In 2021, seniors Vienna Rivard and Kyra Torgerson led the rebranding of what was previously known as the Environmental Awareness Club to the Environmental Club. The purpose of the change was to move the efforts of the club from discussion-based to action-based.

The Environmental Club meets every Tuesday after school in the library.

The club is focused on changing the awareness of individuals living on Earth. They work to improve the relationships between humans and the environment.

“I feel like the environment is something that we don’t get a chance to talk about enough. By running this club, we’re able to give these issues a platform every week. We connect with people in the school and the overall community who are really interested in being involved with environmental issues,” club vice-president Torgerson said.

The club has seen a large rise in membership over the last year, something the club leaders are very proud of. Rivard, club president, believes it is especially important for the people of our generation to be involved in helping the environment because they are a huge part of the Earth’s future. 

“We are the individuals that will be living on Earth in the future. We either aid it or continue to deplete it,” Rivard said.

“The more you learn, the more you want to become involved, and it’s great if that happens while we’re young,” Torgerson said.

Environmental Club’s focus to improve the community through activism has been driven by their projects.

Recently, the club started the NexTrex Single-Use Plastic Recycling Challenge. The goal of the project is to collect plastics that are not recyclable and send them to a company that will turn the items into furniture. 

NexTrex has the initiative to collect this plastic from schools. The reward of the challenge is the school that has collected the most plastic items is given a bench made from what was donated.

“We have boxes located in the atrium and library for collection,” said Torgerson. 

The club wanted to join the challenge because it is something the entire school can be involved in. Anjali Batra, a long-time club member, believes that little projects and competitions to motivate the community are the best way to create change. 

“This project means a lot to me because I have always been stressed about the effects of non-biodegradable materials on our planet,” Batra said.

Another way the group gets the community involved is by having guest speakers at the meetings. The Environmental Club has had people from USGS New England Water Science Center and the Framingham Department of Public Works speak. 

“I’m proud of the large number of topics that this club has been able to touch upon in environmental careers through our guest speakers,” Rivard said.

Although the club strives to make an impact through its action items, the club is largely driven by its social aspects. Rivard and Torgerson want to create an atmosphere that is welcoming and motivating for people to participate. 

“It’s really fun to go to meetings and have super involved members who are always willing to make a difference in the world,”  Torgerson said.

“The social aspect mixed with learning is my favorite part. I like that I can learn more about the environment while I am around really interesting and fun people,” Batra said.

Environmental Club hopes to continue creating change within the community and environment by involving more students and staff as well as taking on bigger and better projects.

“There is much more to come in the future and I hope to see new faces every week,” Batra said.