Fort Lauderdale High School’s Environmental Club was created to recycle the materials on campus to help reduce the land, water, and air pollution on Earth. 

“Though a lot of the items we recycle are renewable resources, we are consuming these resources faster than they can be created/manufactured,” stated club advisor Ms. Jordana Hass. “Also, we are very wasteful with our food consumption. The least we can do is recycle the remnants to help ensure that our environment is not completely consumed.” 

During meetings, members learn the importance of recycling and go to each building to empty the recycling bins. The students get containers and gloves, then proceed to their designated buildings to gather the recyclable materials. At the end of meetings, the recyclables are put into a large container to be sent to a recycling plant. The club members earn either three service hours if they wear the Environmental Club’s T-shirt or one and a half hours if they do not. 

Club member Brando Lafleur (12) explained, “Students learn about the best methods to maintain a sustainable living and gain a greater sense of accomplishment recycling the materials in the entire school as opposed to recycling the smaller proportion of materials in their home.”

Oftentimes, recyclable materials are placed in trash bins, and nonrecyclable materials are placed in recycling bins. To assist the club, it would be prudent for students and staff to actively attempt to place their materials in the appropriate bins. During classroom activities, when reusable materials such as plastic, glass, or paper are used, it would be beneficial for teachers to instruct their students to place their materials in the recycling bin at the end of class. Equally, during lunch, when students are clearing their tables, it would be crucial to bear in mind that food and beverages must be placed in the trash bins. 

“Sometimes people put drinks and other nonrecyclable items in the [recycling] bins, which in turn ruins the rest of the items making it all end up in the trash,” stated club vice president Roscoe Wiese (12). “We suggest thinking about what you put in the blue bins because it affects what can be recycled.”

The club meets every Wednesday in room 807 at 3:00 P.M. To help improve the Earth, join the Environmental Club!