50p
Brentwood’s Environmentally Conscious Club
Every day our earth is threatened by environmental issues such as global warming and plastic pollution. That is why, here at Brentwood, we play our part in the fight for a clean and sustainable future as best we can. Brentwood currently houses a diligent club working to better our environmental future, the BEAT (Brentwood Environmental Action Team). BEAT is an environmental group focused on increasing sustainable behaviour in our community, as well as educating students and staff on the topic.
BEAT meets every Wednesday during Cookie Break to educate its members on important issues and to collaborate on upcoming projects. Since its creation, the BEAT club has been a primary group at Brentwood, organizing countless memorable events, all focused on positively impacting the environment. This year, Sophie H, Mack ‘23, was elected BEAT Captain. Sophie’s passion, along with Mr Ganley’s guidance as Teacher Sponsor, has already driven a number of successful events to take place.
A BEAT hike up Cobble Hill Mountain, as well as an ocean-side bonfire, and a refundables competition have all been prominent in the Brentwood community. The refundables competition was the most recent event. Over the past two weeks, houses collected cans, glass and plastic bottles, and milk and juice cartons, all to be delivered to the Bottle Depot. The items were then counted and a winning house was selected. This event was an incredible way to encourage sustainable behaviour on the campus while also raising money for BEAT’s future projects. The winner, this year, was Whittall. Go Bulls!
We are expecting to see even more environmental action with the addition of a brand new Fine Art, Environmental Advocacy. Led by Mr Ganley & Ms Miller, and Captained by Sarah O, Hope ‘23, this club has been making strides to endorse sustainable behaviour, focusing on food waste, plastic consumption, and much more, all around campus and the community. Sarah observed “This art is about forming your own personal projects specifically focusing on an environmental issue. During class time, we are encouraged to collaborate and help each other with these projects. My current project is researching food waste. My goal is to reduce the food waste produced in Crooks Hall. In the future, I want to weigh the waste from breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to see the amount of organic compost formed every day. It’s all very exciting!”
Many exciting events are also on the horizon for BEAT. Sophie H, Mack ‘23 says, “This year, BEAT, in collaboration with Environmental Advocacy, has been working to introduce new and exciting projects to campus. Activities like a clothing swap, a GingerFest, and low carbon gift giving are great and fun ways to encourage sustainability around campus.” The clothing swap is a great event where people are encouraged to bring their unwanted clothes and exchange them with others. The GingerFest is a new idea, and is still in the works, but students will be encouraged to come and decorate gingerbread characters while educating themselves on the health benefits of this low-carbon root.
Another new project has been introduced by Environmental Advocacy members Sophie W, Mack ‘23, and Lauren C, Mack ‘24. “When brainstorming ways to help the school reduce its plastic consumption, we noticed how much plastic was being produced at McNeill’s. All the cups are single-use and are immediately tossed away. So, as our project, we decided to encourage reusable cups everywhere we could. After conducting a survey of many stores Uptown, it became clear that most stores accepted reusable cups. Notably, MacDonalds, Brugos, and A&W. To encourage this behaviour, McNeill’s is now offering a discount of $0.10 to anyone who uses a reusable cup for their drink. It is our way to help sustainability on campus”, explained Sophie W, Mack ‘23, when asked about her initiative. Thanks to the McNeill’s staff for this terrific initiative.
As the year progresses, students are encouraged to join BEAT, every Wednesday during Cookie Break, to talk about the environment and ways we can help, as individuals and as a school. All students should keep an eye out for the exciting events that are in the works for Environmental Advocacy and BEAT.
Neve M, Hope ‘23
BEAT meets every Wednesday during Cookie Break to educate its members on important issues and to collaborate on upcoming projects. Since its creation, the BEAT club has been a primary group at Brentwood, organizing countless memorable events, all focused on positively impacting the environment. This year, Sophie H, Mack ‘23, was elected BEAT Captain. Sophie’s passion, along with Mr Ganley’s guidance as Teacher Sponsor, has already driven a number of successful events to take place.
A BEAT hike up Cobble Hill Mountain, as well as an ocean-side bonfire, and a refundables competition have all been prominent in the Brentwood community. The refundables competition was the most recent event. Over the past two weeks, houses collected cans, glass and plastic bottles, and milk and juice cartons, all to be delivered to the Bottle Depot. The items were then counted and a winning house was selected. This event was an incredible way to encourage sustainable behaviour on the campus while also raising money for BEAT’s future projects. The winner, this year, was Whittall. Go Bulls!
We are expecting to see even more environmental action with the addition of a brand new Fine Art, Environmental Advocacy. Led by Mr Ganley & Ms Miller, and Captained by Sarah O, Hope ‘23, this club has been making strides to endorse sustainable behaviour, focusing on food waste, plastic consumption, and much more, all around campus and the community. Sarah observed “This art is about forming your own personal projects specifically focusing on an environmental issue. During class time, we are encouraged to collaborate and help each other with these projects. My current project is researching food waste. My goal is to reduce the food waste produced in Crooks Hall. In the future, I want to weigh the waste from breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to see the amount of organic compost formed every day. It’s all very exciting!”
Many exciting events are also on the horizon for BEAT. Sophie H, Mack ‘23 says, “This year, BEAT, in collaboration with Environmental Advocacy, has been working to introduce new and exciting projects to campus. Activities like a clothing swap, a GingerFest, and low carbon gift giving are great and fun ways to encourage sustainability around campus.” The clothing swap is a great event where people are encouraged to bring their unwanted clothes and exchange them with others. The GingerFest is a new idea, and is still in the works, but students will be encouraged to come and decorate gingerbread characters while educating themselves on the health benefits of this low-carbon root.
Another new project has been introduced by Environmental Advocacy members Sophie W, Mack ‘23, and Lauren C, Mack ‘24. “When brainstorming ways to help the school reduce its plastic consumption, we noticed how much plastic was being produced at McNeill’s. All the cups are single-use and are immediately tossed away. So, as our project, we decided to encourage reusable cups everywhere we could. After conducting a survey of many stores Uptown, it became clear that most stores accepted reusable cups. Notably, MacDonalds, Brugos, and A&W. To encourage this behaviour, McNeill’s is now offering a discount of $0.10 to anyone who uses a reusable cup for their drink. It is our way to help sustainability on campus”, explained Sophie W, Mack ‘23, when asked about her initiative. Thanks to the McNeill’s staff for this terrific initiative.
As the year progresses, students are encouraged to join BEAT, every Wednesday during Cookie Break, to talk about the environment and ways we can help, as individuals and as a school. All students should keep an eye out for the exciting events that are in the works for Environmental Advocacy and BEAT.
Neve M, Hope ‘23