The University of Oregon and the color green are inseparable. The Ducks don their green and yellow at sports events, Douglas firs around campus stand evergreen throughout all four seasons and the university itself makes its home in the Emerald City.
But another, familiar, type of green is also prominent at the UO: the green of environmental awareness. Since 1970, Earth Week festivities have had a large presence on campus and this year — the 45th year the UO has observed Earth Week — is no different. Several student-led events and community organizations will converge on the UO for Earth Week 2015.
From Monday, April 20, to Saturday, April 25, students and faculty will enjoy a wide selection of events and activities to participate in in the name of the environment.
“My goal for this Earth Week was to schedule an array of events covering different topics, uniting students and staff on our campus who focus on different aspects of sustainability to come together in the fight for a healthier, more sustainable world,” said Amber Erkan, the 2015 Earth Week coordinator and member of the Student Sustainability Coalition.
A documentary screening of “Growing Cities,” a film about urban agriculture in the United States, will wrap up the first day of events Monday evening. Sponsored by Just Food, The Holden Leadership Center and the sustainability coalition, the free screening will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in 100 Willamette Hall.
Wednesday, April 22, is worldwide Earth Day. To mark the global effort, a group of students and faculty from the Division of Undergraduate Studies have created an event, dubbed “Analog U,” in which participants can pledge to power down their technological devices for all or part of the day.
The group will set up camp from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Collier House lawn, leading activities designed to help students disconnect, such as group games, art workshops and guided nature walks. Click here to join fellow Ducks making the pledge.
Across the street from the Analog U activities, students can stop by the EMU amphitheater from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for one of the largest events of the week, the Earth Day celebration, which will feature over 40 local businesses, student groups, campus departments and community organizations. Free merchandise and samples of local food and drink will be offered, as well as a photo booth, hands-on activities and a raffle — all while grooving to some bike-powered music provided by campus radio station KWVA.
On Thursday evening, the UO will host Tom Goldtooth, the executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, for the annual Earth Week keynote address from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the EMU ballroom. His speech, titled “Acknowledging the Rights of Mother Earth,” will encourage a re-evaluation of humans’ relationship with nature and how we can reconnect with the environment in a spiritual way.
“He’ll be sharing a message that I believe all humans need to hear,” Erkan said. “We need to begin respecting nature the same way we should respect ourselves.”
Following his talk, a reception at the Many Nations Longhouse will be held, complete with free food and a chance to meet Goldtooth.
On Friday and Saturday, the Coalition against Environmental Racism is bringing an array of like-minded speakers to campus for their annual conference, titled “Restorative Justice: Healing the Spirit and Protecting the Sacred," which will build on the ideas from Goldtooth’s keynote.
In the spirit of the week’s events, a day of service on Saturday, April 25, will signify the end of Earth Week 2015. Volunteers from a variety of campus and public groups — from UO Fraternity and Sorority Life and the Student Alumni Association to the city of Eugene’s Parks and Open Space Division and Neighborhood Services — will plant trees, pick up litter and generally improve the residential areas around campus. To register for a service opportunity and to see the shifts available, click here.
For a complete schedule of Earth Week events and more information on how you can get involved, visit the Student Sustainability Coalition’s webpage.
“I believe a more educated world will lead to a better world,” Erkan said. “I hope we’re able to spread that valuable knowledge around campus.”
— By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications intern