As the human population steadily increases, environmental issues steadily worsen worldwide, especially in urban areas – Philadelphia is a prime example. In terms of pollution, Forbes magazine rated the historic city a 1.84 out of 10, making Philly the most polluted city in America. At Radnor High School, we and our fellow members in the Greenprint club are recognizing this problem and are taking strides to fix it.
The mission of the club is simple: advocate for better local ecofriendly policy and infrastructure, as well as working towards improvement in our environment. The club intends to organize events to clean up the local environment and do their part to help maintain climate change regulations.
Greenprint’s mission would not be possible without the insurmountable efforts of Nadia Dougherty. As the main founder of the club, Nadia’s efforts are the core reason for the present and future missions Greenprint will contribute to: working towards a healthier and more eco-friendly society. When asked why she decided to start the club she stated, “We didn’t have any sort of club at Radnor High School that was based around the environment, and I thought that it was a good opportunity for kids to get experience with local conservancies and help out the community.” Additionally, Nadia explained some long-term goals for the club in relation to financial and beneficial missions: “Overall, I would like to see us host cleanups in various areas locally and regionally. Another goal of the club is to do site testing for pollution, and to overall grow the club. Long term goals include purchasing water testing devices and purchasing a hydroponic tower for environmentally friendly agriculture at the high school.”
To us, Greenprint is the most accessible way to make a difference in our local environment. The inclusivity of the club makes our mission so much easier and more inviting to work towards. We believe that in this club, the future is unlimited and with the help of our fellow members of Greenprint we are already creating a noticeable change, and a cleaner earth.
Greenprint’s first event of the year took place downtown on October 11 by the Temple Boat House. The Schuylkill River, even during its quietest hours, is the home to all different kinds of activities like fishing, boating, hiking, and crew races. Sadly, those who spend time on the river often do not consider the effect they have on the environment. With thousands discarding trash into the river every day, the Schuylkill, and the riverbank surrounding it, is well known as the dirtiest and most polluted river in all of Philadelphia.
Eight students from Radnor came out to help clean up the said trails, including us. We roughed the rainy conditions and less-than-ideal circumstances for close to two hours, and we cleared 56.8 pounds of trash from the public space. On November 15, the club plans to create an even greater impact by marking storm drains to help prevent flooding.
Greenprint is just one of nearly a hundred clubs at RHS striving to make a difference in the lives of our community members. Together, along with other clubs, we hope to say that we changed our lives for the better. Greenprint aspires that even our small impact and improvements can inspire others to follow in our footsteps. While simply throwing away your trash might seem minute, Greenprint further dreams that even our small impact and improvements can inspire others to follow in our footsteps.
Just picture the kind of world that we could live in if everyone cared for the environment, and for the future generations ahead of us. It would most definitely be a better, greener place. If we all put in just a little bit of effort, that ideal world is closer to achieving than it may seem.
