when guru Mathai an internationally renowned environmentalist tells the
renowned environmentalist tells the
renowned environmentalist tells the story of a monstrous all-consuming
story of a monstrous all-consuming
story of a monstrous all-consuming forest fire in this story all of the
forest fire in this story all of the
forest fire in this story all of the animals rush out of the forest in order
animals rush out of the forest in order
animals rush out of the forest in order to seek protection and watch as their
to seek protection and watch as their
to seek protection and watch as their homes are completely engulfed in flames
homes are completely engulfed in flames
homes are completely engulfed in flames as all the animals are sitting there
as all the animals are sitting there
as all the animals are sitting there watching their homes be destroyed a
watching their homes be destroyed a
watching their homes be destroyed a singular hummingbird goes to us all of
singular hummingbird goes to us all of
singular hummingbird goes to us all of the animals rush out of the forest in
the animals rush out of the forest in
the animals rush out of the forest in order to seek protection and watch as
order to seek protection and watch as
order to seek protection and watch as their homes are completely engulfed in
their homes are completely engulfed in
their homes are completely engulfed in flames as all the animals are sitting
flames as all the animals are sitting
flames as all the animals are sitting there watching their homes be destroyed
there watching their homes be destroyed
there watching their homes be destroyed a singular hummingbird goes to a stream
a singular hummingbird goes to a stream
a singular hummingbird goes to a stream and picks up a droplet of water he then
and picks up a droplet of water he then
and picks up a droplet of water he then comes back to the forest and drops it on
comes back to the forest and drops it on
comes back to the forest and drops it on the flames goes back to the stream grabs
the flames goes back to the stream grabs
the flames goes back to the stream grabs another and goes back and so on all of
another and goes back and so on all of
another and goes back and so on all of the other animals look at him as if he’s
the other animals look at him as if he’s
the other animals look at him as if he’s crazy and the stronger bigger animals
crazy and the stronger bigger animals
crazy and the stronger bigger animals turned him and say what do you think you
turned him and say what do you think you
turned him and say what do you think you can do you’re too little so this the
can do you’re too little so this the
can do you’re too little so this the hummingbird turns and says I’m doing the
hummingbird turns and says I’m doing the
hummingbird turns and says I’m doing the best I can each and every one of you can
best I can each and every one of you can
best I can each and every one of you can be this hummingbird you see this is how
be this hummingbird you see this is how
be this hummingbird you see this is how we need to approach environmental
we need to approach environmental
we need to approach environmental activism
activism
activism yes our actions may make us feel
yes our actions may make us feel
yes our actions may make us feel insignificant at times but we certainly
insignificant at times but we certainly
insignificant at times but we certainly wouldn’t want to be the other animals
wouldn’t want to be the other animals
wouldn’t want to be the other animals simply sitting idly as their homes are
simply sitting idly as their homes are
simply sitting idly as their homes are engulfed in flames
engulfed in flames
engulfed in flames a common objection that people have to
a common objection that people have to
a common objection that people have to environmental activism is that they
environmental activism is that they
environmental activism is that they think that their efforts would be
think that their efforts would be
think that their efforts would be insignificant they argue that if they
insignificant they argue that if they
insignificant they argue that if they were sustainable in their lifestyles
were sustainable in their lifestyles
were sustainable in their lifestyles their impacts would be so small that why
their impacts would be so small that why
their impacts would be so small that why do anything at all a Pew Research study
do anything at all a Pew Research study
do anything at all a Pew Research study found that 3/4 of all Americans are
found that 3/4 of all Americans are
found that 3/4 of all Americans are concerned about the environment but only
concerned about the environment but only
concerned about the environment but only 1/5 of those respondents said they would
1/5 of those respondents said they would
1/5 of those respondents said they would be willing to live out those concerns
be willing to live out those concerns
be willing to live out those concerns all the time but you see there’s nothing
all the time but you see there’s nothing
all the time but you see there’s nothing wrong with that expecting each and every
wrong with that expecting each and every
wrong with that expecting each and every one of us to dedicate 100% of our time
one of us to dedicate 100% of our time
one of us to dedicate 100% of our time to thinking and acting green just isn’t
to thinking and acting green just isn’t
to thinking and acting green just isn’t feasible
feasible
feasible perhaps if each and every one of us
perhaps if each and every one of us
perhaps if each and every one of us dedicated a small portion of our time to
dedicated a small portion of our time to
dedicated a small portion of our time to living sustainably the impact could be
living sustainably the impact could be
living sustainably the impact could be truly monumental one thing that we can
truly monumental one thing that we can
