Every few weeks, it seems there is always another climate issue: the ice caps melting at an alarming rate or a concerning amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. However, these issues are always present, and the more quickly we can address these concerns, the better future that we can build.

The Environmental Council ensures that CCD is committed to this mission. To better understand the council and its importance to the community, I talked with Kate Kranias and Cece Hensley, two students from the Class of 2026 and current council members. “The Environmental Council focuses on zero waste,” said Kate. “The council has been discussing food and water waste schoolwide. We have been thinking about the bathrooms across the school and even snacks at the lower school; not to mention the thousands of people that eat lunch here. It’s a huge part of our day and we don’t always recognize how it’s impacting the world outside of ours.” The council focuses on an important aspect of life; the amount of food that is thrown out. Astonishingly, a staggering 40% of food in America is wasted.  

The council also aims to raise awareness of environmental issues through presentations. “We discuss different ways we can educate the community about the general state of the environment along with global climate trends that are results of human activities.” Earlier this semester, Kate delivered an eye-opening presentation that explained the connection between food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Food production, handling, and transportation lead to significant carbon dioxide emissions.

Moreover, when food ends up in landfills, methane gas is produced. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming processes. The Country Day community can easily help this cause by using the compost bins that are provided during lunch correctly. “While the compost bins have been talked about, there are still some unanswered questions,” Kate adds. “The council will present on what goes in the bins and how to use them.” Composting helps keep food out of landfills and allows the food to return naturally to the earth. In addition, when compost is added to the soil, it can help restore forests and habitats by improving the quality of the soil. Overall, the council wants to give the community easy and accessible ways to do their part in preventing further damage to the environment. We want to find ways to reduce our global footprint.” 

The Environmental Council meets on Day 4’s during club’s time. Kate finalizes by adding that the only requirement to be a council member is to have a passion for caring for and helping the environment! 

 Sources 

Composting: Benefits, how-to, and more (medicalnewstoday.com) 

Reasons Why Methane Is Bad (nomadicchick.com) 

Food Waste in America | Feeding America