This Earth Month, I went back to school
By Rebecca Rehr, Maryland LCV’s Director of Climate Policy & Justice
The Maryland Climate Teach-In is a celebration of statewide climate change literacy and learning throughout all of April. This year’s Climate Teach-In Spokesperson is Vicki Matthew, a biology teacher at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly), which is my alma mater and where my sister is currently the President of the Garden Club. So I was quite humbled when Ms. Matthew invited me to participate in the event on a Green Careers panel. What a full circle moment to go back to my high school, the place where I learned about the connections between environment and health and policy, to talk to students about my job!
When I was a student at Poly, the water fountains were all shut down because lead was found in the pipes. As a solution, the school brought in big water coolers, which created an inordinate amount of trash from all the disposable cups we now used for drinking. At the same time, I was taking an AP Environmental Science Course, where I was not only learning about nutrient cycles and climate change, but where I also began to understand the connections between the environment and our health. I was also being challenged to think about the way we can make changes in our own lives to improve the environment, but more importantly, to change the systems that dictate our lives to build healthy environments for everyone. It is not an understatement to say that my environmental science teacher, Mr. Marinelli, put me on the path that led me to where I am today.
At the Climate Teach-In last week, we participated in student-led workshops featuring weather data collection, aquaponics, and gardening. It was impressive and educational! We certainly didn’t have anything like that when I was a student!
This Earth Day, I am grateful for teachers like Ms. Matthew and Mr. Marinelli, for the garden clubs and the environmental science classes, and for the students who asked really good questions about what it means to advocate for strong environmental policies as part of that green careers panel. As we head into election season, I stressed to the Climate Teach-In participants how important elections are for climate policy, and what a difference it can make to elect climate champions. To celebrate Earth Day, make sure you are registered to vote and make your voting plan!