truly monumental one thing that we can control is our recycling habits so in
control is our recycling habits so in
control is our recycling habits so in the spirit of thinking globally by
the spirit of thinking globally by
the spirit of thinking globally by acting locally we bought brought this
acting locally we bought brought this
acting locally we bought brought this Pew Research study to the halls of Lake
Pew Research study to the halls of Lake
Pew Research study to the halls of Lake Forest High School we conducted a
Forest High School we conducted a
Forest High School we conducted a student body wide survey to gauge the
student body wide survey to gauge the
student body wide survey to gauge the waste disposal habits of our peers we
waste disposal habits of our peers we
waste disposal habits of our peers we began with one central question do you
began with one central question do you
began with one central question do you recycle seems simple enough 64% of
recycle seems simple enough 64% of
recycle seems simple enough 64% of respondents said they did and 36% of
respondents said they did and 36% of
respondents said they did and 36% of respondents said they sometimes did but
respondents said they sometimes did but
respondents said they sometimes did but what we would like to emphasize about
what we would like to emphasize about
what we would like to emphasize about this is that
this is that
this is that one set out right now and what really
one set out right now and what really
one set out right now and what really sparked our interest were the reasons
sparked our interest were the reasons
sparked our interest were the reasons why people weren’t recycling all the
why people weren’t recycling all the
why people weren’t recycling all the time the top one being that they simply
time the top one being that they simply
time the top one being that they simply didn’t know what could be recycled and
didn’t know what could be recycled and
didn’t know what could be recycled and what couldn’t our study concluded that
what couldn’t our study concluded that
what couldn’t our study concluded that 72% of respondents were unsure whether
72% of respondents were unsure whether
72% of respondents were unsure whether or not styrofoam is a recyclable
or not styrofoam is a recyclable
or not styrofoam is a recyclable material in fact in recent years methods
material in fact in recent years methods
material in fact in recent years methods have been developed to recycle materials
have been developed to recycle materials
have been developed to recycle materials that were previously deemed unrecyclable
that were previously deemed unrecyclable
that were previously deemed unrecyclable this includes styrofoam so then where
this includes styrofoam so then where
this includes styrofoam so then where does this confusion come from we can
does this confusion come from we can
does this confusion come from we can trace it all the way back to our years
trace it all the way back to our years
trace it all the way back to our years as an elementary school students when
as an elementary school students when
as an elementary school students when our teachers told us time and time again
our teachers told us time and time again
our teachers told us time and time again the styrofoam was horrible for the
the styrofoam was horrible for the
the styrofoam was horrible for the environment and then it could not be
environment and then it could not be
environment and then it could not be recycled the rest of the world got
recycled the rest of the world got
recycled the rest of the world got similar information although as we
similar information although as we
similar information although as we became high school students we were
became high school students we were
became high school students we were never given follow up information and
never given follow up information and
never given follow up information and neither was the rest of the world
neither was the rest of the world
neither was the rest of the world perhaps if we knew this information we
perhaps if we knew this information we
perhaps if we knew this information we could make a really substantial dent on
could make a really substantial dent on
could make a really substantial dent on the 130 point 7 2 tonnes of waste we
the 130 point 7 2 tonnes of waste we
the 130 point 7 2 tonnes of waste we produced at Lake Forest High School each
produced at Lake Forest High School each
produced at Lake Forest High School each year so this issue really boils down to
year so this issue really boils down to
year so this issue really boils down to education how can we inspire others to
education how can we inspire others to
education how can we inspire others to become the hummingbirds and how can we
become the hummingbirds and how can we
become the hummingbirds and how can we as students make a lasting impact on the
as students make a lasting impact on the
as students make a lasting impact on the sustainability of our community we
sustainability of our community we
sustainability of our community we devised that something called an
devised that something called an
devised that something called an environmental commission so what exactly
environmental commission so what exactly
environmental commission so what exactly is environmental Commission it’s a group
is environmental Commission it’s a group
is environmental Commission it’s a group of highly motivated students faculty and
of highly motivated students faculty and
of highly motivated students faculty and parents who collaborate with facilities
parents who collaborate with facilities
parents who collaborate with facilities management to create sustainable
management to create sustainable
management to create sustainable policies to be implemented on our campus
policies to be implemented on our campus
policies to be implemented on our campus and within our community nationwide
