Environmental Club | North Shore Community College

Bag monster made from single-use plastic bags

Former Co-chair Joe Modugno (right)

Table for 2019 NSCC Spring Fling table on the Danvers Campus

2017 Full moon Canoe trip on the Ipswich River

2019 Full moon Canoe trip on the Ipswich River

Hiking in Spring 2022 in Lynn Woods

Making seed cards to be given away at 2021 commencement.

Digging up and planting a pollinator garden. A project started by MassPIRG and completed with the help of the Environmental Club, the Horticulture Deptarment and interested students and staff!

The NSCC Environmental Club offers students a unique forum where they can focus on issues relating to the environment and sustainability. The emphasis is on education and activism leading to solutions on the college campus and beyond. The club meets biweekly in an informal, friendly, and moderated setting. It provides opportunities for inspired students to share ideas and formulate action plans on topics ranging from greening the college campus to politics, science, education, environmental ethics, and anything else relevant to environmentalism and promoting a just and sustainable society. Club members will have the chance to learn and practice methods of democratic citizenship as they advocate individually and collectively for policies and actions that are earth-friendly and ethically based.

environmental club zoom meeting One of the main goals of the Environmental Club is to educate NSCC students and the college at large in the practices of sustainable living, with the ultimate goal of creating a culture of sustainability on the NSCC campuses that will serve as a model for other schools and our local community.

Single Stream Recycling Program

Here is a video our members created to promote and clarify NSCC's new single stream recycling program.

Student in hallway pointing at recycling sign

Textile Recycling

Did you know the average US citizen throws away 70 pounds of clothing and textile every year? Or that the apparel industry produces an estimated 92 million tons of textile waste every year? And worst of all, these numbers are growing. If this issue matters to you, there are things you can do to help.

Reuse

You can start just by making better choices for your own closet. First, we recommend donating your clothes rather than tossing them. If they’re in good shape but you’ve outgrown them, offer them to siblings or friends. Otherwise, consider taking them to your local thrift store or homeless shelter. Even if your clothes are ripped or stained, an animal shelter may be able to use them!

Most importantly, buy second hand if you can! If you do choose to buy new, choose carefully. Using the website/app “Good On You” you can easily look up brands and see their sustainability rating. By supporting more sustainable brands, you send a message to industry that there is consumer demand for ethically produced clothing.

Repair

When your clothes are damaged, don't just toss them-- fix them! There are tons of resources online to help you learn how to replace buttons or fix tears in your clothes, like www.needlepointers.com! Fixing your clothes doesn’t have to be boring, either. You can customize your favorite outfits with embroidering or visible mending.

Repurpose

If your clothes are beyond repair, you can shred them and use them as cleaning rags, or stuffing for pillows, stuffed animals, or dog toys/beds. If you’re crafty, you can even turn the fabric scraps into rag rugs, coasters, hair ties, or quilts!

Remember to reuse, repair, and repurpose! And keep in mind that textiles aren’t just clothes. It can also be bedding, curtains, towels, shoes, stuffed animals, backpacks, tote bags, or anything else.