From invasive species to excessive littering and waste, a myriad of environmental issues presently affect the planet and can be seen in our community. Terra Linda’s (TL) Eco Ambassadors acknowledge these pressing problems and work to diminish them in any way they can, one littered cigarette butt at a time. Meeting every Thursday, the club members hold community service projects and work to improve general environmental awareness at our school.

In early October, a small group of club members embarked on a clean-up. Armed with gloves and trash bags, they walked from Terra Linda High to Vallecito and back, picking up and sorting any pieces of trash they spotted along the way. To club vice president and co-founder Senior Ethan Ngo, the projects that the Environmental Ambassadors complete are important because they make the areas that community members frequent cleaner and more pleasant to walk through. “Personally, I like walking in a clean space. I walk home from school every single day and I see a lot of cigarettes and bottles. In a clean space, I find that I work better,” Ngo said. He explains that through this club and the opportunities it gives, he can aid his community and help lessen the issues that are affecting it. He said, “I personally really do care about the environment and the local hills. So it’s just a good way for me to make an impact on my local area.”

Senior Olivia Kim, the treasurer of the Eco Ambassadors, also mentioned that she often walks home from school and is displeased by the amount of litter she has to see on a daily basis. “I know a lot of high schoolers are creating a good bit of the trash so it’s nice to then be able to clean it up,” she added. This is one of the reasons why she believes the club is important, as it’s a way to give back to or restore areas that TL students may have negatively impacted. Kim also hopes for the club to be able to have a broader reach this year by also targeting other places farther from home. “We were planning on doing some restoration projects, whether that’s at like a creek or a beach, as well as doing cleanups more away from the community.” This mix of projects within and outside of school is how the Eco Ambassadors intend to make an impact. 

Co-founder and president Senior Laurel Buffum described some of the events and activities that she hopes to accomplish with the club this year and the goals she has in mind. “Ultimately this club is about the environment regarding how we can do better for it. Such as doing clean-ups, fixing the sorting bin situation with signs, and creating events to help educate people on these issues and situations.” Buffum elaborated by saying that this club is increasingly important with the continued passiveness to the littering problem on campus and throughout the community. “This club’s hoping to accomplish informing the majority of the student body of the problem and change how they dispose of their waste and continue to keep the sorting system in mind in the future.” Bringing awareness is the main goal and they hope to do so through activities that are interesting, interactive, and engaging.

Danielle Harbinson, a Senior who is in her second year as a member of the Eco Ambassadors, is firm in her belief that for any change to be made on campus and beyond, there needs to be a collective effort from a larger amount of the student body. “That’s what I hope to see this year: more of the school and community working together even if people aren’t directly a part of the club. I want them to still be able to learn.” Harbinson affirms that she is very passionate about nature and our environment and that to her, education is the best way to get people active in this cause. “I believe this club’s importance lies with not only presenting the issues but offering the assisted aid and education on how you can help resolve these issues,” she stated. 

Many clubs at Terra Linda work to make a difference and The Eco Ambassadors proves to be one of them. If you’re interested in helping with waste, sorting, or just helping to better our environment in general, stop by Ms. Frack’s room (201) for a meeting. Everyone can make a difference!