School Community Cuts Ribbon on Sustainability Station

Good morning everyone!  It is my pleasure to address the students and staff of Maspeth High School as we celebrate the second Climate Action Day!

Today’s theme is WASTE.  When it comes to the products we buy, use, and discard, it can often appear that things Go Away when we throw them away…………But there is no “away.” Waste will continue to exist after it seems to disappear into a bin, and sometimes remain in the environment for thousands of years thereafter.

It is an unfortunate reality that most of the waste generated in New York City continues to be shipped to other states where it is buried in landfills. Fortunately, there are solutions to that problem, and I am proud to see the Green Club and Key Club team up today to help bring those solutions to our school.

If we follow all sorting protocols in our building, 90% of Maspeth’s waste will stay OUT OF landfills. Organics, which make up over half of school waste, will become valuable compost or serve to create renewable energy.  Paper, cardboard, bottles, and cans, those items we put in our green and blue bins, can be recycled to serve us again. 

As we reflect about our habits related to consumption and waste today, please take advantage of our school’s recycling infrastructure and enjoy the new Sustainability Station in the cafeteria!  Every member of the MHS family has the power to lessen the waste we put on the curb each day, which in turn lowers our climate impact.  Good advice is to follow the FOUR R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Thank you to the science team for delivering a recycling lesson and thank you to everyone for reflecting about ways you can make a difference, whether big or small!  Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's visit to MHS last week was because of the climate movement we initiated together in December - that is something to be very proud of.  Enjoy the rest of today!