The Environmental Alliance Club I Published December 27

By: Cam’Ron Johnson

In a world where our community is always trying to change for the better. The health of our environment is very connected to the well-being of all living organisms, including ourselves. 

As we deal with environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, it is clear that we need some actions to take place for our community. 

With this in mind, Kean University attempts to combat these challenges with their amazing club the “Environmental Alliance Club.” 

 The Environmental Alliance Club is a student-led initiative. It is dedicated to empowering individuals to make a positive impact on the environment. Through this club, students will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on projects, raise awareness, and collaborate with many other people to create a more sustainable and healthier society. The experiences from this club is something that you can carry into the real world now and forever. 

Ashleigh Krefski, a senior who majors in public relations and is now the secretary of the club, at first she had an interest in wanting to join any environmental type of club on campus, but this one stuck with her.

 “When I first joined I really liked it, the club had a plan and purpose that matched with what I wanted to do. So I wanted to establish my own credibility, and decided to become a board member so I could be more involved in all things.”

Krefski is also minoring in environmental justice. The club fits some of her long term goals. “ I would like to go into environmental campaigning, so I felt that being a leader and playing a bigger role in this club could really benefit me in that way..  “We make things happen.”

 Krefski said, the club participates and creates so many activities from doing clean ups to even hosting educational events on the health of our society.  The gardening event was one of the club’s more active projects. 

Members, students and even anyone else who  wants to join can  come out and plant some seeds to later watch them grow. Krefski truly believes that this club can and will make major changes in our community more and more each day. 

I had the pleasure of speaking to Jade Fuentes, the vice president and  a senior who majors in communication/public relations. She really had a love for nature, and has always wanted to spread the message of nature safety and creating a sustainable environment that affects friends and family.

 “I was searching for a club that had the passion about environmental health like I did, and when I found the Environmental Alliance Club it felt like a match made for me,” Fuentes said.“It was a journey that I wanted, I went from treasure to secretary. Now I’m here in a position that I’m honored to be in.”  

Fuentes said as the  VP, she manages  events, booking them weeks in advance, and manages members while also creating the schedule  for meetings. 

“Doing these tasks are important because I am the voice for the club being able to create that family atmosphere, through email communications,” she noted.

That family feeling was important to the Environmental Alliance Club, which  once was called the Earth Science Club. The name change happened in 2022 and the reason for it was to “sound more inviting and welcoming, that we are more than just a club, we are an alliance, we are a family.” Since the name change more students joined, totaling  over 40 active members.   Some of Fuentes’  her favorite events over the years include  a Snakes and Scales event that happens during the spring semester of Earth Week from April 20-25. 

At the event a highly qualified reptile educator comes to Kean University with a variety of  animals like snakes, turtles, lizards etc for the club members and anyone who is  interested in learning about reptilians. This kind of event allows people to be one with the environment and as you bond with animals you can grow attached to them. The club uses that to demonstrate why it’s important we keep the community clean so these animals have places to live. Another event, the “Trash dash”  really brings home a  sense of caring but in a fun fashion. Club members split up into teams to compete seeing who can collect and pick up waste, bottles, and anything that can be recycled. The team that has collected the most has won gifts. 

Describing the club, Fuentes said:  “A home away from home, where you will be able to create a more sustainable environment for not only yourself but for your community and the ones you love the most.” 

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