Carlmont’s new Ocean Studio club creates recycled art pieces to spark compassion in the community and inspire everyone to do their part to protect the world’s oceans.
Ocean Studio was founded this year by juniors Emma Wu and Emma Bateman. With the rising threat of marine pollution to communities and ecosystems worldwide, the founders, now club presidents of Ocean Studio, stepped up to contribute to environmental efforts at Carlmont.
The club meets in C4 at lunch to discuss, plan, and collaborate on projects to raise awareness.
They aim to reach the community through fun art activities using trash that would otherwise have ended up in the oceans or landfills. Combining their love for art and the environment, club members participate in the creation of pieces that connect with the community and make people truly care.
“Art is a part of human nature that every single person can connect to. Art can influence people’s opinions and beliefs, and our goal is to hopefully have people connect to our art and realize the overarching issue of climate change,” said Ocean Studio Vice President Claudia Williams.
Although these projects may seem small at first, they have a considerable impact on the community.
“It brings people together, and it can become a bridge between people’s hobbies and passions to conservation and protecting the world and ocean,” Wu said. “Through posters and art that highlight the damages of pollution on marine life, people can understand our mission and are more motivated to help.”
Club meetings include activities such as informational presentations on marine biology topics and issues, art projects, and planning next steps. The relaxed environment fosters a sense of community between students working towards a common goal.
“It’s really rewarding, as we get to meet so many people who enjoy the same things that we do. We also get to see different art projects being made and the impact we make on the community,” Wu said.
Going forward, they want to not only display their creations in public areas but also to sell them for a profit that can then go directly back into the community. The goal is to reach as many people as possible to start a ripple effect of passion for marine life and the danger it faces.
“If we can generate interest in the Carlmont community about this, then long term, it could have a big impact,” said Carlmont biology teacher and Ocean Studio chaperone Brian Bianchi. “If more people are aware of the problem, they might think twice before throwing that thing out their car window or use a proper receptacle to put a can or a bottle in rather than just throwing it on the floor. Raising awareness is key.”
Ocean Studio has ambitious plans for the future. Its members hope to host presentations at local elementary schools to educate younger students on the issue, have guest speakers at later meetings, and do more beach cleanups.
“I think it’s important to understand that everyone can play a role in protecting the ocean, no matter what. It may seem very unreachable for everyday people, but really, you can clean up trash after yourselves or volunteer for the conservation effort,” Wu said.
These plans will raise awareness in the community and make climate conservation efforts a rewarding experience for all students. Ocean Studio stresses the importance of working together to do something about these problems before it’s too late.
“Climate change and its effects on marine life are still so overlooked, and it’s so important to bring awareness to it, especially through art,” Wu said. “It’s really important for people to care, especially high schoolers, because it depends on us to shape the environment for our generation and the future.”
