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April 28, 2022By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald
The Ecology and Stewardship Club and the National Art Honor Society of St. Mary’s Dominican High School collaborated recently to creatively support Green Light New Orleans’ water-saving and stormwater management program aimed at decreasing flooding and subsidence.
Members of both clubs spent time after class and on Saturdays for about a month, painting 10 rain barrels provided by Green Light New Orleans, a local nonprofit organization that works on sustainable solutions to pressing community needs.One of Green Light’s solutions to flooding and subsidence in the metropolitan area is to distribute rain barrels, which local homes and businesses can use to recapture water, said Joann Haydel, Dominican science teacher and three-year moderator of the Ecology and Stewardship Club.
The ecology club was established in 2012 with a motto “to foster in its members an appreciation for the gift of God’s creation.” It currently has about 80 members who meet once or twice a month during school on projects such as growing an on-campus herb garden, planting trees with SOUL (Sustaining Our Urban Landscape), collecting Mardi Gras beads for ARC GNO, participating in a beach sweep with Pontchartrain Conservancy and collecting data on water quality in City Park.
Anchored in the awareness that mankind is granted use of the goods of creation, the club recognizes that, in the words of Genesis, individuals must “cultivate and care” for the created world.
Members also recognize that the goods of creation are meant for all, not just a privileged few, Haydel said.
“Accordingly, the club seeks to help the Dominican community be environmentally friendly while at the same time being people of service to fellow human beings,” she said.
About 35 students earned service hours to paint the rain barrels. Their colorful artwork reflected the New Orleans landscape, including aquatic life, farmers’ markets, rows of houses and Mardi Gras. The barrels will be distributed to homes and businesses in the Greater New Orleans area.
“This project gave our members an opportunity to combine science and art while creating a product that is an important part of green infrastructure for our city,” Haydel said.
