Academic News
Application Deadline for Sustainable Practices in Panama Study Abroad Program
The deadline to apply for the Sustainable Practices in Panama Study Abroad program is October 15th. If you are interested in joining in on this trip, there is still time for you to submit all application materials, including a faculty recommendation. Submit ASAP to get one of the few remaining spots.
Events
Rescheduled: First Annual Bike Fest
Due to rain, the Bike Fest has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 14th. That’s tomorrow! We hope to see you there.
Bike Fest is an opportunity to celebrate and learn about cycling on and around the University of Arkansas campus, and to register your bicycle with the university. The Bike Fest includes a “slow bike race,” where riders go as slow as possible without touching the ground and the last person to cross the finish line wins! Other activities include an introduction to bike commuting workshop, an introduction to mountain biking workshop, games, informational booths, games, and a chance to win a free bike! There will be free hotdogs, chips, and drinks while supplies last.
Come get your bike registered, get free food, win prizes, learn more about biking, and try the slow bike race! The entire campus community is invited. If you cannot attend the festivities but would like to register your bicycle, please visit parking.uark.edu/531.php.
Tuesday, October 14th, 1:00 – 3:00 Pm
McIlroy Avenue (between the Business Building and Humphreys Residence Hall)
UA Sustainability Council Meeting
The UA Sustainability Council will have its quarterly meeting tomorrow. Students, faculty, staff, and community stakeholders are welcome to attend as observers as well as to ask questions and provide input.
The University of Arkansas Sustainability Council, comprising faculty, staff, students and representatives from the Fayetteville community, seeks to support the University of Arkansas environmental stewardship mission. They do this through coordination of ideas, information and resources among the university’s student body, academic departments and administrative units to develop and execute projects, using the four systems that are the basis of sustainability curriculum on the U of A campus.
Tuesday, October 14th, 3:30 – 5:00 PM
Arkansas Union, Room 512-514
World Food Week Film Screening
The GroGreen student organization will be showing The Real Dirt on Farmer John in honor of World Food Week. This film chronicles a somewhat unconventional farmer’s experience producing food in the rural Midwest. After the film, we will be inviting local community organizations related to food security to hold an informal meet and greet style event as a way of getting interested students directly involved in our community’s food system. It is our hope that this event can serve as a call to action for students and possibly clear up some misconceptions related to agriculture.
Wednesday, Oct 15th, at 5:30 PM
Ozark Hall, Room 026
Clinton Global Initiative University
President Clinton and Chelsea Clinton will host the eighth annual CGI U meeting from March 6-8, 2015 at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The meeting will bring together more than 1,000 student innovators and entrepreneurs to make Commitments to Action that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Funding will be available to select students to help them turn their ideas into action. 60 colleges and universities have already joined the CGI University Network, pledging to provide over $750,000 total to student attendees from member universities.
Students must be 18 years of age or older and enrolled in an institution of higher education at the time of the CGI U meeting in order to apply. To be considered for admission, all applicants are required to make a Commitment to Action in one of CGI U’s five focus areas: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health. The early decision and travel assistance deadline is October 17, 2014, and the final application deadline is December 1, 2014.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Zero Waste Recycling Survey
The University of Arkansas and the Chancellor have a goal to be Zero Waste by 2021. Help the U of A reach this goal by volunteering for the Office for Sustainability in the Walton College Zero Waste Pilot Project.
Volunteers will:
Collect data about recycling bins in the Business Building
Survey building occupants on opinions and thoughts about Zero Waste
Enter the collected data in an Excel spreadsheet
A short 15-minute training session will be required for all volunteers. Hours will be flexible and based on the volunteer’s schedule from 8 to 5 during the week day. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work as many hours as they need, and the volunteer opportunity will be available for about 3 weeks from September 29th to October 31st. All help is welcome! Volunteer hours do not need to be consecutive.
