Celebrating Earth Day with Student Photos of Wildlife
Photos by Gary Brayboy
Photos by Kent Yang
Posts tagged as “earth day”
Forever Chemicals Threaten Westminster
By Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief
In February of 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) found that private drinking water wells in homes along Bean Porridge Hill Road in Westminster had PFAS levels 50 times what state regulations consider safe to drink. “PFAS have been found in at least 169 public water systems in 95 cities and towns, and most of them have exceeded the state’s legal limit,” explained Madison Latiolais, a community organizer working for Community Action Works, an environmental nonprofit based in Boston that provides training and resources to communities and individuals with environmental concerns. “Westminster has some of the highest levels of PFAS in Massachusetts,” she added. The contamination concerns in Westminster prompt the question: How does Mount Wachusett Community College address water safety?
Properly Disposing of Electronics
By Kent Yang | Staff Writer
Since the early twentieth century, electronic waste has existed alongside technologies such as telephones and radios, which utilized vacuum tubes. However, at the time, there wasn’t much concern for the environment regarding electronic waste. It wasn’t until 1976, when the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) went into effect, that the disposal of e-waste into landfills became illegal. The purpose of the RCRA was to protect the environment and human health from the toxicity and hazards of waste disposal.
Director of Student Life Discusses College’s Celebration of Our Planet
By Amanda Fales | Observer Contributor
Earth Day has been celebrated yearly on April 22 since 1970, and numerous events took place on the Mount Wachusett campus to show appreciation for this annual holiday that celebrates a place that billions of people call home.
The day also offers an opportunity to brainstorm ideas to help curb the impacts of climate change and discussions on what can be done to prevent environmental issues from getting worse. To help this effort, Mount Wachusett hosted its own celebrations for the week of April 25-28.