Photo Illustration | Alan Tai
In the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting environmental policy, local concerns are mounting over their potential consequences on climate resilience, green technology funding and California’s ongoing environmental crises. With measures that expand offshore drilling in places like Alaska and the Atlantic Coast, roll back renewable energy initiatives and withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, many students and teachers at MVHS fear significant setbacks in sustainability efforts.
For years, Trump has repeatedly dismissed climate change, referring to it as “one of the greatest scams of all time.” More recently, the Trump administration fired thousands of employees from the Environmental Protection Agency, tasked with regulating pollutants. Sophomore Suhani Nirwal, Environmental Literacy Commision Lead of the FUHSD Climate Collective, believes Trump’s policies favor business interests at the cost of pollution and environmental damage.
“All of Trump’s new laws or environmental policies that he’s enforcing are only going to be benefiting the capitalist economy that we have,” Nirwal said. “So they’re only going to be benefiting businesses like oil companies and that’s really bad for the environment, because the more resources we take out of the earth, the more we’re polluting the atmosphere, which would enhance the effects of climate change.”
In line with Nirwal’s claims, Trump has repeatedly made fossil fuel production a key part of his Project 2025 agenda of lowering gas prices and creating additional sources of energy with his promise to “drill baby, drill.” From wildlife disturbances caused by seismic testing and oil spills to the $77 billion cost of air pollution, offshore drilling poses a significant threat to the environment. Reflecting on Trump’s executive orders to expand offshore drilling, AP Environmental Science teacher Kyle Jones agrees with Nirwal’s point of view, saying that Trump’s actions raise significant environmental concerns.
“The direct effects of offshore drilling are going to be an increasing potential for oil spills and leaks, which can lead to environmental pollution,” Jones said. “But the bigger problem is that it’s pushing us back in the direction of using more fossil fuels, backtracking our use of renewable energy.”
Senior Ganesh Batchu is part of the Interdisciplinary Research and Project Design class at MVHS, where he focuses on clean energy and sustainability by monitoring carbon dioxide levels in Cupertino. While he believes that Trump’s executive orders to halt permits for wind farms and end subsidies for electric vehicles will impact the funding directed toward projects like his, he believes that the impact of cuts will be limited.
“I think the effect won’t be as much as we’re thinking,” Batchu said. “Given the current context of Trump and how he’s investing less into such projects and initiatives, people will realize that the money that they’re using is something that’s of short supply, and people will end up using it more effectively.”
A tenet of Trump’s plan is restoring American jobs in the fossil fuel industry. Yet, Jones notes that many jobs exist in the renewables sector as well. Investment in electric vehicles has jumped to $133 billion since 2022, a rise that can be partly attributed to the Inflation Reduction Act — a piece of legislation that made landmark investments in clean energy. However, Trump is threatening to freeze hundreds of billions of dollars from Biden-era legislation like the IRA, which could affect future sustainable job-creating projects, according to Jones.
“Anytime you’re putting money and effort into expanding an industry, you’re going to be creating jobs,” Jones said. “But it’s not like you couldn’t do that with solar or wind or other renewable forms of energy production. It’s not like there are only jobs available in offshore oil … It’s kind of like balancing the scales of economics and environment and finding the spot that is appropriate.”
California, a leader in progressive environmental policies with 54% of its electricity produced from renewable or clean sources, faces unique challenges under the federal rollbacks. Despite stringent emission regulations and clean energy investments, federal policy changes could impact these plans, especially as the Trump administration freezes federal funds used by the state to further their climate initiatives.
In response to Trump’s executive orders on climate policy, California Gov. Gavin Newsom remarked, “If you don’t believe in science, believe your own damn eyes.” Jones points out that while California has some protection from federal rollbacks due to state-level policies, the broader consequences are unavoidable as shared resources like air and water face pollution beyond state lines. Similarly, Batchu says the effects of climate change will be evident in the state.
“California has such a huge agricultural sector too,” Batchu said. “Maybe the effects of what Trump is doing could be tied to say a decrease in crop production and crop efficiency later on in the future. We just had the whole tomato crisis where a bunch of tomatoes and a bunch of different crops were failing to survive in California, primarily due to the high heat concerns and the droughts. I do see a lot of implications.”
Despite federal setbacks, students and environmental activists remain determined to counteract the Trump administration’s policies. Nirwal says the FUHSD Climate Collective continues to push for increased climate literacy and local advocacy within the Cupertino community. For instance, the group has participated in local fairs and spearheaded district-wide recycling initiatives to work toward its goals.
Additionally, Batchu emphasizes the importance of grassroots action, even in the face of national policy changes. He believes that local advocacy, like that promoted by Nirwal, can generate momentum to influence public opinion on environmental issues, ensuring they remain a priority. Jones agrees, stressing that while local activism alone may not reverse federal policies, collective action can create meaningful change.
“A single person’s impact might be small, but the more you talk to people and spread awareness, the more you can create a ripple effect,” Jones said. “Voting and making informed choices about where we spend our money will also play a role.”