The Earth is a constantly changing place…or is it? No matter how many cities are built, civilizations coming and going, people growing and aging, the earth remains the sole, stagnant rock as it has always been. So when the concept of ecological conservation comes into play, in its glorious, yet overshadowed light, one must take into consideration a singular question: how everlasting is the earth?  

The rock, itself, perhaps remains the only part of the earth that is “everlasting,” but what lies on it, growing with time, is subject to the maliciousness of humanity. And though the extent of the malice is out of our hands, we can all strive to better our impact on the earth. Hinsdale South’s very own ECO Club implores everyone to help. 

“When it comes to how people can help the environment, eliminating the ‘I’m just one person, I can’t make a difference’ mindset is a must,” senior, and ECO club member, Anthony Denizard said, “although it may not seem like it, if every single person who thinks that way actually made an effort to help the environment, they’d make more of a difference than they think.”

Corporations are responsible for a significant amount of environmental damage. Backlash has been harsh but not always sincere. Poorly worded justifications and HR stunts appear just as staged as the phony smiles on brand representatives’ faces. 

“I wish more people would realize that their actions also have consequences.” senior, and president of the club, Keira Hagen said. “Most people tend to think that climate change is solely a corporate or systemic issue and fail to accept their own responsibility. If someone thinks that the climate is a crisis–which it is–they have to treat it like a crisis. People don’t have to be perfect but they can be better, or try to understand what is better.”

ECO Club strives to reinforce the notions of sustainability and seeks to make South a more sustainable and eco-friendly place. As more students become involved in ECO Club, awareness will increase about the many simple ways to decrease one’s environmental footprint.