Three Rs for Earth Week: rethink, react, restore
Following up on the tremendous success of its inaugural Earth Week in 2008, the Sustainability Committee at SUNY Fredonia has unveiled an exciting and ambitious slate of activities for 2009, happening April 19 to 25, including a 13-hour “Teach-In” event on the nationally commemorated Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22.
Poster for all events, Earth Week 2009Teach-In Poster |
Following the theme, “Rethink. React. Restore.,” this year’s schedule of events will strive not only to educate people, but to also inspire them to make real changes in their everyday lives, often with minimal effort — and sometimes accompanied by tangible, cost-saving incentives. All of the events are free and open to the public.
“This year’s slogan is a variation on the old three Rs: ‘Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.,’” said Dr. Christina Jarvis, this year’s Earth Week Coordinator and an associate professor within the Department of English. “We wanted our events to inspire people to be both more mindful in their daily practices and more active in creating environmental change. And especially in these challenging economic times, we wanted to make sure they were free and accessible, so that everyone could attend and potentially benefit.”
Sunday: opening day
The weeklong series begins with an expansion of the Native Plant Garden outside of Jewett Hall at noon on Sunday April 19, and continues with a film festival from 3 to 8:30 p.m. inside Jewett in Room 101, during which everything from water to plastics will be discussed.
Monday focus: food
April 20 will focus on food, as new eating habits are explored beginning with “Meatless Monday,” from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Cranston Marché dining center within the University Commons. A look into the benefits of eating foods grown locally follows that evening at 7 p.m. in Room S104 of the Williams Center. It will feature Lisa Tucker, the editor and publisher of Edible Buffalo magazine, and Christa Glennie Seychew, founder of Feed Your Soul Buffalo, a culinary tourism initiative that showcases the wonders our region has to offer.
Tuesday focus: waste
The food angle continues on April 21, as Erie Dining Hall hosts, “Trayless Tuesday,” to give the campus some insight as to how much wasted food can be reduced by limiting the campus’ reliance on trays. Then, at 4:30 p.m. in Room S104 of the Williams Center, the Sustainability Committee will deliver a presentation detailing all of the campus’ sustainable initiatives implemented over the last year, as well as its plans for future endeavors.
Earth Day Wednesday: Teach-In
On Earth Day, the campus will feature a daylong “Teach-In” on environmental issues in the Multipurpose Room of the Williams Center. Featuring presentations by more than 30 individuals, the program will include workshops, a poetry reading, a political forum, a food-tasting event, “mini-lectures” by faculty members and guest speakers.
Complementing the programs will be a student environmental art show and a range of vendors that offer sustainable products and services.
The day will begin at 9 a.m. with presentations running in one-hour increments throughout the day, leading up to the grand finale: an “Eco Fashion Show,” which will showcase students modeling clothing designed to make use of re-used, vintage and environmentally friendly materials. The show begins at 8 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room.
Thursday focus: globalization
On Thursday, April 23 at 12:30 p.m., The Beehive Collective, a nonprofit political arts organization from Maine, will swarm onto campus to give a presentation in the Outdoor Amphitheatre regarding a variety of geopolitical issues, including globalization, militarism and resource extraction in the Western Hemisphere. (Rain location: Natatorium Lobby.)
Friday focus: Nature walks; costs of coal
Friday, April 24 will offer two sets of nature walks at the College Lodge led by Drs. Terry Mosher and Wayne Yunghans, with vans departing from campus at noon and 1:30 p.m. from the Park & Ride Lot. Then, at 7:30 p.m. Fredonia welcomesElisa Young of the group, Ohio Citizen Action, to talk about “The Social and Environmental Costs of Coal,” in Room S104 of the Williams Center.
Saturday: Electronics Recycle Day
Earth Week will again conclude with the popular Electronics Recycling Day, which last year generated more than 29,000 pounds of recycled materials that may otherwise have been destined for a landfill.
“We had cars lining up a full half-hour before the start of last year’s event,” said Kevin Cloos, director for Facilities Services and Sustainability Committee member.
Accepted items include computers, laptops, monitors, cell phones, TVs, VCRs, modems, cameras, printers, batteries, microwave ovens, paper shredders, and much more.
Return of Plant Pull and Trash Dump
Saturday will also feature a “Plant Pull,” in which plant species that are non-native to the area and potential threatening to the existing ecosystem are removed. Lastly, a “Trash Dump” study will again take place at the Williams Center Grove, in which students will explore exactly how much trash from a single dumpster – approximately two days’ worth on campus — contains true waste, and how much could be recycled. Last year’s event revealed a staggering 90% of materials that was, in fact, recyclable.
“We wanted to get back to the grass-roots origins of the first Earth Day in 1970,” Jarvis added. “That’s why we’re drawing on local talent, student energy, and collective planning. Departments and student groups from all across campus, along with many community members, have been involved in organizing these events.”
For the full Earth Week program of events, visit www.fredonia.edu/gogreen. For more information about any of the programs, contact Dr. Christina Jarvis at 716-679-9254 or jarvisc@fredonia.edu.
