Special to the Herald
Our annual Earth Week celebration is in full swing! Led by the EcoReps and Campus Greens, it is a weeklong celebration of our planet. This year, the week kicked off with Earth Day on Monday, April 22, which featured more Saga options for Meatless Monday as well as the planting of new grape vines in the campus garden.
On Tuesday, distribution started for the donation bins to collect reusable goods for the Community Sale. The bins are located in the lobby of most residence halls.
In the ATM lounge on Wednesday, students traded fashion tips at the clothing swap as they got ready for the spring weather.
Thursday lent itself to the presentation of the cap art installation in the first floor of Scandling, where the caps of disposable containers were hung on display and free tie-dye was available on the Scandling Center lawn. This was meant to encourage students to repurpose old clothing and fabrics.
On Friday the 26th, come check out the Farmers Market! Local vendors will be set up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Later in the day, come learn about HWS beehives and then stay for the Bee Movie screening!
Over the weekend is Saturday’s Girl Up Hunger Banquet to bring awareness to the issue of global hunger and the Campus Greens’ dinner, which will take place on Sunday. Campus Greens has now hosted this event four times and it has always been a success with good local food at the HWS Farm and live music. Shuttles to and from the farm will begin at 4 p.m. in front of the bookstore.
Rounding out Earth Week, on Monday the 29th, HWS will receive a visit from the Turning Green Conscious College Road Tour! A seven-week cross country journey that stops at 14 college campuses across the U.S., the Lifestyle Expo will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature key lifestyle themes: food, body, zero waste, clean, balance and fashion. Each topic will have info boards, demo products, and ethical samples. Free dinner is available at our Town Hall meeting starting at 6 p.m. in the Gearan Performing Arts Center. After eating, students, faculty, staff, and community members will discuss and brainstorm ways that we can make change happen on a campus and community level.
Overall, the purpose of Earth Week is to create awareness and start an educated conversation about the current environmental issues that we are facing as a community and as a planet. With this in mind, hopefully this week will spark interest, conversation, and above all, action.