As we watch CNN and MSNBC and other national news reports it is easy to get bogged down in the reports that our environment is only getting worse, and that the human race is too selfish to make the sacrifices and efforts needed to improve our environment. Because of this, it is very easy to overlook the improvements being made everyday. Inevitably, all of us, in our Environmental Awareness classes, will discuss the impact of plastic bottles. While we discuss our ability to reduce the use of plastic water bottles, we all will also focus on the importance and positive impacts that can be made through recycling plastic products. When discussing these topics, I often find myself focusing on what the next generation can do rather than what our current generation is doing right now.

While I teach my students to recycle plastic bottles, and I do myself, I never really looked into the current rate of recycling for plastic bottles. What I read was a very pleasant surprise. The rate of recycling for plastic bottles reached an all time high in 2010 and has been increasing every year for the last 21 years. For most of us, this is nearly our entire lives. As environmental educators, our focus should be on the future and the impact that our education of the youth can have. However, it is important for us to understand the progress that has been made, and address the foundations the youth we are working with can continue to build upon.

Staying inspired keeps our students inspired. Every year High Trails sends thousands of empowered young adults back into communities all over Southern California. While we don’t always get to see it, the fact of the matter is we are all making a difference.

Nick Miller

The unfortunate aspect of our program is that we rarely get to see the long-term impact of our efforts. However, it is important to realize that as High Trails enters its twelfth year of program, some of our school’s earliest students are now included in the statistics of how today’s adults deal with our environment. One day, the students we are educating this season will be making these decisions for themselves as well. Keeping ourselves inspired will leave our students feeling inspired and not doomed which will keep us moving in the right direction. In the coming years and decades, as we see the rate of recycling for plastic bottles and other materials continue to increase and reach new highs, we will all see the impact of our efforts in this year.