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VOL.46 NO.7 • Sacramento Country Day School • 2636 Latham Drive, Sacramento, CA •www.scdsoctagon.com • April 18, 2023
CLOTHES-MINDED Sophomore Garrett Xu demonstrates how fast fashion is frequently thrown out as styles fluctuate. While fast fashion can be cheap, the disposable nature of these clothes creates large amounts of waste. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM AKINS
Consuming our way to destruction: fast fashion, beef
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BY EESHA DHAWAN & GARRETT XU
n a world where overconsumption seems to be the norm, it’s easy for high school students to forget the impact their choices have on the environment. Whether that means excessive consumption of fast fashion, meat or other products, the environment bears the brunt of consumerism. “The byproducts of consumerism, especially without proper recycling, result in contaminated soil, food, water and air,” said John Lundgren, Sacramento County’s Sustainability Manager. Also an Executive Director for the Sacramento Emergency Climate Task Force, Lundgren said that as consumerism continues to be more ingrained in daily life, the topic and its consequences are increasingly relevant.
The effects of consumerism reach every level of modern society, including the Country Day community. Middle school science teacher Cade Grunst said that over the past 150 years, human activity has contributed to detrimental environmental changes caused directly by the market-driven wants of people. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, which is responsible for addressing environmental issues within the United Nations, global resource extraction has increased by a factor of two and a half since 1970 due to the direct contribution of excessive consumption patterns specifically in the areas of fast fashion and food production. “Ultimately, most of the emissions that are produced are done to satisfy a consumer’s need. The desire for products and services from consumers is the reason why businesses
produce emissions and waste,” Grunst said. For context, a 2017 study published by the World Wildlife Fund labeled the fashion industry as the second-biggest consumer of all global water use, responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions. Fast fashion comprises over 18% of that industry. To put that into perspective, WWF concluded it takes about 700 gallons of water to produce one cotton shirt — 20,000 gallons for one pair of jeans. The demand for fast fashion is largely due to increases in fast fashion’s exposure through near-constant online marketing, growing international markets and the accessibility of services like Amazon. Designed and manufactured with short turnaround times, fast fashion allows the market to change quickly
CONSUMERISM page 3 >>
Toxic relationships lead to cases of domestic violence BY ANIKA NADGAUDA & SAMHITA KUMAR
Toxic and abusive relationships pose serious problems for millions of teenagers in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found in 2019 that 1 in 12 teenagers have experienced physical or sexual dating violence. It’s an issue that extends to the Country Day campus. One SCDS student, who asked to remain anonymous, dealt with an abusive relationship for two years. “He would get mad at me if I was at family events if I didn’t answer the phone,” she said. “He would break up with me if I didn’t do things with him that I wasn’t com-
fortable with. He cheated on me, multiple times. He hit me a few times.” The relationship did not start that way, the student said. For the first few weeks, she had no idea the relationship was unhealthy. However, things soon took a turn for the worse. “He wanted me to do something with him that I wasn’t comfortable doing yet because we had just started dating, and he got up and told me to leave his house,” she said. As the relationship progressed, the student noted more controlling behaviors. She had to ask for permission before spending time with friends and answer the phone whenever her boyfriend called. She also was forced to participate in sexual acts that she did not feel comfortable with.
CAMPUS CORNER
These actions are typical of toxic relationships, which are characterized by repeated mistreatment. This can be through controlling behavior, manipulation or isolation, according to Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization that offers sexual healthcare in addition to sexual education. Country Day substitute teacher Jovina David described a significant indicator of a toxic relationship as the deliberate violation of boundaries, as well as a lack of communication. “With every relationship, it’s a two-way street,” said David, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE page 3 >>
INSIDE the ISSUE
SPRING SHOWCASE
ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS
On April 20, Country Day will open its doors for the Spring Showcase, which will take place from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Teachers will display student work for the Country Day community and student-run clubs will man tables for their organizations during the evening.
AP exams will take place from May 1-12, beginning with AP Chemistry on May 1 and ending with AP Latin on May 12. Results will be released by the College Board in mid-July; passing scores can be used for college credit. Good luck to all Cavaliers taking exams!
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” Read a review of the classic arcade and video game characters brought to life on the big screen. (PAGE 11) COURTESY OF @SUPERMARIOMOVIE