Fishers High School’s Environmental Club cleaned up Billericay Park in honor of Earth Day on Tuesday, April 21. Earth Day is a national celebration that was made in 1970 and founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson to support both environmental protection and education.
As a member of Environmental Club, senior Sage Carter appreciates the holiday because it encourages people to support both their local habitat and the world.
“Earth Day is a great thing to celebrate,” Carter said. “I think everyone should participate in doing something to give back to the environment. Doing something for your community, something for Earth, is really fun. I’m glad we got to [clean up Billericay] today.”
Junior Cailin McKenna, a two-year member of the Environmental Club, shared a similar sentiment. She described the harshness that the Earth has to face.
“[Earth Day] is really great, and I think we should have more days like it,” McKenna said. “Pollution and other negative things are really destroying the planet.”
Besides the motive behind the Environmental Club’s cleanup, members of the club expressed their satisfaction with the project.
“The thing that I enjoy most [about this event] is just that there are people in the community who care about being environmentalists and making a difference,” Club President junior Kate Ellis said. “It brings me a lot of joy seeing how many people will organize together for a common good.”
Junior Beta Nguyen, another student participating in the cleanup, also described her feelings about helping pick up trash in Billericay.
“It feels nice [to help clean up] because doing a nice thing might feel small, but in the long run it will make you feel really good about yourself,” Nguyen said.
Carter appreciates how students are able to preserve the park for their peers.
“Billericay Park is so close to Fishers, and everybody comes here a lot,” he said. “I think that it’s good we can give something back to [the park] that means so much to the people here.”
Beyond just the day itself, Ellis described her desire that efforts to support the environment, such as cleaning up Billericay, have a lasting effect on people
“I love that we have a national holiday that’s just about taking care of the Earth,” Ellis said. “But also, we should always have sustainable practices and always be worrying about our planet. I love that it brings awareness, and I hope that people will continue to act the way they do on Earth Day the rest of the year.”
