In an effort to become more environmentally conscious, community members have begun implementing more eco-friendly alternatives in everyday tasks, such as automatic lights in schools, stores run with reusable containers, and houses built using renewable materials. 

Schoolwide concerns

About 380 million metric tons of plastic is produced every year, as reported by earthday.org. However, only 34.2 million of that gets recycled globally. Senior Global Issues student Jack Bidigare notes that recycling is an essential part of preserving resources, and he believes that it would be beneficial for the school to add recycling bins specifically for plastic.

“It would help a little bit if more plastic were recycled,” Bidigare said. “I throw so many [bottles] away in school and my teachers always look disappointed when they have to tell me I need to throw my can in the trash because we have no recycling bins [for plastic and cans].”

Sustainability in society is important to the Refill Emporium, located on Harper Avenue.  Co-owners Shannon Sweetwood and Whitney Wagner believe the change starts with awareness and early education.

“Solve a problem before there is a problem,” Sweetwood and Wagner said. “If schools focus on the environmental implications of plastic, global warming, toxic chemicals, and the need for specialized recycling it will be second nature for kids to make choices that avoid harmful consequences to the environment.”  

North has implemented beneficial practices related to sustainability, but some students, such as the President of S.A.V.E club, Students Against Violations to the Environment, senior Zoey Crossley continue to look for ways to improve our environment.

“Automatic lights and recycling are both measures that North usually does well,” Crossley said. “The parking lot can be a mess though, not only just for driving but for all of the trash that is littered there. Especially trash from fast food after opening campus lunch. The littering is a detriment.” 

Sustainable living 

Last semester, Grosse Pointe contractor Jeff Russell spoke to the Global Issues class about sustainable housing. His mission is to redesign the way homes are built using eco-friendly materials instead of cost efficient ones. He is currently designing a home that will be built on Hollywood Avenue which saves energy, has natural materials and plants that promote clean air. 

“Sustainability versus affordability is a really big topic,” Russell said. “Affordability, typically in my business, means that people put cheap materials in so that somebody can afford to buy the house. Well, in 15 years, those cheap materials are going to fail.”

After hearing Russell’s presentation in class, Bidigare believes sustainability protects current ecosystems and conserves materials for generations to come. Additionally, pollution from wasted materials will worsen the climate crisis.

“Sustainability is balancing our current needs with saving enough for future generations,” Bidigare said. “If the current generation selfishly uses all of Earth’s resources and destroys its ecosystems or climate, the next generation and ones after are screwed.”

Although contracting comes with cost-effective challenges, Russell knows that a change needs to be made in order to create a new type of living space that can last many decades. 

“In my trade of work, it’s really not cost-effective to [use sustainable methods and materials] and sometimes I lose money doing it,” Russell said. “[But] I try to reuse and recycle when I can.”

Filling our footprints

When it comes to living sustainably, Sweetwood and Wagner have one goal: to protect the environment. They strive to offer quality, zero-waste products to their customers while encouraging the community to learn more about sustainable living. 

“We are both very passionate about environmental conservation and reducing our carbon footprint,” Sweetwood and Wagner said. “We want to leave this planet in a better state for our children and future generations, and that can’t happen if we continue to use plastics and single-use disposables at our current rate.”

Encouraging others to start incorporating sustainable practices throughout their day-to-day life is something Crossley believes is very important. 

“Recycling can feel like a very regular task to many people, but if done correctly, it can be a very helpful measure in living more sustainable lives,” Crossley said.

Similar to Crossley, the Refill Emporium focuses on the environmental impact of single-use plastics, according to Sweetwood and Wagner. They express that a little bit goes a long way when it comes to repurposing plastic. 

 “Instead of throwing away laundry detergent jugs, shampoo bottles, or even orange juice containers, you can bring those containers to our store and fill it with any product of your choice,”  Sweetwood and Wagner said. “We believe that every little bit helps when it comes to preserving our planet. By reusing what you already have and refilling your empty containers with products that you need, it helps to keep unnecessary plastic and waste from filling our landfills.” 

Continuing to introduce sustainability is something that Crossley hopes will be taken more seriously. Practices at home are beneficial, but sustainable practices are something that needs to be addressed by those in charge according to Crossley. 

“I would like to see more global leaders first of all acknowledging climate change more, and then taking real action,” said Crossley. “Action in dramatically reducing [our] ecological footprint is better than just talking about it.”