AP Students say “No” to Bottled Water

The AP Environmental students are in the midst of creating a turtle out of the disposable water bottles. Photo by Ally Kerr.

The AP Environmental students are in the midst of creating a turtle out of the disposable water bottles. Photo by Ally Kerr.

By Ally Kerr, Reporter
March 4, 2016

  For the past few weeks, students in Barbara Nealon’s AP Environmental class have studied different environmental problems happening throughout our school.

  The class’s job was to identify the biggest problem within the school and try to find a solution to it. With thought and research, the class decided that our school uses an exorbitant amount of water bottles.

  Senior Brianna Fitzgerald is a member of the class and thinks that this project will possibly have an impact on the school.

  “I believe this project is a way of giving back to the high school and will make a long-lasting impact on how much plastic our school uses,” Fitzgerald said.

The students are trying to advertise to students to "Say No To Plastics" by using posters. Photo by Ally Kerr.
The students are trying to advertise to students to “Say No To Plastics” by using posters. Photo by Ally Kerr.

  With the project, students collected any empty disposable water bottles that they could find around the school. In order to show the school how many bottles are being used, the class  chose to build a turtle out of the empty bottles.

  Senior Connor Hood is a part of the class and has been investigating in this project.

  “The turtle is symbolic because it represents how different types of waste, like water bottles, get thrown into the ocean and affects animals,” Hood said.

  As a solution to the bottle problem, the students are thinking about possibly having disposable water bottle fountains installed  in the future. Some of the fountains have been funded, and now the class is just waiting for a final price estimate to install it. In order for this to happen, the students must fundraise and receive money. The students already received a donation from members of the Rotary Club.

   Nealon is excited to see where this project will go in the near future.

Students in the class created posters with facts about water bottles and the environment to hang around the school. Photo by Ally Kerr.
Students in the class created posters with facts about water bottles and the environment to hang around the school. Photo by Ally Kerr.

  “Right now the students are in the midst of creating the turtle, and we are trying to figure out financially how we are going to make the fountains a reality in the future,” Nealon said.

  Senior Tess Clancy believes that this project could open some students’ eyes about the environment.

  “I think it’s a great project to be doing, and hopefully it’ll get the student body thinking about the impact even a small school can have on the environment and the use of water bottles,” Clancy said.

  To tip off fundraising, if teachers paid $5, they were allowed to dress down for one day. All of the money will go towards the  fountains’ costs.