
Earth Week will be marked by a variety of events from April 15-25, including the announcement by UD President Patrick Harker of the University's Climate Action Plan, a talk by student activist Shanah Trevenna on "Growing a Sustainable Campus," a transportation fair and a tree planting, among others.
Harker will announce the University's Climate Action Plan at 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 22, in the Rodney Room of the Perkins Student Center. He will discuss the University's goals for reducing carbon emissions, and John Byrne, Distinguished Professor of Public Policy, will detail the findings of the Carbon Footprint Initiative. William T. Wisniewski, U.S. regional EPA administrator, will discuss U.S. environmental policy. A light breakfast will be served. To register for this event, visit [www.udel.edu/footprint].
Thursday, April 16 - 7:30 p.mTrevenna, a student activist from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, will discuss "Growing a Sustainable Campus" at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 16, in Multipurpose Room A of the Trabant University Center. Trevenna moved to Hawaii as a graduate student and expected to find a sustainable paradise. Instead, she found that the islands had little recycling. She organized an interdisciplinary student group called the HUB (Help Us Bridge). Since 2007, the HUB has worked with others at the university, as well as organizations across Hawaii, to bring about major changes in policy and practice. Representatives from UD student groups will be on hand to highlight opportunities for members of the University community to get involved.
All on campus dining locations will be dimming lights in an effort to reduce the amount of energy used by our operations. If you are aware of another campus location where light-dimming could make a difference, let us know! It is often in everyday actions like turning lights off where savings add up.
EVENT TITLE: Dining Services Retail Specials
TIME & LOCATION: All week long, April 15th – 22nd
DESCRIPTION:
- $.20 off Eat Green refillable water bottles and refillable Drink To the Earth Coffee Mugs
- Eat Green reusable bag on sale for $2.00 or free with the purchase of $5.00 in organic products from any campus market
- Receive a coupon for a Free Slice of pizza and a Small fountain beverage at Trabant from 5 -7pm with the purchase of a Reusable Express eco-clamshell
- “Lose the Lid” program will give $.20 off the purchase of any fountain beverage if a lid is not used
- 20% discount on all organic products offered in the campus markets (cannot be combined with any other Earth Week promotion)
ALL WEEK ACTIONSelf-evaluation of energy usage in office or residence hall room. Take a minute or two to determine your personal energy usage! For office personnel, use the Office Energy Checklist available from the DOE to help you reduce your energy usage. For residence hall rooms, check out the Residence Hall Energy Checklist!
Following is a day-by-day schedule of the week's events, as well as several activities that are running throughout Earth Week.
Doug Tallamy, chairperson of UD's Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, will discuss the role that native plants play in the restoration of our landscapes. Only native plants provide the co-evolved relationships required by most animals. By supporting a diversity of insect herbivores, native plants provide food for a large and healthy community of natural enemies that keep herbivores in balance and gardens aesthetically pleasing.
The fair presents an opportunity to learn about sustainability and research efforts in the area of transportation.
11 a.m.-2 p.mLearn about sustainable agriculture and the role individuals can play in this movement, as well as ways farmers work to protect the environment and why farm viability is important. Also learn more about Delaware farms and the programs that UD Cooperative Extension offers to support local agriculture and communities.
7:30 p.mSee description above.
For nine years the “Art in the Garden” exhibition has graced the Clark Garden during the spring. This is a collaboration between University of Delaware students and the UD Botanic Gardens Friends group. It is a unique opportunity for students to showcase their artwork to the community in a natural setting. This year‘s exhibition will expand on this idea to include artwork from the students and faculty of Towson University. Download the exhibit card here. (4.5 MB .pdf)
A 3k event to kick off Earth Week is all about environmental sustainability. Recycled shirts will be given to the first 100 participants along with sustainable door prizes. Environmentally based clubs will be present during the event. After the walk/run, staff and students will facilitate fun, environmentally friendly activities for the participants to enjoy. All proceeds will benefit Delaware Greenways. Delaware Greenways is a statewide, nonprofit organization committed to the preservation and enhancement of Delaware's natural, scenic, historic, cultural and recreational resources.
Bring at least one item of clothing to trade in and walk away with as many items as you like. Find new items for your wardrobe without spending money and, at the same time, promote reuse.
9 p.m.For this event hosted by the Christiana Towers residence hall complex, residents will be encouraged to turn off their lights. Glow sticks will be given to residents. Refreshments, music and games will available outside the Commons.
This field day, hosted by the Gilbert Russell residence hall complex, will feature sports equipment, kites and Rita's Water Ice, to encourage resident to turn off electrical items and step outside in the name of sustainability. Information about energy use also will be available to students.
Tuesday, April 21st, 7:30pmCome watch the Oscar winning animated movie, Wall-E, while taking a dip in the UD indoor pool. A dive-in movie is always a splash! This event is sponsored by SCPAB.
9:30 p.m.The Independence South Complex is hosting a game of Ultimate Frisbee, played with glow-in-the-dark Frisbees.
See description above. This event includes announcement of Sustainability Contest winners.
All dayThe Christiana Towers residence hall complex encourages students to limit showers to 5 minutes. Staff will provide information about water consumption to interested students.
11:00-2:00 p.m.Learn about individual actions that extend the community's sustainability efforts. Also highlighted will be the many UD areas that are already leading the way in the "Initiative for the Planet."
11:30-1:30 p.m.Learn about individual actions that extend the community's sustainability efforts. Also highlighted will be the many UD areas that are already leading the way in the "Initiative for the Planet."
LunchtimeSpecial Earth Day themed menu options will be available.
2-3 p.m.Join Chad Nelson, assistant professor of plant and soil sciences, and landscape horticulture and design students Aaron Hallett and Kellie Cox for a tour of the University's newest created wetland project, implemented in fall 2008. Learn how the project was conceived, it anticipated benefits and the steps taken in implementation. Hallett and Cox will explain how they are tracking the success of the project, calculating the quantity of water capable of being captured and kept from adding volume and pollutants to the storm drains and nearby streams during rains. Also learn how the establishment of new plantings is being monitored, along with the usage of the wetland by wildlife. The tour also may include an optional walk to visit other sites protecting water quality on the UD campus.
8 p.m.The Ray Street residence hall complex sponsors an event to paint terracotta pots and plant flowers.
This social gathering, hosted by the Independence South residence hall complex, will encourage participants to shut off all the electronics in their rooms from 3-5 p.m. In addition to community development activities, students will be able to get information about conserving energy.
Celebrate Arbor Day with the planting of a tree near the Russell residence hall complex.
Hosted by the Independence South residence hall complex, this "car wash" for bikes will include information about walking or biking around campus.
For this event, hosted by the Christiana Towers residence hall complex, participants will pick up litter in the area, particularly behind the East Tower and Commons.