Julia Lang is a ninth grade student at A.C. Reynolds High School. She is a member of the school’s cross- country and track team and plans to become a criminal defense lawyer (or a traveling hairstylist with her aunt).
What sustainability initiatives at your school are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the increase in digital assignments rather than turning in paper copies. This is a good first step because it puts in the students’ minds that trees are used as habitats for many species in nature and tearing them up for extra paper is destroying animals’ homes.
How does your generation view sustainability differently from that of other generations?
My generation takes the threats of climate change and the potential future of a dead planet more seriously.
What is one step people in WNC can take to promote sustainability?
You can do small things like bringing your own to-go Tupperware to a restaurant or reduce your red meat consumption. By doing these small acts, it will normalize sustainability, and hopefully more people will do their own part.
Is the educational system doing enough to inform people about long-term environmental concerns like climate change?
From my own personal experience, the education system is implementing more courses and lessons about concerns with the environment. For instance, my English class is writing an essay about whether or not people have a positive or negative relationship with the environment. There are also ecology clubs and hard-to-recycle events that help show and inform people how to recycle certain goods that people would otherwise send to landfills.
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