The Environmental Club hosted a fundraiser on the quad in conjunction with the Los Angeles Global Climate Strike downtown and the United Nations Climate Conference in Madrid on Dec. 6.

Students purchase items from Bake Sale and Vegan Burger Cookout

During the event, students were able to purchase items from a student-run bake sale and a vegan burger cookout prepared by the cafeteria to support the Rainforest Action Network, a non-profit organization that focuses on reforestation.

Environmental Club President Guy Hartstein ’20 said the event was an exciting opportunity to encourage students to be involved with the environment.

“We hope to make people excited about living sustainably while rallying support for further change,” Hartstein said. “We hope to instill within [the students] the message that they, too, can lead sustainable projects at our school.”

Members of Environmental Club provide their thoughts

Chandace-Akirin Apacanis ’21, who volunteered at the event, said it helped students about the bigger picture instead of day-to-day school work.

“It was fun, and a nice break from class to just focus on things that are important,” Apacanis said. “I loved that our school is always trying to make a change. It was nice to see that your peers actually care about the environment and [that] you should to.”

Kylie Azzizadeh ’21 said she purchased environmentally friendly food from the event in order to support the cause.

“The environment is important to me because our entire world is the environment; it’s the place we live,” Azzizadeh said. “[That’s why] I bought vegan cookies and banana bread.”

Teacher explains her involvement

Spanish teacher Margot Reimer said that she decided to get involved with organize the event because she thinks climate change is an issue that needs to be addressed.

“I think it is the [primary] issue [that faces] our generation,” Reimer said. “If we don’t do something about this now there won’t be a future for us, for our children or for our students. We have to do something.”