2025 EENR Section Sustainability Contest Winner Selected
Each year, the NCBA Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section Council hosts an essay contest for high school students across the state centered on the theme of sustainability. The winner of the contest receives a $500 cash prize and the chance to be published on NCBarBlog. This year’s contest focused on the challenges of recycling and reducing our use of plastics. We sent invitations to all high schools in the state inviting students to respond to the following prompt:
Does recycling consumer plastic products and packaging reduce plastic waste in the environment? Why or why not? What are the challenges posed by our widespread use of plastic? How can we address those challenges? For example, do other countries or states offer a model for North Carolina? Are there emerging technologies that replace or reduce plastic waste?
We are thrilled to congratulate this year’s winner, Courtney Jacobs, a rising senior at the Greensboro Day School. Please enjoy Courtney’s outstanding essay, Creating a Circular Plastic Market to Combat Plastic Pollution.