By Matthew Dooley, Staff writer
The Johnson Center for Civic Engagement (JCCE) has been working to make sure Earth Week is known to the students of Susquehanna University.
According to junior Emily Osback, the Sustainability Service Scholar for the JCCE, “Earth Week is important because it is the one time of the year where people are faced with the current issues revolving around climate change and environmentalism. However, these issues are constantly happening, and we need people to care all year round.”
As the name implies, Earth includes an event happening each day all week long. This was set up by junior Andrew Dutton Van Woert, the Sustainability Program Coordinator for the JCCE.
“[On April 17] we are reducing power in every dining hall,” Van Woert said. “I will be projecting the amount of energy we save on the update board in Mellon.”
April 18 was a day focused on food waste awareness. “We will be collecting food scraps weighing it and updating the amount of waste we generate in one meal,” Van Woert continued.
The Star Party was held on April 19th at the Center for Environmental Education and Research, an 87-acre tract of land immediately adjacent to campus, and the campus garden. “We are going stargazing and Dr. Holt will be there to educate us on the solar system,” Van Woert said.
On April 20, “we ordered foods that bees pollinate and… I will also project[that] amount of food in [Evert Dining Hall].” Van Woert said. “Aramark has ordered a bunch of fruit just for the event.”
On April 21, the JCCE will work to freshen up the air. “We are putting clean air plants on [Degenstein lawn,] we are selling English ivy that will grow and filter air in dorm rooms,” Van Woert said, explaining the ivy was two dollars each.
Earth week will end on Susquehanna’s campus with the Green Party on April 22.
However, unlike the other parties that have graced Susquehanna Van Woert said, “the Green party…will be a silent party with head phones and a bunch of environmentally friendly foods. We are also going to show live feed from the international space station from earth.”
These events allow students to reflect on their personal impacts, in terms of the environment, and how that relates to climate change,” Osback said.
She added, “It’s very hard to change many people in a big way all at once, but if we can get people to think about the way that they live, and if we can get them to be more conscious about their everyday actions, that is a win in my eyes.”
Van Woert felt quite similarly and said, “With [government] policy leaning away from the vitality of the environment it is crucial to show people what earth is and how we impact it.”
Van Woert continued, “It’s important to stand up for our community and our ecosystem so everyone can live a more healthy and green life.”
Earth Week, to me, is about educating people about climate change and all of the intersections that it touches, from different social groups to the global economy.”
Osback continued. “Furthermore, I believe that Earth Week is about recognizing all of the complex and simple beauty that the Earth has to offer all around you, and celebrating that beauty by treating the Earth kindly.”
This year, we decided to do more education for students to show them what actually happens when they turn on a light, eat dinner, or anything else they do,” Van Woert said.