This year has made it difficult for Eco Leaders to obtain their goals of high student involvement and making an effective impact on the environment. The club has been limited in terms of what we can do to help on campus and even engage Eco-Club. However, the Eco Leaders have simply had to become more creative. Organizing a safe and social distanced beach cleanup and using social media to publicize information are only two examples of how we have kept ourselves busy. With about 30 students, the beach cleanup at the Hayward Shoreline was a huge success.

One of the main responsibilities of Eco Leaders has been attempting to get to know the Freshman and make them feel welcomed into Eco-Club. Through a program called Sprouts, freshman and sophomore students have applied to be more involved in the club. Each is assigned to an Eco Leader to mentor them and includes anyone who wants to help with events and other club activities

Especially during these times of limited social interaction, Eco Leaders want to make the students, specifically the Freshman, feel like they are a part of this community. Also, we hope for students to grow excited to return to campus and have opportunities to help with the Living Lab.

Whether it be through the Harvest Festival, lunch activities, Living Lab workdays, or even Earth Week, the Eco Leaders are known for being extremely involved on the Bishop O’Dowd campus. Recently our leaders, Isabel Rodriguez Vega and Mama Prutz have informed the team that with the required information we should be able to return to campus to tend to the Living Lab. Mama Prutz says, “Because of the construction last year on the Living Lab a lot of work needs to be done to revive the native plants and the wildlife.”

Last Wednesday, November 18th, the Eco Leaders were invited to go to the Living Lab to start the work that has been long overdue. However, with complications regarding the completion of every waiver, the date has now been moved to December 2nd. On Wednesday we will help with gardening, making room for native species,  and tend to the plants so that the ecosystem can be as fruitful as possible.

The process of returning to campus aims to ensure the safety of everyone and as a community, O’Dowd is taking every precaution possible for the Eco Leaders to return to the Living Lab. This will help fill the void of not being able to be a leader on campus.