Jesuit’s Green Team is putting on an activity filled week to reflect and learn about environmental responsibilities.

“My goal for this week is to really get the school involved and to show that sustainability, environmental justice, and transportation justice is fun,” Annie Duan, a Green Team leader, said.

“For a few decades now, Jesuit has taken time to raise awareness about Earth-related things around the time of Earth Day,” Green Team moderator, Mrs. Kuenz said.

The Green Team planned different events and activities this year to bring these goals to life. Green Week kicks off with Mindful Monday, a tradition that started during the infamous Covid online learning.

“It was an opportunity to say hey, let’s step away from screens as much as we can to go outside, to observe nature, and to be fully present in it,” Kuenz said, describing the idea behind this new tradition.

Kuenz also highlighted ways to get creative.

“There are a lot of foods that you can actually regrow from scraps. If you use green onions and put the white part in water, it actually will start growing again,” Keunz said.

She also added that preparing more vegetarian meals each week is a way to cut back on meat consumption overall.

One activity available this week is the ecological footprint calculator. Students were invited to take a short quiz to find out how many Earths the population would need if everyone had the same impact as them. The results can be shocking and are meant to inspire meaningful reflection and daily change, as well as educating students on their footprints.

When students take the quiz, and fill out this form, they are entered into a raffle to win cool environmentally friendly prizes.

On Tuesday, students celebrated with a clothing swap in collaboration with the Fashion Club.

“So much energy and resources go into producing new clothing, and it’s an opportunity for people not to have to buy something new,” Kuenz said.

Weeding through your closet and swapping out clothes that you don’t wear “is a great way to practice sustainability,” the Green Team said in advertising.

Duan explained that the clothing swaps are important for building community and makes the idea of sustainability more approachable.

Kill-A-Watt Wednesday, which is all about “using less energy and turning off lights and devices when we don’t need them” the Green Team said in advertising. Dead batteries and burnt out bulbs can be dropped off in Knight Lobby for recycling.

For the rest of the week, everyone is encouraged to participate in the dress- up-clothes collection swap for Friday’s dress up day and Saturday’s Spring Dance.
Lastly, Seniors are welcomed to donate spirit wear that they won’t use in college, which will be recycled into new excitement for incoming freshmen.

Green Week will come to an end with the James Recycling event in the Cronin parking lot this Saturday.

“James Recycling will take all sorts of trash, like bottle caps, straws, utensils, and other rigid plastics,” Madeline Ward, a Green Team member who will help facilitate the event, said.

This Green Week, Green Team asks that the community take some time to reflect on individual consumption, learn, and participate in a fun activity that helps take care of the Earth.