Ocean of possibilities
April 27, 2017
From cleaning beaches to spreading awareness of sea life issues, Diamond Bar High School’s Marine Conservation Society hopes to ensure that there will always be fish in the ocean.
Through monthly meetings and arranged cleanups, the members of the club aim to spread more awareness about sea life, water pollution and the various problems humans cause in water habitats. Co-presidents juniors Mia Yu and Bryan Zhang formed the club in September 2015 to bring more attention to contemporary issues facing our ocean.
“I choose to be involved in this club because I know that we, as students, should understand how our actions result in the health of our environment, and by taking a few hours or a day each month, students can help our Earth as a whole.” Yu said via Facebook.
The club meets at a different beach monthly to help clean up trash and litter, and to ensure that other people can enjoy their beach experience. So far, the club has visited Long Beach, Laguna, Newport, Seal Beach and Santa Monica to clean for roughly three to four hours in the water and by the shore.
Prior to the cleanup, members meet to discuss ocean life and the club’s upcoming events.
The club has also visited The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach this year to learn more about marine life and the ocean.
“After my experiences cleaning up beaches with the club, I recycle a lot more now. Seeing other people being wasteful has made me not want to litter. Picking up all that trash made me realize how annoying it is when people litter. The club has taught me not to do that to our environment,” sophomore club member Davis Li said.
Advisors Kari Simonson, Margaret Ku and Malinalli Cooke spend time ensuring students are more aware of what is happening in the earth’s oceans.
Chemistry teacher Cooke has previously worked as an AP Environmental Science teacher and served as an advisor at this school and her previous school, for multiple clubs that attempt to lessen environmental issues.
Throughout her past experiences, Cooke has stressed the importance of bringing more attention to environmental issues that are usually ignored.
“We are all part of this planet. Humans tend to think that we own it, and only our needs are important, and I think it’s important people know that we are just part of a system, and every part of it is integral to keeping a balance. We can’t keep living our lives thinking we’re the only species on this planet,” Cooke said.
