With spring in full swing, students are entering the final stretch of the school year. The weather is warming up, spring sports have kicked off, and students have been able to appreciate the spring weather after a cold winter.
And yet, it seems the spring weather many enjoy could be fleeting. According to The Climate Clock Project, there are just over four years until the global temperatures will rise to irreversible temperatures, which is likely to make the worst climate impacts inevitable. Without change, our world could be at risk.
The Leaflet aims to bring this environmental awareness to the Prep community and beyond.
Led and created by senior Seamus Haney, The Leaflet is a student-led newsletter that provides environmental news and education.
“The Leaflet was created as a means of prompting people to learn about the environment in an easy and approachable format—an email right to their inbox,” Haney said.
The Leaflet provides news about how people and events throughout the world are impacting the Earth’s climate. The newsletter’s goal is not only to provide environmental education but to bridge the gap between awareness and action. Haney understands that most people are busy and may not have the time to join an environmental group or club.
Because of this, the Leaflet provides a waste management tip in each issue, such as guides for reusing zip ties and the types of wax you can compost. Not only are these tips practical, but they’re much easier to implement for most people.
Haney’s desire to create a newsletter and enthusiasm about the environment sparked The Leaflet.
“I’ve always been very passionate about environmental issues, which prompted the focus of this newsletter to be about the environment,” Haney said.
As talk about climate change has intensified throughout America, climate change has become inherently connected to political parties and their agendas.
“One of the biggest problems with writing anything about the environment is that climate justice is deeply connected to politics,” Haney said. “I’ve received considerable backlash for the publication of many politically-charged articles.”
To limit political bias, The Leaflet uses credible, standardized newspaper companies, such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, to provide immediate information about climate change.
Even when talking about political action related to the environment, The Leaflet uses credible sources to provide information. Presenting the facts is vital to The Leaflet.
“We remain loyal to the facts of an issue and only reference opinions when they are backed up by professionals in the field of discussion,” the senior said.
The Leaflet’s work has not gone unnoticed in the environmental community. Recently, the Nebraska Chapter of The Sierra Club, an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 states, has endorsed The Leaflet’s work on their homepage.
In the future, The Leaflet hopes to expand outside of Creighton Prep.
“We do hope to expand outside of Creighton Prep.” Haney said. “We hope to get many small businesses and shops involved and aware of our efforts in hopes that they can use their customer base to expand the impact The Leaflet has on our community.”
