The environment has been on many people’s minds lately due to political and scientific discussions regarding climate change. Bella Dziak ‘20 and Greta Molek ‘20, who are both interested in sustainable living, had the idea last year to start a conservation club at school to make these issues more local.

“There was a conservation club at LT in the seventies but throughout the years it was forgotten,” Dziak said. “I’m a huge conservationist and I really believe in sustainability as I thought it’d be a good idea to start that at school.”

The club was approved for a pilot trial for the second semester of the ‘19 – ’20 school year. If it does well, the club will be made official next year, Dziak said.

“The first meeting we had around 12 members and the next week we had around 20,” Molek said. “But I hope we are going to keep growing.”

Members are trying to reach out to SC students through social media and by putting up posters at school to increase involvement, Dziak said.

“We hope the club will spread more awareness about what students can do in their everyday life to give back to the planet,” Molek said. “We are hoping to make a bigger impact in the school and change some of the stuff we do to better our environmental impact while being cost effective.”

Various activities have been planned for club meetings by leaders and sponsors Eric Nuss and Michelle Wrona.

“I’ve been to visit several local high schools and have seen the projects they’ve accomplished,” Nuss said. I put together a list of some of the ones I like the most. Some are easier than others and we want the students to work on topics they’re passionate about.”

They plan to make homemade natural soaps and lotions and hold a vegan bake sale, Dziak said. Additionally, the club wants to teach a lesson on upcycling clothing. At the end of the school year, they hope to clean up a beach in Chicago, through the Alliance for the Great Lakes, which Dziak and Molek are both ambassadors for, they said.

“The club will help out a lot because a lot of people don’t get an opportunity or when it comes to helping the environment you see a lot of stuff being reposted on social media but that’s not really helping,” Dziak said. “People don’t know where to start in our communities because we don’t necessarily see a visible change here. A good way to begin or find out more is to come to the conservation club and we can teach you ways to live a more sustainable life.”

Conservation club meets every late start Wednesday after school in room 310 at NC.