Rachel Carson students and teachers are chipping in to help the environment from home, since we have to stay home due to the coronavirus. 

“People have been doing a lot more things outside without the usage of cars,” said Devyn Sheehan, seventh-grade Majestic student at RCMS. 

With all the free time people have been gardening a lot more. Seed packs at some grocery stores are going out of stock. Some students have vegetable gardens. Gardening can be done with your whole family too. It’s a family friendly activity that can be soothing for some, and also keeps food security off people’s minds.

Mr. Kirk Treakle, Rachel Carson Going Green Club sponsor said, “It’s good for their mental health to garden and just be outside.”

There are many things you can do from home to help the environment. Many students have already started to do good things for the environment during the quarantine. 

Many students have turned to upcycling to pass the time. Upcycling is when you reuse an old item to make it something new out of it. One example is turning pull-tabs from soda cans into jewelry. You could make keychains out of old clothing, bird feeders out of plastic water bottles, and place to store your pencils out of toilet paper tubes, and many other things. 

“For Home Ec, I had to upcycle clothing and I decided to sew an old tee shirt into a mask,”  Devyn said. 

You can use a variety of materials to make masks from your home, such as old cloth, old towels, bandanas, scarfs, and clothing.

Scientists agree that climate change is an ongoing issue and something needs to change. According to NASA Global temperature is going up 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880.

“That has put a spotlight on how our personal choices and global systems affect climate change and what we need to do to flatten the curve of emissions,” Heather Hansman writes in an Outside article. 

What else can you do to help? Students and staff of the RCMS community can try to be more involved in clubs such as Going Green and the Rachel Carson Conservation Society. You can pick up trash around your community (with the proper attire and protection). Also, try to be aware of your surroundings. Make sure to turn off lights and fans when you leave the room. 

This is what Ashley Odeh, eighth-grader on the Dolphins Team at Rachel Carson, has to say: “If I do go anywhere I can bike there.”

Lastly, make sure you are aware and educated about the effects of climate change. People can also spread awareness through social media and other platforms.

“I hope we can learn to appreciate the natural beauty of our world,” said Mr. Treakle