Friday the 13th was Hingham High School’s annual America Recycles Day Teach ­In,  where classes take time to learn about the significance of global warming and environmental  awareness. America Recycles Day is officially on Sunday, November 15th, and anyone can  personally pledge to recycle more on their website, ​ americarecyclesday.org​ , where you can also  learn how to set up recycling awareness events. Most classes at least shut off their lights and tried to do activities that minimize paper  use.

Other classes took fun quizzes made by the HHS Green Team or went to a teach ­in  presentation. At lunch, there were raffle tickets given to all students with reusable items. The holder of the winning ticket won a Crow Point Pizza gift card.  Among the favorite teach ­ins was Mr. Woolley’s event about the issue of fishing without  regulations, which translates to problems that arise with unrestricted pollution and the dumping  of waste. For the activity, students sit around a table on which Mr. Woolley pours many paper  fish. Their goal is to get as many fish as possible, so most students immediately grab all they can,  without leaving any. But when the next round (or season) comes, there are no fish because none  were left to breed.  Students quickly realize that they must create regulations so that they can get fish, but  leave some as well. Some decide to divide the table up with tape into sections where you can and  cannot fish, while other set a specific, small amount of fish that everyone can take. However, if  one students breaks the agreement for self profit, the whole table of students loses.  This activity illuminates the reality that without regulation, companies and individuals  will tend to act only with self interest. This is why it is important to have laws set to manage  pollution, the use of natural resources, and the dumping of waste.