One of the first assignments for freshmen at St. John’s College is to find a square foot of land near campus and stare at it for about an hour, describing and drawing every little thing in the square.

It’s a good assignment, said Alex Finch, a junior at St. John’s.

As president of St. John’s Greenhouse Club — a student organization dedicated to political action and education around environmental issues, climate change and community gardening — Finch said the square-foot study encourages students to remain mindful of their place in the local ecosystem.

Recommended for you