A fairly new club to Homestead has been bettering the world one step at a time. Homestead’s Environmental Club consists of a group of students who love to learn and are passionate about protecting the environment. The club started last October, meets once or twice a month and sends out newsletters biweekly to keep members updated on current events.

“During this past academic year, we have had documentary watch parties, meetings where we focus on the changes we would like to see and discussions on how we can make the world a better place,” Abigail Horwitz, sophomore, vice president and co-founder, said.

Students who are virtual also have the opportunity to Zoom-in so that the club is all-inclusive. Short-term, that puts a strain on volunteering opportunities; however, the club is planning on doing community service once the restrictions are lifted.

“When Chloe and I thought up this club we had wanted much of it to be in-person volunteering but due to the nature of COVID-19, many of our plans have been put on hold, and the cold weather further inhibits us,” Horwitz said.

The meetings consist of a wide variety of activities. “We’ve had discussions about how environmentally friendly our school is, watched a documentary about the environment and we are starting a letter writing campaign,” Chloe Bento-Monteiro, junior, president and co-founder, said.

Both Horwitz and Monteiro wanted to start the club in hopes of inspiring other teens to learn about and make more sustainable choices. The swaps could be small: reusing plastic water bottles, investing in a silicone reusable bag, trading plastic straws for metal, silicone or bamboo ones – the list goes on and on.

“My advice to any kids wanting to lead a more sustainable life would be to take it step by step. In a world so driven by unsustainable practices, overwhelming yourself with a dramatic number of changes will cause you to revert back to old habits. Shopping sustainably, cutting back on meat consumption, and even just recycling more can make huge differences, and are all entirely manageable,” Horowitz said.