Staff Writer

AP Environmental Science classes are hosting the second CHS Sustainability Expo on April 30 in hopes of raising awareness of environmental issues and how to prevent them. The goal of the expo is to mass educate the staff and high school students of Coppell on environmental issues in their own backyard.

“We hope people will realize the impact their Environmental choices will have on the future,” senior Lucy Huo said. 

The expo will focus on five main topics: energy, pollution, waste, wildlife and human health. There are currently 20 presentations scheduled, some given by guest speakers while others given by CHS teachers, but the class hopes to double that number by the time of the event.

“I’ll be talking about the social and political issues of ethanol and biodiesel,” AP World History teacher Tim Dixon, said.  “I feel that we need to decrease our dependency on foreign oil.”

In addition to Dixon, Economics teacher Dave Garrett will give a presentation, English teacher Michael Vergien discuss ­­steps he has taken to become more sustainable in his own home and science teacher Laronna Doggett will speak about Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network and their work with rehabilitating sick, stranded dolphins.

“This is an organization that I have volunteered with since college beginning in 1995,” Doggett said. “I have helped rehabilitate 10 dolphins and since I am nowhere near the coast, this is what I do to educate the public about the organization.”

After the TAKS test students will be shown three 40 minute presentations, where attendance will be taken and students will be counted truant if they are not present. During the presentations, presenters will engage the students with hands on activities and PowerPoint presentations.

“Most students don’t have the opportunity to learn about environmental issues during class time,” senior Joseph Stepina said. “This is our way of giving them a chance to be educated.”

Last year, students were given the opportunity to sign up for the presentation during their lunch. They were given a sheet of paper with their schedule on it and were expected to keep up with the paper until the day of the event. In efforts to go green students will sign up for the events on the CHS website and will need to look up their schedule before the expo. If students do not sign up for the events, they will be randomly scheduled and placed.

“Its little steps like this that should help to show that helping the environment doesn’t have to be hard,” Huo said.