Campus has been buzzing this past week! With Earth Week activities happening constantly around campus, it was hard not to notice some of the wonderful events going on. Each day has had a theme, and various student organizations, community activists, and on-campus groups have had a chance to share their environmental knowledge with the community.
While University of Oregon students, and the Eugene community, are relatively avid environmental activists on the whole, there was still much to learn and gain for everyone who attended Earth Week 2016! Here’s a recap of some of the best events that happened each day, and a glance forward to what you can still get involved in!
Monday: Food
While Monday had numerous fabulous opportunities to get involved, one of the most notable was the Farms and Food Access Fair that happened in the Lillis Atrium. Various tables were set up, and each table had a farmer or group of farmers who spoke about local farmers markets, and discussed where the University of Oregon dining halls get their food! This event was great for everyone to learn more about where our food comes from, and to put a face to the people who grow such nutritious, delicious food for our campus and community.
Tuesday: Transportation
Tuesday was focused on alternative forms of transportation. There was a large emphasis on not using cars, and instead finding different ways to commute, such as biking, taking public transportation, or walking. For this day, the Bike Progam set up a station on the field across from Lillis where Bike Program mechanics would perform minor adjustments to bikes for free!
Wednesday: Zero Waste
One of my personal favorite events from this week was the Free Water Bottle Give-Away at the EMU Amphitheater. Sponsored by the Student Sustainability Center, students and faculty were able to select a free reusable water bottle from the SSC’s Bottles Up program. This program collects reusable water bottles from around campus that have been lost or forgotten about, cleans and sanitizes them, and then gives them away to anyone who needs a new water bottle. In addition, people were able to grab plenty of free stickers that were donated to the program in order to decorate their new water bottles!
Thursday: Conservation
Stop by the Environmental Art Expo at the Outdoor Program Barn any time between 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. to view a gallery of art pieces related to nature. All forms of art will be featured and student artists will be in attendance to show off their work. In addition to the art, there will be free food and discounts on Outdoor Program rental gear!
Friday: Earth Day
Head to the EMU Amphitheater from 10:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. to celebrate Earth Day with students and local organizations who will be tabling to inform students of their causes! There will be music, fun environmentally themed activities, and free goodies.
Saturday: Service
Wrapping up Earth Week will be the Day of Service put on by the Holden Center for Leadership and Community Engagement. Students can choose to participate in the morning or afternoon, and can perform services projects to clean up our campus and local community!
Don’t miss out on the fun activities happening on campus! Make sure to stop by any event and learn more about this beautiful Earth and active community!
For access to the full Earth Week Schedule, visit: http://ssc.uoregon.edu/events/earth-week/
To sign up for the Day of Service on Saturday, visit: http://holden.uoregon.edu/daysofservice