that be decided to maintain established routines instead of supporting growth through integration, collaboration, and addressing structural inequities.
As much as we wish to communicate an air of optimism, we shall refrain. Instead, we relay a cautionary message that this is only the beginning: Ignoring environmental initiatives implies collective acceptance of the consequences.
We currently live in an age of consequence.
EnviroClub is run entirely by students.
Members meet once a week during 6th hour and discuss ways to raise awareness for environmental issues among the student body, but also how to raise funds for environmental organizations. Students in the EnviroClub have hosted two exhibits from “Papierwende Berlin” that encourage mindful use of paper, as well as turning off the lights in the school building to encourage mindful use of energy.
We also invite and host guest speakers from various organizations. In the past, these have included the Berliner Straßenreinigung, Greenpeace, Grüne Jugend and Berliner Forsten. The EnviroClub offers interactive events, for example planting a tree on campus or quizzing teachers and students on their carbon footprint.
Future initiatives may include opening a shop for recycled school materials, establishing a JFKS Student garden, and encouraging students to take part in a photography contest on the topic of environmentalism. Join us!
Our Tips for Students!
Use Ecosia.org -- the search engine that plants trees -- for research! Read about Ecosia here
Use the backside of your papers and worksheets!
Bring your own utensils instead of buying a plastic fork/spoon for 20 cents
Turn your computer off whenever possible, not just the screen
Incorporate a day of the week where you don’t eat meat
Don’t leave the window open and the heater on
Use public transport instead of having your parents drive you
Bring your own plastic bags when shopping. Even better: bring cloth bags!
Using Garamond as a font instead of Arial or Times New Roman (it saves printer toner, and money)
Use digital distribution methods to share notes or provide instructions whenever possible
On bright days, use less indoor lighting
Re-use or re-purpose plastic products instead of immediately discarding them.
Use re-usable containers instead of saran wrap, paper or plastic bags.
Consider alternatives to snack machines that produce non-biodegradable waste (bottles, wrappers, bags).
Use less paper towels from the bathrooms to dry your hands (shake off excess water into the sink before taking paper towels)