| By: Ethan Shumaker Staff Writer |  |
If there’s an empty spot in your yard that you don’t know what to do with, or you’d like to support local clubs and wildlife, you’re in luck - The Elizabethtown Area High School Roots and Shoots Club is planning to run a drive to provide saplings to those willing to plant them.
For now, the club’s goal is to collect used water bottles to use as containers that can be filled with dirt and used to grow and transport seedlings, which will then be distributed to the public, free of charge. Students interested in contributing used water bottles can drop them in boxes located in the high school cafeteria and main lobby.
The ultimate goal of this drive is to plant trees. Trees derive most of their biomass from carbon dioxide (CO2) and, in optimal conditions, can absorb 50 pounds of CO2 annually, decreasing harmful emissions into the environment. Trees also provide habitats for birds and other animals, as well as reducing wind speeds at ground level. Their roots can reduce erosion, and their leaves provide shade in the hotter months of the year.
Roots and Shoots is a fledgeling club; while only in its fourth year, it boasts numerous successful drives and fundraisers to support wildlife both local and abroad. In the 2014-2015 school year, the club raised $300 for planting trees. The following year the club collected and set up birdhouses previously built by student volunteers in 2015. Club members also put up infographics with topics of environmental concern, such as deforestation and the shrinking coral reefs. Roots and Shoots raised $400 last year for coral reef preservation.
The ultimate goal of this drive is to plant trees. Trees derive most of their biomass from carbon dioxide (CO2) and, in optimal conditions, can absorb 50 pounds of CO2 annually, decreasing harmful emissions into the environment. Trees also provide habitats for birds and other animals, as well as reducing wind speeds at ground level. Their roots can reduce erosion, and their leaves provide shade in the hotter months of the year.
Roots and Shoots is a fledgeling club; while only in its fourth year, it boasts numerous successful drives and fundraisers to support wildlife both local and abroad. In the 2014-2015 school year, the club raised $300 for planting trees. The following year the club collected and set up birdhouses previously built by student volunteers in 2015. Club members also put up infographics with topics of environmental concern, such as deforestation and the shrinking coral reefs. Roots and Shoots raised $400 last year for coral reef preservation.