The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder
The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder
The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder
In the 1950s, the first recorded spikes in global temperatures were recorded, and ever since, Earth has been in the midst of a disastrous climate crisis, as rising temperatures wreak havoc on susceptible regions and destroy animal habitats worldwide. Junior Nidhi Pejathaya helped found West’s Sustainability Council to create a space where students can educate themselves about climate change and do their part to preserve the environment. “When you're going out of your way to recycle [or] reuse your clothes to save water, you're saving people. You're saving adults, you're saving families, you're saving children. You're saving a whole generation. Just because we don't see it doesn't mean it's not happening,” Pejathaya said.

The green generation

Pathfinder Editorial Board • April 22, 2024

April 22. Earth Day. A celebration of our planet and its incredible biodiversity. But take a peek at recent news headlines, and the only thing that seems to be on everyone’s mind is the looming climate...

Deforestation is a horrible phenomenon, affecting all corners of the world and having extraordinarily negative effects on both humans and animals. It’s impossible to pinpoint deforestation on one specific cause, but much of it can be accredited to palm oil. In the last few years, palm oil has grown to be a big problem for animals and people alike. “Palm oil is a big issue because so much of the rainforest is being converted to palm oil plantations and a huge loss of species matters.” AP Environmental Science teacher Paul Hage said.

Worth its weight in blood: The problem with palm oil

Lauren Holcomb, Staff Writer • October 24, 2023

Deforestation. The word evokes powerful visuals of thousands of trees being cleared by shockingly industrial, murderous machinery. It’s a scary thought that a person wants to put out of their head as...

For the first time in fashion history, thrift stores have become as essential to the middle class as they are to the impoverished communities they were designed to serve. The potential effects on lower-class communities are worrying. As thrift stores increase prices to meet resellers’ upcharges, the longtime, poorer buyers will be left feeling the effects: thrift store merchandise will not be as accessible or affordable to them. “It’s just going to separate the lower class from [the resources] they [need], and it will separate [the] middle and higher classes. It will make things a lot more difficult,” junior Kristen Skordos said.

Is it worth it?

Lauren Holcomb, Staff Writer • April 5, 2023

Macklemore may have to update the lyrics to his 2012 hit single “Thrift Shop” soon because as we head into a new era of thrift stores, the line “But it was 99 cents (bag it)” now reads like a cruel...

As environmentally friendly practices — as well as the ways that companies shortcut them — become more prevalent in many areas of consumerism, student consumers need to inform themselves of these two “sus”-tainable practices to reduce their contribution to the impending effects of climate change.

“Sus”-tainable fashion

Pathfinder Editorial Board • November 28, 2022

In the modern global market, environmentally-friendly products are rising to the top of fashion trends. Whether it’s a hunter-green backpack or the trend of ‘thrifting,’ many teens find it fashionable...

Students can make small sustainable changes in their lives, such as investing in reusable bags and thrifting.

Sustainable, attainable: Lifestyle changes for the busy student

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief • April 8, 2022

We’ve all heard the classics. “Turn the lights off when you leave the room. Don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth. Recycle paper instead of throwing it away.” These are all small...

Parkway needs to work with students to promote sustainability within schools.

Sustainability in Parkway

Sarah Boland, Staff Writer • March 30, 2022

The world produces 400 million tons of plastic each year, while nine out of 10 people worldwide are breathing polluted air. As the climate changes, it grows more and more important for students and staff...

Parkway becomes the first district in Missouri to win a District Sustainability Award

Parkway becomes the first district in Missouri to win a District Sustainability Award

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief • May 26, 2020

Solar panels, composting and outdoor classrooms led Parkway to winning a District Sustainability Award from the U.S. Department of Education. Parkway is the first district in Missouri to win a District...

Preparing for school lunch, cafeteria employee Edina Husic lays out burger buns. Most leftover foods are composted at the end of the day, unless they can be served again. “It seems like we do waste a lot of food. Overall the whole picture for school food service across the nation’s waste . . . it’s some astronomical number,” Food Service Regional Manager Kenny Witte said. “We actually are continuously improving and forecasting and are trying to make our menus more appealing and getting kids to eat more of the foods that we're offering, so that way we have less waste. It's improving.”

Compost crisis: food waste practices fail to reach district standards

Addie Gleason and Ulaa Kuziez • February 26, 2020

Second lunch just ended. The cafeteria employees start to evaluate what can be served tomorrow and what will be composted. They walk over to the salad bar and compost all of the vegetables because they...

Picking up trash from outside of the cafeteria, junior and co-leader of the club Zoe Rutledge participates in the first Campus Clean Up Day. Environmental Club hosted its first Campus Clean Up Day in September, with the goal of raising awareness about trash left behind by students. “[Sustainability] is important because it’s definitely a more pressing issue than before,” Rutledge said. “It's easier to get a bigger impact if you have an organized group who's dedicated to that. So having this group of students who are all here to work towards bettering our environment, that definitely makes it easier to get stuff done."

Students make an impact through Environmental Club

Ulaa Kuziez, News and Sports Editor • January 9, 2020

People around the world, particularly youth, are pushing their governments for change to combat the climate crisis. Through Environmental Club, students are participating in sustainability challenges and...