Spring is finally here, and that means it’s almost time for Earth Day! The official date of the annually celebrated Earth Day is April 22, but here at the University of Rochester the celebration lasts for more than just one day. This year, the EarthFest event series is happening April 18 through 20 and it will feature a variety of events hosted by student group Grassroots and its many partners, including Engineers for a Sustainable World, Microfarm, Team Green, EcoReps, GreenSpace, and SAVVY.
The first major event of EarthFest is Acoustic Jam Night, on Thursday, April 18. Along with an energy free performance, the night will feature sustainable decorations and giveaways of green prizes. On Friday, April 19, flowers will be available for volunteers to plant in an empty patch outside of Gilbert Hall on the Residential Quad that will become the new “Gilbert Gardens”. On Saturday, April 20, visit Wilson Commons for the all-day celebration of EarthFest where there will be performances, tie dye and silk screening, vendors, and booths run by campus green groups.
For full details of all the EarthFest events, see this poster and visit the University of Rochester Grassroots page on Facebook.
In honor of Earth Day and nicer weather, the University is launching a new program called Dash for Trash. The idea came from Business Librarian, Suzanne Bell. Being a regular runner who is passionate about the environment, Suzanne was inspired and began picking up any trash she spotted along her regular running routes around campus. With hopes to expand this concept, Suzanne contacted others at the University and soon our Athletics, Grounds, and Recycling departments came together to make it possible.
Beginning on Earth Day, Monday, April 22, Goergen Athletic Center will begin offering compostable bags and latex gloves at the front desk. Through the continuing Dash for Trash program, students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to clean up trash along their usual running routes. Anyone can participate at their own convenience and there is a double “feel good” value of getting a workout while helping to keep our campus clean! Any unsafe materials found, such as needles, should not be handled even while wearing gloves. Call the Facilities Customer Service Center at 273-4567 to have hazardous materials safely disposed of. Help spread the word of this new program by posting this flyer.
For more information about Dash for Trash, contact Amy Kadrie. A special thanks to Kristine Shanley with Athletics and Recreation for supporting this new program, our waste and recycling partner, Waste Management, for providing the compostable bags, and Suzanne Bell for the great idea.
By Alanna Scheinerman, Class of 2013