![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Over 20 students and teachers gathered to listen to Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) Plastic Solutions co-chair Tami Mulcahy speak about the harmful effects of plastics at a Green Team speaker event on Thursday.
Mulcahy began by pointing out the abundance of plastic in modern society, explaining how plastic waste can originate from single-use packaging, synthetic clothing fibers and even tire wear on roads. Because plastics never fully decompose, they persist in the environment for centuries, leading to negative consequences for the environment and for human health.
“It was really interesting to hear about the various issues with plastic, and how it impacts us in ways we might not expect,” attendee Siddhartha Daswani (10) said. “For example, [chemicals from plastics] in water supplies can cause diseases and sickness, which is not something typically thought of when thinking about pollution.”
Plastics contain and leech certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC). EDCs can disturb the body’s hormone system and lead to increased risks of cancer, particularly in developing children.
“We call these ‘forever chemicals,’” Mulcahy said. “These chemicals are man-made, so they don’t come from the environment. Our bodies have no idea what to do with these chemicals, so when they get into your body, they have a tendency to stay for a very long time because you can’t process them.”
Mulcahy emphasized that the world produces 400 million metric tons of plastic per year, with the United States leading as the largest consumer, generating around 42 million metric tons annually. Most of this plastic waste ends up in landfills, where it slowly degrades and releases harmful microplastics, tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size, into the air and human body.
“There were a lot of statistics for articles showing how detrimental microplastics are to our health, and that’s necessary to make people really reconsider their decisions,” attendee Audrey Dagum (11) said. “It’s easy to say, ‘That sucks,’ but when you realize it’s going to affect everyone and everyone’s children [because] there’s even microplastics in the placenta, then it really makes you open your eyes.”
Beyond waste, black plastic products also pose a threat when exposed to sunlight, where they release microplastics into the environment. Mulcahy highlighted methods to reduce plastic consumption like using mason jars and buying products from farmers markets, where plastic waste is less prevalent.
“We have to start eliminating the plastics and microplastics from our lives,” Mulcahy said. “You have to look at your life and say, ‘Where am I surrounded by plastic? Is it in my clothes? Is it on the carpet in my house? Am I using a plastic cutting board?’ When consumers start saying no to plastic-based products, that’s where we can make an impact.”
