With spring comes Earth Day, better weather, and talks of the environment. Conserving the environment is crucial for the well-being of the planet Earth and for future generations. It helps maintain biodiversity, ensures clean air and water, and lessens the impact of climate change. By preserving natural habitats, reducing pollution, and promoting sustainable practices, people can protect ecosystems and wildlife while safeguarding human health and resources. Embracing environmental conservation is key to creating a more sustainable and resilient world for all. 

As a smaller community, there are hardships faced with keeping the environment clean but it is important to take an active role in attempting to do so. From collecting garbage on the beach to trying to conserve water, there are always small ways people can do their part.

“As a community, we can take action to clean up any litter or garbage that we see,” said former Marshfield High School student Jake Green. “It is so easy to reach down and pick up a piece of plastic.”

He agrees that outdoor areas deserve more attention than what it is receiving currently. It doesn’t take a large amount of energy to contribute to conserving the planet. There is always something to do to help. He feels bad for the future of Earth.

“ I think the future of our planet is not positive unless people start realizing how precious it is and take action to not pollute it,” said Green, who believes people should be aware of how truly delicate the planet is, and to make changes in our mindset to advance how to treat it with respect.

One way people in a small area can make a change would be to think about waste. Reduce, reuse, and recycle isn’t just a slogan. It means reducing the amount of waste, reusing items as a means to reduce waste, and recycling so that waste can be reused and recycled.

“I challenge the youth to look at the world as a whole and then narrow it down to your household–how can you help to make a better world?” said MHS Environmental Science Teacher Rachel Lyon. “When looking at this, an easy concept is recycling and reduction of use.” 

Although recycling can start on an individual level, it also needs to be integrated into workplaces, schools, and throughout the community. It shouldn’t be difficult to recycle and reduce; it should be easy so it is done more frequently. 

“Reduction of use seems easy,” said Lyon. “Don’t make so many plastic bags, use reusable containers.  Recycling should be easy, too. However, sometimes recycling does not make sense. If there is not a facility within a reasonable distance to handle the recyclable items and if there is a facility within distance, but there isn’t a way to transport the materials, it may not be worth it.” 

She points out that if a large truck has to travel over 100 miles round-trip to gather a minimal amount of recyclables, then the gas and the pollution may not be worth the minimal amount of recycling that would occur. 

Awareness of what’s happening in the environment needs to happen at a young age. In school, even in elementary school, reducing waste and recycling needs to be instilled as a tradition. 

“This comes from education,” Lyon said. “In the bigger cities, the youth are taught, from a very young age, how to recycle…what each item is and how to dispose of it. Then, as the youth ages, they are informed and in practice of analyzing the materials they use on a daily basis and how best to dispose of rubbish. For many of us, we did not grow with this practice and thus do not teach our children. It is a foreign concept and difficult to put into practice”

Tabitha Weber, a student at Riverview Christian School in North Bend, believes that ensuring wildlife safety and well-being is vital by preserving the environment. The ongoing destruction of their habitats not only endangers their survival but also disrupts the fragile balance of our planet. 

“It’s important to conserve the environment so that we can keep the wildlife safe without destroying what God has created for us to protect,” said Weber. 

Environmental conservation directly affects the health, economy, and overall well-being of the community. When protecting the environment, it ensures clean air and water, which are crucial for human survival. Also, a healthy environment helps support biodiversity, which is essential for ecosystem stability and resilience.