and within our community nationwide
and within our community nationwide environmental Commission’s act with one
environmental Commission’s act with one
environmental Commission’s act with one goal revitalize their communities they
goal revitalize their communities they
goal revitalize their communities they oversee city and school ordinances and
oversee city and school ordinances and
oversee city and school ordinances and contracts that have the potential to
contracts that have the potential to
contracts that have the potential to have an environmental impact and suggest
have an environmental impact and suggest
have an environmental impact and suggest areas of improvement such as green
areas of improvement such as green
areas of improvement such as green infrastructure smart growth and
infrastructure smart growth and
infrastructure smart growth and environmental cleanups so we went to our
environmental cleanups so we went to our
environmental cleanups so we went to our principal dr. Holland with this idea and
principal dr. Holland with this idea and
principal dr. Holland with this idea and she agreed with us education is truly
she agreed with us education is truly
she agreed with us education is truly central to the entire topic she said
central to the entire topic she said
central to the entire topic she said that if we were to create an
that if we were to create an
that if we were to create an environmental commission it would be a
environmental commission it would be a
environmental commission it would be a great way to bring people together to
great way to bring people together to
great way to bring people together to bring everyone together so we’re excited
bring everyone together so we’re excited
bring everyone together so we’re excited to announce that our first task as in
to announce that our first task as in
to announce that our first task as in the environmental Commission will be to
the environmental Commission will be to
the environmental Commission will be to educate our peers and our teachers about
educate our peers and our teachers about
educate our peers and our teachers about what can and what cannot be recycled in
what can and what cannot be recycled in
what can and what cannot be recycled in simple ways such as putting posters on
simple ways such as putting posters on
simple ways such as putting posters on recycling bins or just a short seminar
recycling bins or just a short seminar
recycling bins or just a short seminar we understand that we’re students but we
we understand that we’re students but we
we understand that we’re students but we can be at the spark that ignites a
can be at the spark that ignites a
can be at the spark that ignites a conversation a conversation that ignites
conversation a conversation that ignites
conversation a conversation that ignites a huge movement that can truly make a
a huge movement that can truly make a
a huge movement that can truly make a difference even if
difference even if
difference even if it does seem insignificant at first now
it does seem insignificant at first now
it does seem insignificant at first now we get it we look at environmental
we get it we look at environmental
we get it we look at environmental problems as one huge issue and it can be
problems as one huge issue and it can be
problems as one huge issue and it can be a daunting and frankly overwhelming task
a daunting and frankly overwhelming task
a daunting and frankly overwhelming task to try and find a solution but the key
to try and find a solution but the key
to try and find a solution but the key is thinking small think of the smallest
is thinking small think of the smallest
is thinking small think of the smallest environmental issue in your life such as
environmental issue in your life such as
environmental issue in your life such as your consumption of plastic water
your consumption of plastic water
your consumption of plastic water bottles and fix it bring a reusable
bottles and fix it bring a reusable
bottles and fix it bring a reusable bottle to school every day if we all
bottle to school every day if we all
bottle to school every day if we all complete this simple task we can reduce
complete this simple task we can reduce
complete this simple task we can reduce the current 25 thousand bottles of water
the current 25 thousand bottles of water
the current 25 thousand bottles of water we consume at Lake Forest High School
we consume at Lake Forest High School
we consume at Lake Forest High School each year so if you start small you’re
each year so if you start small you’re
each year so if you start small you’re soon small changes can make a
soon small changes can make a
soon small changes can make a substantial change even if the change is
substantial change even if the change is
substantial change even if the change is truly just within yourself you cannot
truly just within yourself you cannot
truly just within yourself you cannot wait for decisive global legislation to
wait for decisive global legislation to
wait for decisive global legislation to make change for you that change must
make change for you that change must
make change for you that change must come within yourself so we encourage you
come within yourself so we encourage you
come within yourself so we encourage you to think globally but actually locally
to think globally but actually locally
to think globally but actually locally think large but act small together our
think large but act small together our
think large but act small together our droplets can extinguish the fire
droplets can extinguish the fire
droplets can extinguish the fire threatening to engulf the globe thank
threatening to engulf the globe thank
threatening to engulf the globe thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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