Jasmin in Grade 11 is one of our five The Alliance of Sustainable Schools (TASS) Ambassadors in GESS, representing the school’s commitment and pledge to related causes. Armed with a mission of leading sustainability projects in GESS and collaborating with students around the world on sustainability initiatives via the TASS network, we hear from her on what her team has been up to since their official appointment.
Hi Jasmin, could you introduce yourself, tell us how long you have been at GESS, and what are some of your personal pursuits and passion, in and out of school?
I came to GESS in 2022 to attend ninth grade and have been here for about 2.5 years. Currently, as Head of the Green and Care Committee, I am also one of five proud representatives of TASS. We want to contribute to making GESS a more sustainable environment for students, and to create awareness about the importance of each individual’s actions outside of school. A bit more about the Green and Care Committee, we are responsible for organising Casual Days and enabling donations to organisations, supporting people in need of help.
I am personally very passionate about animals. Whether it is to pick up snails from the sidewalk and place them in a field or to think twice before killing bugs, I care about all sorts of animals deeply. This personal Interest is a big part of my commitment to sustainability, and maintaining a caring and respectful lifestyle towards my environment.
How did your appointment as TASS Ambassador come about? Could you tell us what is expected of this role, and what is your motivation undertaking it?
I am lucky to be co-leading the Green and Care Committee with my classmate Max. We both care deeply about making GESS greener and implementing sustainability in our school life. This gave me time to also commit to being one of the five TASS Ambassadors at GESS. I believe my position as Head of the Green and Care Committee is a big reason I was selected to be a TASS Ambassador – the two are closely-knitted.
TASS is an organisation whose focus points lay in school uniform, school food, school bus and school buildings – and making these more sustainable. We are provided with ideas and – so to say – inspiration on how to make our school eco-friendlier on multiple levels. It is our job as Ambassadors to formulate our ideas and plans, and talk to Mr Andreas Schaller, Mr Jason Hoppner and teachers about putting them into action. We receive guidance on the resources we would need or the complications we might face.
I believe I can speak for all five of us when I say that we want to help make GESS a school that clearly does its part to protect our world and animals, as well as garnering attention to the urgency of this global crisis. We already have multiple projects taking place, regarding sustainability and upcycling at GESS, that both TASS Ambassadors and the Green and Care Committee are incorporating in our daily campus life. The support from both TASS and the students in our Green and Care Committee helps in implementing our projects – the more the merrier right?
We know your team of five TASS ambassadors has been very proactive and diligent, devising plans and initiating conversations with school management on what can be done on campus. Please share with us some of these ideas and plans?
One of the plans shared by TASS as well as Green and Care Committee is to introduce two different plate sizes in the canteen with adjusted prices. This would help reduce food waste at our school.
Another idea we had was to use the area of our campus more efficiently, and maybe implement a compost system. We could use this compost to fertilize plants at GESS. Plans, ideas and projects like these require a lot of work and good planning, and we are grateful to have strong support and help from our teachers and Mr Hoppner.
You are currently in Grade 11 and will be in Grade 12 in no time. How do you manage all your commitments, in and out of school?
It is a lot of work and a lot of responsibility, but I am fully aware of what is expected of me. I am lucky to say that if it gets too much, or if there are conflicting meetings with student council and TASS, I can trust Max to cover us both, as well as handle Green and Care Committee meetings.
I think it is easier for me to handle and organise my commitments, because I personally care about them. I am honoured to be a part of both TASS and the Green and Care Committee, and I gladly take on these responsibilities. Additionally, many things I get to do for both the groups were interesting to research and insightful to learn about, so I really gain lots for my personal life too.
To fellow schoolmates, how would you suggest they support the TASS initiative? What are some of the things all of us can do on campus, to be more aware and put our commitment to practice?
I would say to just be aware of the actions you make and their general impact. As some parents and students know, our school shop sells second-hand school uniforms. This is a great opportunity to give a pre-loved school uniform a second life and be more eco-friendly.
Another aspect is our school food. When me and my friends go eat and we aren’t as hungry, we just share a meal, a great way to pay someone back, but also just a small action that reduces food waste at GESS.
Overall, appreciate our campus and value what we have here. We have multiple plants, small bushes or even trees all over campus and if anyone has a recommendation on how to make GESS greener, we are always open to ideas. Connect with us on Teams or come chat with us at our weekly Green and Care meetings in B515 during breakfast break.
Sustainability and climate change might seem like a small problem to us now, but every positive action no matter how small is important.
