2021 marks a new year, and this year the Ecology Club is asking everyone to keep the planet’s health in mind. 2020, a year that brought many hardships and uncertainties across the globe, has come to a close, and the new year brings with it a chance for a fresh start. 

To reach a brighter future it is important to set goals and reflect on the past and in an effort to do this, people all over the world set resolutions. In 2020, it was difficult to keep the environment in mind while trying to adjust to the pandemic. For this reason, the Ecology Club comprised a list of eleven resolutions of small individual actions everyone can take to make 2021 a more green year. 

The Morris Knolls Ecology Club is run by Mrs. Stauss, who is an art teacher at Morris Knolls. Paul Bacolini, a member of the club since 2019, explained, “I think the Ecology Club is a good club that helps bring ideas of cleaner living to the attendees, as well as bringing attention to events that harm the environment. People should join this club to learn ways of decreasing their carbon impact, environmental events that should be talked about more, and many other green ideas. Now more than ever, it is important to be conscious about the environment so we can change our ways before we damage it beyond repair.”

The Ecology Club discussed ways to make the holidays more environmentally friendly. This was in an effort to address the difficulties of being green and minimalistic during the holiday season. Through much brainstorming, they came up with many ways to incorporate greener practices into holiday traditions. Some of these suggestions, like buying a natural tree and disposing of it properly, are unique to the winter holidays, but many can be used all year round. For instance, the club advised people to shop locally, to make homemade gifts or to upcycle  gifts, as well as a large array of other tips. Pushing oneself out of their comfort zone to adopt environmental practices can add a layer of joy to one’s days while also benefiting the world. 

This year all of the meetings have been done through Zoom. The club members  were able to create multiple green minutes, which were little clips of ecological information that ran on News from the Nest and also planted coleus plants from seeds to take home.  Additionally, they tried upcycling by making tote bags or necklaces out of old T-shirts.