Despite the rain and an economic downturn, seven organizations collaborated to promote environmental awareness Wednesday at Marsh Plaza as part of Boston University’s annual Earth Week celebration.
Student Union Environmental Affairs Director Hannah Leone said more groups participated this year than in years past, and that the fragile state of the economy was not a major setback for Earth Week.
‘ The Student Activities Office provided funding, and fundraisers, such as a bake sale that collected $150 and helped raise extra money, Leone said.
‘Any bit helps,’ she said.
Individual groups also supplemented money from SAO with fundraising to cover their costs, though many events did not require much funding because of volunteers’ help, Leone said.
Student recycling coordinator and CFA junior Anny Oberlink said one of the organizations, Student Recycling Coordinators, received donations from many of the organizations they contacted.’
However, another student recycling coordinator, CAS freshman Rebecca Morgan, said the organizations could not donate as much as they would have liked to because of the recession.
Leone said some groups had innovative ideas for making the event more interesting. The School of Theology contributed with events such as blessing the tree and donating vegan cheesecake.
‘Their involvement gave the affair a different perspective,’ Leone said.
The Organic Garden Club handed out small seedlings to students passing by. CAS sophomore and three-year OGC member Chris Holden said this practice has always been a success.
‘People have approached me today from last year, telling me their seedlings ended up growing and lasting a long time,’ he said.
Holden said they are growing more plants now than in the past.
‘Personally, I like to see things growing,’ he said. ‘Everyone’s been interested in getting seedlings.’
Promoting self-sustainability by growing food is part of OGC’s goal, he said.
‘ Karen Cossette, a BU staff member, said she attended the fair with her son because of their environmental interests.
‘We’re into promoting environmental awareness,’ Cossette said.’ ‘We learned a recipe for pico de gallo using a cilantro plant.’
‘ Leone said she looks forward to other Earth Week events, specifically the sustainability panel on Friday.
The sustainability program, formed this year, brings together students, faculty and staff to determine effective steps for sustainability at BU.
‘This year is all about planning,’ she said. ‘Next year will be the action.’
The program’s ultimate goal is to get people to incorporate environmentally-friendly practices into their daily lives, she said.
‘ ‘I hope we continue to work hard together because all our groups are working on the same over-all goal,’ Leone said.
Though rainy weather cut Earth Day short, groups said they were happy with the many students who stopped and heard their message throughout the day.
‘We’re going to do this every year from now on,’ Oberlink said.
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Why is there so little information about what the School of Theology did on Earth Day. The School of Theology worked with the Lewell Institute and the Undergraduate Ecology Club to put on week long events. On Earth day The School of Theology dedicated a Church service on the Earth, sponsored a sustainable lunch provided to the campus, Had Bill Means, an Indian from the Lykota tribe come into to Bless a tree and educate on the importance of the Earth. That night Bill Means was the keynote speaker for a lecture on the Indian nations work towards the environment and Eco-Justice. The next day a co-sponsored Panel of local community individuals are to talk about Religion and Ecology. I not only think it is insensitive to write 1 sentence on what the School of Theology has done, but to not highlight the fact that the School of Theology has provided programs for the entire campus that highlights the importance of the environment. This article is shallow in content and highlights the problems of organization programs that the BU community can not engage in the real problems. Instead of talking about how much the School of Theology has worked in making sure the ecological crises is educated to the community, you decided to highlight that people are planning this year and next year will be action. There was action this year but the lack of research failed to demonstrate how much the School of Theology contributed.