Last school year, North Atlanta averaged 9.65 tons of waste per month. The items filling the school’s numerous recycling bins have nearly all gone to the trash heap. In each classroom, it functions as an additional trash can, much to the dismay of the environmental club. So, they’ve decided to do something about it. While the club has many different goals, they have an entire team dedicated to the recycling initiative. This initiative is now going into full swing this year with ideas and collaborations galore.
First, however, let’s go back to where it all started during Co-president Julia Promoff’s freshman year. In her biology class, she, like many probably have, was sorting her waste for the recycling bin. Before she could recycle, however, the teacher stopped her, and informed her that the recycling bins still go to a landfill. So, when she became co-president the next year, she immediately started the recycling initiative and ensured there were specific officer roles dedicated to bringing recycling to North Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) at large. This team brainstormed ideas and incentives throughout the past school year, and came up with an initial proposition. Originally, the plan was to have a student-led initiative where they take temporary recycling bins home with them in order for it to actually go to a plant. As the club was improving, however, interim principal Angela Mitchell and APS reached out to take their initiative to the next level. “We’re putting our words into action.” PR officer Parker Braswell said.
The APS environmental project manager, Brandee Brown, was able to get the club 20 recycling bins to jumpstart the initiative. The bins are on roller, with the custodial staff now having the responsibility of taking the recycling to a plant instead of the students. What the students are in charge of now, however, is advocating, planning, and enforcing ways to get NAHS excited about recycling. One way is developing a video PSA, with equipment by North Atlanta’s Audio Video department to educate and hype up the idea, with flyers around the school on how to recycle properly. “Not many know or care how important recycling is,” Co-president Ricky Zanieski said, “When they do acknowledge it, it’ll grow and become commonplace.”
Once there are bins in every classroom, there will be less waste, and more to reuse. This would theoretically only increase when the initiative is spread to other schools, specifically elementary schools with the club’s current ambassador program. With this, it will directly impact education about the climate crisis and the world’s finite resources, two of the main issues that the club prioritizes. “The most critical aspects are education, understanding, and passion,” Co-president Julia Promoff said.
Recycling continues to be a dominant focus to the North Atlanta environmental club. The solution has been in the works for a while, but with the help of the APS administrative team and persistent advocacy from the North Atlanta environmental club, this ideal is now a reality. Environmental problems impact everyone, so for the North Atlanta environmental club their next step is spreading their recycling mission to other schools.
