Clean It and Green It: families join district-wide trash cleanup
In light of Earth Day, FISD is participating in a district-wide cleanup. As people have become more aware of environmental issues, environmental science teacher Jamie Berendt thinks people are heading in the right direction.
April 22, 2022
Worldwide celebrations of the environmental movement, Earth Month, are taking place throughout April. Frisco ISD is participating with the Clean It and Green It trash pickup on Saturday.
“The mission is to recognize Earth Day,” AP Environmental Science teacher Jamie Berendt said. “But it can also be used as a designated time for community services alongside family and friends, getting involved in cleaning up the city of Frisco from solid waste which is beneficial for everyone.”
Saturday’s event will do more than just clean up the city according to Berendt.
“Making the city cleaner and more appealing has great impacts for those living there and their happiness,” Berendt said. “It also has impacts on the environment that enhance this same attribute indirectly. Cleaner soil and water and healthier wildlife also add to the appeal and health of our city.”
Closer to home, students and families will have the opportunity to clean areas surrounding the campus.
“I believe this cleanup will help our school both aesthetically and by increasing awareness amongst students. No one likes seeing trash outside so not only does cleaning help the environment, it also helps us to enjoy nature more,” junior Lauren Maher said. “Additionally, when students get the opportunity to think about how they are impacting the environment by clearly seeing where their trash ends up, it can inspire them to change their ways.”
Getting a closer view of how human activity disrupts the health of nearby ecosystems may inspire necessary change in adults as well.
“When you purposely go out looking for litter and trash scattered around, it makes all those involved in picking it up more consciously aware of how much trash is really displaced and the types of trash,” Berendt said. “Many will notice a lot of plastics, such as grocery bags and water bottles, leaving an impact on the usage of these types of products, possibly impacting their own consumerism.”
As anthropogenic effects on the earth become more well-known, Berendt believes it’s a positive sign that more people are getting proactive during April.
“We don’t need an Earth Day to take the time to help our environment or our city. This can be done any time of the year and the benefits happen regardless,” Berendt said. “However, our busy lives and distractions typically keep us from taking that time so at least we have the designated day to make sure we take notice and to teach future generations of its importance.”
