The Green Team at BASE High School is making an impact on the school and bringing attention to Fast Fashion and how this impacts the environment.
Green Team is an environmental club at BASE High School which is dedicated to promoting environmental activism. The club is student-led and engages in a variety of activities aimed at raising awareness about environmental issues, such as participating in community clean-up events, recycling initiatives, and hosting educational workshops on sustainability.
Through teamwork and collaboration, Green Team strives to inspire others to take action for the planet and develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world. Students who join Green Team have the opportunity to earn community service hours while engaging in outdoor activities and projects. As part of this group, members participate in trips outside of school, such as hiking where they can explore local trails.
Lashaun Stephen, the Media Manager of Green Team, says that students who join the Green Team benefit most from it. “I think the kids benefit the most because they’re getting their community service hours and they’re also learning how some of the things that we do harm the environment.”
Additionally, the team is involved in group volunteering efforts, allowing students to contribute to environmental conservation initiatives and community improvement projects. On April 6, Green Team was able to be a part of the Prospect Park Volunteer day. Members helped clean up the park and cut down invasive trees. These experiences not only help students develop valuable skills and teamwork but also foster a sense of responsibility for their environment.
Ms. Witt, a teacher advisor in Green Team, talks about the students taking charge of campaigns and some goals for Green Team. “In Green Team student’s plan successful campaigns that make them feel empowered. And I think that success should be determined by that also. Like, my dream is that our Green Team would be connected to other activist groups in the city. I also just want to expose as many people as possible to the wonders of the natural world and hiking.”
The Green Team is currently working on a campaign about Fast Fashion in preparation for Earth Day. Focusing on educating students about how fast fashion raises concerns about the environment.
Fast fashion is a marketing strategy that companies use to make quick and cheap trendy clothing available for consumers. According to The Round Up “87% of the materials and fibers used to make clothing will end up in either incinerators or landfills.”While this strategy makes fashionable clothing accessible to a broader audience, it has also raised concerns regarding its environmental impact and implications related to labor practices in the industry.
Earth Day at BASE High School is planned and run by Green Team and will include many fun activities for the students focused around sustainability for the environment and a fashion show that will feature clothes that the Green Team members thrifted.
“I’m really excited about the zines that y’all are creating and this thrifting trip. Earth Day is always fun, but I hope that the campaign will continue beyond that, and that we will see you all feeling like you have devised a campaign and carried it out and if you own it and it’s yours and it’s complete.” Says Ms. Witt.
“The fast fashion campaign is amazing. Educating other students at the school about fast fashion and also all of the volunteer opportunities that we have and our trips would have even more students at base involved.” Says Ms. Otte, a teacher advisor in Green Team.
