By Natalie Decker

   Many Ponte Vedra High School students have proven to be passionate in spreading the green initiative. Whether through school clubs or their own personal changes, every small difference matters. Senior Elizabeth Wainer recently joined the PVHS Beaches Go Green Club to make her difference. “I have always been interested in preserving and protecting the environment, and when I found out about this club I was really excited to work with others towards our common goal: making the world a better place for current and future generations.” Elizabeth emphasizes that the knowledge she has gained in her work with Beaches Go Green has led her to choose reusable and encourage others to do the same. She was especially excited when Beaches Go Green was able to donate reusable water bottles to the PV student athletes, as she is a swimmer herself. Elizabeth also works in the KidZone at the Ponte Vedra branch of the YMCA, where she became extremely aware of the massive amounts of paper waste produced when working with kids. This inspired Elizabeth and her co-worker Hope Daughtry, also a PVHS senior, to begin collecting paper scraps such in a separate bin in the KidZone, that they then switch off bringing home and recycling. Elizabeth shared a few of the other ways she makes green choices in her lifestyle, like thrifting as an alternative to fast fashion. “I also bring my reusable bags to the grocery store to avoid single-use plastic bags and carry my reusable bottle everywhere to avoid the dreaded plastic water bottle. There are always more ways to improve sustainability and reduce carbon footprint, but those are just some easy ways that I integrate eco-friendly practices into my daily life.”

   PVHS senior Meghan Hart is one of the founders of the PVHS Gardening Club. She says that Last year, she and senior Ryan Gummerman were given the opportunity to take over the one garden bed at school. After being able to see the fruits (or vegetables) of their labor, the students wanted to be able to share this experience with other students, founding the Gardening Club in fall of 2020.  Meghan says, “I have always had a love for the outdoors and specifically the National Parks. I realized I could further this interest by learning about plants and creating my own nature at school and in my own backyard. By planting and growing vegetables for my family, I feel a greater connection with nature and it helps me remember to make good choices to protect the environment I love.”  The Gardening club maintains the school’s garden bed, located between the 500 hallway and the visitor parking lot. Over the summer, some members of the Gardening club and the Beaches Go Green club were able to visit Ocean Palms Elementary to clear out their ten garden beds in preparation for the upcoming year. “We hope to expand our club to help the community with gardening projects as well as bringing in speakers to help inspire and teach our club members.” Meghan says that the Gardening club holds meetings before school in Mrs. Mccarley’s classroom, portable 1, and that students can get more information by following them on Instagram @pvhsgarden and texting @pvhsgar to 81010 to join the remind. Meghan says that after she graduates this year, “I hope I can find a group in college that will share a passion for gardening so I can continue to learn.”