By Staff Writer Michaela Lesieur.
The Roots and Shoots organization and the Phi Kappa Theta are coming together to help beautify the Cedar Dell’s area. The Cedar Dell Cleanup is looking for volunteers on Sunday October 28, 2018 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. to help them in their mission.
“The dell clean-up had first started on November 12, 2017. But we hold the dell clean up once a semester, which makes them biannually. Cleaning up the dells helps the university in making the dells look cleaner and helping the students who live in the dells have a better place to live,” said president of Roots and Shoots and sociology and anthropology major and aging and health minor Alyssa Fennyery. “The benefits of the clean-up is mostly for the environment because there already is enough trash in the world and if we just leave the trash the dells will only get worse. Cleaning up the dells helps students also by realizing that picking up after yourself and others not only helps spread the word about environmental awareness, but actually contributing by taking apart in something beneficial to the environment.”
The roots and shoots club is an organization on campus that invites all students to join.
“Our organization is The Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots. Jane Goodall founded [the organization] in order to empower and encourage youth of all ages to pursue their passion, mobilize their peers, and become the leaders our world needs in order to ensure a better future for people, animals, and the environment,” said Fennyery proudly.
Being able to inspire others and create a chain affect is part of their mission. “Our mission is to foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs, and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for people, other animals, and the environment,” said Fennyery. “We hope to influence the youth especially at UMass Dartmouth to make a difference and to know that all students can make a strong impact in our world and can do this by starting at our campus.”
If looking to participate in the volunteer cleanup there is a dress code. “…Students should wear something that they don’t mind getting dirty, old shoes or ones that you don’t care about, even boots if you have them,” said Fennyery. “Pay attention to the weather to decide on what’s right to wear.
If it’s chilly you may want to wear a jacket and a hat. Also, bring a reusable water bottle and obviously your smile and a good attitude! Gloves and tools are provided through the lovely non-profit Be The Solution To Pollution.”
The Cedar Dells Clean-up is not the only event the organization holds. “People can get involved with many things on and off campus, we work with the Leduc Center and Be The Solution To Pollution another non-profit organization in New Bedford MA and attend their groups and start our own,” said Fennyery.
“Some things we’re looking into to start are recycling opportunities and we also have a Costa Rica alternative spring break coming up and America Recycles Day on November 15th.”
If interested in joining the club they meet biweekly at 4:00 p.m. on Thursdays. “If you’re interested in coming please come and share your ideas with us on how you think we together can make a difference,” encourages Fennyery.
Fennyery likes others strongly believes that more people should get involved in the environment. “I feel that people should get more involved in these clean ups because not all students realize that they make an impact on our campus with every piece of trash, no matter how small it is that they throw on the ground instead of in the trash cans or recycling bins,” she stated.
“Students through the clean ups will realize how much trash college students really contribute to our campus and by simply cleaning up after yourselves and recycling and putting trash inside of the trash cans can make a huge difference.”
PHOTO COURTESY: BING.COM