The Governor’s Academy ordered a total of 2663 packages in 39 days. On September 12, 2022, we had 255 packages delivered. A part of our mission statement includes a commitment to a sustainable community, but our records do not speak for themselves. The massive influx of deliveries shows our society is not environmentally conscious.

Govs tries to reduce its environmental impact through various practices, such as limiting plastic bottle usage, running a sustainable dining hall, and building the Alfond Coastal Resource Center — all those efforts have become meaningless due to our package situation. Our community’s 2663 packages cannot be justified, even if boarding students purchase daily essentials such as eggs, seven dresses for the semi, an oven, and a Lexus. Govs students’ consuming habits show how reckless we are. Maybe midnight retail therapy is not a sustainable solution to your stress.

The quantity of packages creates more waste, like cardboard boxes, tape, and other packing materials. If you check most trash receptacles on campus, they are usually full of trash already—including cardboard, which also shows we do not know how to recycle. Moreover, every package uses energy for transportation, such as airplanes and trucks, causing carbon emissions and other pollution. Even though it is convenient to order packages with one click, we seriously need to consider our choices.

Our community offers several other methods rather than online ordering. Most weekends, we have shopping trips to the mall and Market Basket, which allows boarding students to purchase items they want. Buying items through these trips produces less waste and uses less energy. Individual freedom is essential and should always be protected, but liberty becomes pointless if we ruin the environment. Our community lasted over 250 years, but your one-click might stop our tradition.