( Photo / Zenith Shrestha )
Coby Alexander
Staff Writer
There are many clubs for Troy students to choose from, but for those curious about nature and protective of the world around them – Troy’s Environmental Club may be the perfect organization for them. “The club started out as a biking and hiking club,” said Julie Kay, a junior marine biology major from Ider, Alabama, and one of the club’s media coordinators.
“It was brought to the attention of the leaders that it (the club) would be more beneficial as an Environmental Club.”
The transition to becoming a club about the environment rather than biking and hiking was to try and bring more people outdoors.
So, it was decided that the best way to be outdoors was to care for the Earth and the community to better understand both.
“The Environmental Club is important because it helps bring awareness toward things students do every day without realizing how harmful it is to the environment,” said Eva Bradley, a junior bio-med major from Enterprise, Alabama, and the president of the Environmental Club.
“It’s a way to get a better understanding of concerns about nature, wildlife, ecosystems and more.”
For Bradley, she said being a part of the club has been one of her best college experiences.
“Everyone is super open to new ideas and willing to know more about how to be more environmentally aware,” Bradley said. “Every meeting and event has provided a different topic and perspective on things.”
Of course, COVID-19 has had an impact on how the organization has changed and will forward.
The meetings and events have all shifted to outside, as well as virtual and in-person meetings for people who want to take extra precautions.
The club only has one event planned for the fall semester because of COVID-19.
“We are not able to host any fundraising events,” Bradley said, “like spirit nights or smaller events like pizza parties, movie nights or any fun interaction events.”
The event planned for this semester is the Alabama Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 19. The club usually tries to get as many people as they can on board, but the number of spots is very limited this year.
The need to keep the Earth and local communities clean does not stop even during a pandemic – that is one thing that Kay says she enjoys so much about the organization.
“It’s very gratifying being a part of (an) organization that strives to better the one home that we all as humans have in common.”
For more information on how to join the organization, send an email to troyuniversityenvironmental@gmail.com. For more information on the coastal cleanup, visit alabamacoastalcleanup.com.
