Beyond academics, Coronado High School students are leading a call for less plastic pollution in the community.
In her four years as an Emerald Keepers volunteer and current intern Hannah Cohen helped brainstorm the new Policy Liaison Team, a group of interns interested in gaining experience on how to support the organization through policy work with a current focus on a petition for city-wide waste and plastic pollution reduction ordinances at the beginning of her senior year.
Following work that began in 2019, Emerald Keepers this year is focused on proposing ordinances to the City of Coronado in hopes of improving city cleanliness and protecting marine wildlife. Eliminating single-use plastics, particularly among restaurants and businesses, is the goal.
The Coronado-based environmental organization has a total of 18 student interns for the 2023-2024 school year, all of whom collaborate with the organization’s board of directors, and work to continue the Emerald Keepers’ commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.
“It has been a really great learning experience so far,” said Cohen. “Part of our thing is advocating for protecting the oceans through the plastic reduction ordinances…so a lot of what we do is figuring out ways to mobilize the students and get them to city council meetings and having ways to really specifically connect students to supporting these ordinances.”
Emerald Keepers’ Plastic Ordinances
These ordinances look to prohibit the sale and distribution of: plastic foam food containers, coolers and packing materials; single-use plastic straws, stirrers, and utensils; plastic beverage bottles under two liters, balloons, and plastic bags.
“We call them passion projects,” says Emerald Keepers President Amy Steward. “There’s one or two students that lead for each project.”
The policy team that Cohen currently leads includes CHS interns Olivia Chavez, Maria Laguna, Abigail Pearson and Cathedral Catholic High School student Liza Delach.
Throughout monthly meetings since October, the entire intern group and policy team has been collaborating with adult Emerald Keepers members on the petition and efforts to mobilize the community and youth for public input to support the ordinances.
“We’re working on creating a forum that makes it more accessible to submit comments to city hall meetings if you can’t be there in person.”
Hannah Cohen, CHS senior and Emerald Keepers intern
“We’re working on creating a forum that makes it more accessible to submit comments to city hall meetings if you can’t be there in person,” said Cohen. “I’m really optimistic about the ordinances, especially given that it’s not a complete plastic ban, it’s just reducing waste and plastic pollution.”
While interns may participate in respective “passion projects,” Cohen says the passion for policy extends beyond herself and the team.
“All the interns are helping all of them,” said Cohen. “It’s nice because you can learn from each other, and we’re all helping each other.”
Cohen said she began volunteering with Emerald Keepers in her freshman year at the community garden events that take place every other Saturday across the Coronado Middle and High School sites.
Cementing passion for policy in college
Now, Cohen says that following her participation in the internship, she is still constantly learning and understanding how to help the environment.
“To come in and then be like, ‘Wow, well look how much I learned about compost and recycling’ that now I can go to events and I can teach kids and other people so they can also have this moment of, ‘Wow, I didn’t know that,’… It makes it so much more accessible for anyone that has an interest in the environment or wants to learn more to come in and be like, ‘Teach me some stuff’ and that’s what we’re here for,” said Cohen, who will be attending Barnard College following high school graduation this summer.
Many of the interns have plans to expand their environmental knowledge and pursue related fields, like Cohen who hopes to step onto her college campus and pursue Political Science and Human Rights studies.
“It’s not too late to make change …Emerald Keepers has taught me that, to imagine a better future for your community.”
Hannah Cohen
“It’s very much in our control, the future that we want to have, especially environmental, it’s not too late to make change,” said Cohen. “Coronado can be that image for all the neighboring communities, …Emerald Keepers has taught me that, to imagine a better future for your community.”