Sign Up to Volunteer for the Recycling Survey
October 13th -31st
Greek House Waste Audit
Kappa Delta Sorority, the Office for Sustainability, the City of Fayetteville, and Boston Mountain Solid Waste District are conducting a waste audit of the Kappa Delta sorority house on October 14-15th and we need your help! Please sign up to volunteer at the link below:
Sign up to help with the Greek Waste Audit
Tuesday, October 14th, or Wednesday, October 15th, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Sustainability House
238 Harmon Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72701
Native Seed Collection Day
Another opportunity to volunteer and learn about native plants! We will be collecting native plant seed at the Woolsey Wet Prairie at the Fayetteville West Side Wastewater Treatment Plant, Tuesday (tomorrow), October 14th from4 to 7 PM. There will also be Pizza at 6:30 PM, provided by CH2MHILL, for the volunteers.
You will have the opportunity to identify native plants and harvest seed that will be used at stream and wetland restoration sites to enhance the native vegetation.
Volunteer to help with Seed Collection
Tuesday, October 14th, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
15 West Broyles Avenue
Bentonville, AR 72712
Rain Garden Volunteer Workday
Join the Beaver Watershed Alliance for an afternoon of planting and rain garden maintenance at the City of Fayetteville Noland Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 1400 Fox Hunter Rd. Volunteers will work from 3:30 to 6:00 pm and will be supplied gloves and planting tools.
Volunteer for the Rain Garden Volunteer Workday
Thursday, October 16th, 3:30 – 6:00 PM
1400 N Fox Hunter Rd
Fayetteville AR, AR 72701
Lake Fayetteville Fall Cleanup
Please join the Lake Fayetteville Watershed Partnership, The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, and many other local community organizations and sponsors for the 2014 Fall Clean Up of Lake Fayetteville. This is a Great Arkansas Cleanup” event in partnership with the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission organized to remove litter in and around Lake Fayetteville. Not only will you take part in beautifying Lake Fayetteville, the park, trails, and natural areas, but you will also help protect water quality. In Spring and Fall of 2013, more than 2700 lbs of litter were removed for the lake and park! Please come out and help us continue to reduce the trash and litter and keep Lake Fayetteville beautiful.
It is recommended that volunteers wear old clothes and work gloves may be appropriate. Lunch and door prizes will be enjoyed at noon!
Volunteer at the Lake Fayetteville Fall Cleanup
Saturday, October 18th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
511 E. Lakeview
Springdale, AR 72764
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities
Habitat for Humanity ReStore Assistant
The ReStore is a discount home improvement center open to the public that accepts donations of new and gently used building materials, furniture, and appliances and sells them at greatly reduced prices. Customer service is the primary focus for our ReStore Volunteers. Our ReStore staff will assign jobs as needed.
Sign Up to Volunteer at the ReStore
1421 E. 15th St.
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Fayetteville Public Library
They Fayetteville Public Library is inviting UA sustainability students to get involved by volunteering at the library. Volunteers can set their own hours and choose from a variety of programs and departments.
Margaret Burdette, Manager of Volunteer Services
Fayetteville Public Library
401 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville, AR 72701
direct phone – 479.856.7104 | library phone – 479.856.7000
www.faylib.org
TriCycle Farms
Tri Cycle Farms, located at the corner of Sycamore and Garland Avenue, is a centrally located urban farm on the blue and red bus routes (free parking is also available at the Trinity United Methodist Church). The mission of Tri Cycle Farms is to “build community through soil,” and the nonprofit (via fiscal partnership with the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology) is working broadly with other like-minded organizations in the region to strengthen food security. Tri Cycle Farms has ongoing “Farm to Table” programs, gardening classes, volunteer opportunities, chicken husbandry, herb walks, a composting system, and new plans to develop a farmer’s market with the Trinity United Methodist Church, which is directly across the street from Tri Cycle.
Contact Don Bennett at fayettevilletricyclefarms@gmail.com or 479-966-0572, or Joanna Pollock at JPollock@walton.uark.edu or 708-828-5695 for more information about how to get involved or tour Tri Cycle. You can also find Tri Cycle Farms on Facebook.
The content of this post does not constitute an official endorsement by the University of Arkansas or the Office for Sustainability. All announcements are for informational purposes only.