The new Minimalist Club at Carlmont High School strives to spread awareness to students about global warming, which is not the only hot topic discussed in the club.
The other is minimalism, a lifestyle centered around having and using less. For instance, minimalists will get rid of things that are unnecessary and that can harm the environment, which helps reduce the environmental impact left on Earth by others.
The co-founders of the club, JoJo Lin and Sarah Jolls, two seniors at Carlmont, want to make the world a better place by helping erase one carbon footprint at a time.
Both wanted to do something to help students understand and explore the importance of sustainability, which ties into minimalism. However, Jolls realized that there wasn’t a club on campus that truly reflected what she wanted to teach others, and since both Jolls and Lin are very passionate about protecting the environment, they decided to start this club to serve advocates of the topic.
“Sarah and I were inspired to create this club because we realized that the majority of Carlmont students are ignorant to the impact of their daily lives on Earth,” Lin said.
There are many ways to try and help save the Earth for those not willing to take a massive commitment, such as reusing bags and conserving water and energy. However, recently, stereotypes about environmentalists have been circulating the Internet, which could lead younger people to believe negative things about how to help return the Earth to a healthy condition again.
“A lot of people nowadays think that you need a million different metal straws just to be sustainable, but that’s not necessarily true. I just want to break that stereotype,” Jolls said.
With such stereotypes going around, it can reduce people’s interest in trying to help the environment. These negative beliefs can make the topic be taken less seriously if it’s spread through a funny meme rather than the national news.
Nonetheless, others have started to understand the environmental consequences that stem from their actions, and there have been many recent climate strikes. Although these students might not have put on a climate strike, many big projects are coming up for Carlmont’s Minimalist Club.
“We hope to inspire others to adopt sustainable lifestyles where they have a minimal effect on the environment,” Lin said.
There are many students interested in making the Earth a better place and becoming more sustainable humans and in turn, many people would like to join the club.
“I have always been interested in living a minimal life, and I want to make sure my future children have a planet to live on. If this club helps spread awareness, then I am all in,” sophomore Kai Leigh Roach said.
