Earth Week is Here

The Office for Sustainability has again teamed up with our campus community to bring the University of Arkansas an week of events to celebrate our community and our planet!

The week is designed as a series of events leading up to the celebration of Earth Day on April 22. Established in 1970, Earth Day is an international event celebrated in 192 countries each year to demonstrate support for environmental protection and love for the planet Earth.

The theme of this year’s Earth Day is Ending Plastic Pollution.

The Earth Day Network explains this goal:

From poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our waste streams and landfills, the exponential growth of plastics is now threatening the survival of our planet.

In response, Earth Day 2018 will focus on fundamentally changing human attitude and behavior about plastics and catalyzing a significant reduction in plastic pollution. 

At the U of A, Earth Week is a week of events, learning opportunities, and service projects that cater to people of all ages.  In the words of Eric Boles, director of the Office for Sustainability,  “Earth Week is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the progress we’ve made while educating our community about the challenges ahead.”

Day By Day Events

Monday the 16th

Earth Week will kick off Monday, April 16 with free watermelon and information at the Union Mall from 11 am to 2 pm..

After that, join the RIC from 2-4 at the Multicultural Center in the Union to make DIY reusable shopping bags to serve as a plastic alternative.

Monday evening, join the Sierra Club for a nature hike. Meet at the Harmon Garage at 5 pm.  The hike will last til 7 pm.

Tuesday the 17th

Tuesday, learn more about hydroelectric power generation in the USA by watching the documentary “DamNation”.  This topic is especially relevant after Pres. Trump declared hydroelectric power as the focus of his energy plan. The film screening will be at 6 pm in the Union Theater.

Wednesday the 18th

Wednesday, the Net Impact RSO is hosting a Trail Cleanup.

These cleanups are a necessary part of keeping our community clean and ecologically healthy. Volunteers can meet the crew at the Union Fountain at 3 pm.

Thursday the 19th

Thursday, the Cycling Club is leading a group bike ride on the Razorback Greenway.  Want to meet new people, get some exercise, and enjoy the fantastic biking infrastructure of Fayetteville? Meet the club with your bike at Chipotle on Dickson at 1:30 pm. Don’t have a bike?  Rent one from UREC.  

That evening, join the Young Dems for an Environmental Talk in WCOB 202 at 6pm.

Friday the 20th

On Friday, the U of A campus will celebrate the culmination of Earth Week with the wildly popular Earth Day Block Party on the Union Mall from 11 am to 2 pm! This event has been a success year after year as the community, campus organizations, and local businesses come together to share a common interest in sustainability. Great activities are planned, with plenty of food, live music, more watermelon, good people, and great conversations. If that’s not enough, there will also be some Earth Day themed prizes given away throughout the event.

Friday also will feature a poster reception where sustainability students will showcase their Capstone projects.  Stop by Vol Walker Hall around noon to learn how these U of A students are tackling sustainability. After you check out these posters, head over to the Shollmier Lecture Hall at 1 pm to hear the featured Earth Day Speaker!   

Saturday the 21st

The City of Fayetteville will be carrying on the environmental spirit by a slew of projects and events leading up to Earth Day. Festivities will begin with a proclamation from Mayor Jordan at 9 a.m. at the Marion Orton Recycling Center followed by several family-friendly activities such as a litter clean up, an invasive plant removal, a group bike ride, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new trails at Kessler Mountain Regional Park.

We at the OFS are thrilled to celebrate another Earth Week, and invite you to join us in any or all of this week’s activities.