Eco Day has been a tradition at Hotchkiss for over 25 years. In 1996, programming was established to show the school’s dedication to making changes to positively affect the environment.
This year, Eco Day will take place on April 20, and offer students an opportunity to engage in service projects in the local community and around campus.
Eco Day is the keystone of Eco Week, which will occur in the third week of April. The week’s programming will be organized by Ms. Amy Sidran, Fairfield Farm educational coordinator. She said, “On Eco Day, there will be a thrifting event, volunteering in the morning, reflection time in afternoon, and a community gathering at night.”
The day will also feature guest speaker Brophy Tyree ’14, who will talk with students about his start-up company, Wasted, which rents portable toilets that turn waste into fertilizer. On the company’s website, Tyree and the other founders write, “In our portable sanitation infrastructure, 32 billion gallons of water is being wasted, and over 6 billion gallons of human waste is being unsustainably treated.”
Emily Iorio ‘23, head of Students for Environmental Action (SEA), said, “My favorite Eco Day memory is volunteering with my advisory last year. It was great to get outside and feel like I was making a substantial impact on the community outside of Hotchkiss.”
This year’s programming will be centered on the theme of “waste.” Ms. Sidran said, “We have a major issue with waste in the world and in our own personal consumption, such as with online shopping. With that purchasing comes the burning of fossil fuels from not only production but shipping and then disposal.”
Ms. Sirdan said, “Eco Week will highlight different issues and actions that students can take [to reduce waste].” On April 19, for instance, there will be a thrift event where students can buy and sell items, instead of discarding them. According to Iorio, “It’s a good way to get more clothes without buying online, as shipping can cause a lot of carbon emissions.”
Students have expressed excitement about the upcoming week. Julia Cooper ’25 said, “Eco Day is more valuable than a day of classes.” Miranda Beitel ’25, said, “It’s a great time to bring awareness to our impact [on the environment].”
Ms. Sidran mentioned a few simple ways that students can positively contribute, saying, “Students can find a way to lessen their impact on the planet with actions like eating meat just once a day, recycling, buying clothes from consignment stores either online or in-person with companies such as thredUP.”
Iorio also brought up a few ways that students can continue learning about more eco-friendly practices. She said, “Come to SEA meetings, stay updated on recent environmental policies, reach out to legislators, or just try to reduce your food waste and consumption of things like clothes and paper.”
