Students encourage 'going green'

An article in the Reno Gazette Here

Led by senior Anni Glogovac, students at Spanish Springs High School are joining the Envirolution. A nonprofit organization, Envirolution's main goal is to convince businesses to go green on the idea that they can be sustainable and still make a profit. One of Envirolution's founders, Alex Gamboa, happens to be Glogovac's cousin. Glogovac asked her teacher, Brett Barry, if he would advise a chapter of the club at Spanish Springs. Barry agreed, and they've been meeting now for about a month.

There are more and more students each meeting, Glogovac said, with about 15 at the last one. The club held its first event on Saturday, during which members picked up trash around the school and surrounding areas. Eventually, Glogovac said, the club wants to meet with local businesses to teach them how they can be sustainable and profitable by such practices as using energy-efficient lighting and managing waste properly.

The club is also going to start a weekly organic bake sale and, after the winter break, visit elementary schools to teach students about living sustainably. "(If they) learn these things while they're still young, (they can) make a positive impact," Glogovac said.

One of the club's main priorities is to work with other campus clubs, such as the Honor Society and Key Club, so that members of those clubs can earn community service hours by participating in Envirolution events. "People want to do stuff for the community," Barry said. "If we can focus that in an environmental way, what a great way to bring kids together."

Some things that can be done at home, school or work are switching out traditional light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs and recycling, Glogovac said. "Another simple thing kids could do is carpool to school, ride bikes or walk," she said. Barry said he thinks it's great that his students are taking on a green cause.

"Environmental issues aren't going away," he said. And he said he's encouraged that business owners are finding ways to earn a living in an environmentally responsible way. "Being green isn't something you do to be different anymore," Glogovac said. "It comes down to the Earth. And I just want to do my part to help."