Tuesday, April 14, 2009
For the next two weeks leading up to Earth Day on April 22, environmental efforts on campus will fall under one name — From Blue to Green: Conserve KU.
Blue to Green will host 26 events on or near campus from now until Earth Day. The events focus on educating students about sustainability.
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Monday, April 13:
— Green Fair in the Kansas Union Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— Film: “Manufactured Landscapes” from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium.
Tuesday, April 14:
— Environmental Justice Q&A with activist Richard Mabion from 4-5 p.m. in the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center.
— “Race, Justice, and the Environment: Getting a Place at the Table”, speaker Richard Mabion from 4-5 p.m. in Alderson Auditorium.
— “Who Killed the Electric Car?” From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Walnut Room of the Kansas Union.
Wednesday, April 15:
— Bike Event on Wescoe Beach, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— “Community Climate Protection: Addressing Climate Change in Lawrence and on the KU Campus” from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Big 12 Room of the Kansas Union.
Thursday, April 16:
— “Three Cheers to the Environment!” From 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center.
— University Dance Company: “Other Ramifications” at 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center.
— Energy panel with Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy and state representatives from 7-8:30 p.m. in Parlors in the Kansas Union.
Friday, April 17:
— Critical Mass Bike Event: Bike Ride for Sustainability, starting at 11:30 a.m. in the Kansas Union parking garage.
— Blue to Green (Thumb): Vegetable Gardening 101 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Olympian Room of the Burge Union.
Saturday, April 18:
— Lawrence City Earth Day Parade from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at South Park.
— Alternative weekend break at the KU Ecological Reserve.
Sunday, April 19:
— Potter Lake Unplugged: Sustainability Festival from 2-5 p.m. at Potter Lake.
Monday, April 20:
— Sustainable Business: Innovation and design inspired by nature at 7 p.m. in the Spahr Engineering Auditorium.
Tuesday, April 21:
— Permaculture Workshop from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kansas Union main entrance.
— Vegetation of Antarctica with Dr. Edith L. Taylor at 7 p.m. in the Lawrence Library.
Wednesday, April 22
— KU Student Rain Garden planting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ambler Student Recreation Center.
— Toward Sustainability of energy, water and land through a whole community approach from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the Spencer Art Museum.
Thursday, April 23:
— Spencer Spring Student Night: “Art On the Green” at the Spencer Art Museum from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Spencer Museum of Art.
Jeff Severin, director of the Center for Sustainability, said the movement incorporated 25 student groups on campus that focused on environmentalism or social activism.
Tyler Enders, Leawood sophomore, spearheaded the combined efforts of the different groups involved with Blue to Green. Enders said Blue to Green was not a group, but a movement that promoted a culture of sustainability. Enders said he wanted to make the movement as visual as possible to engage more students.
“We want students to feel more pressure to be involved in it,” Enders said. “We’re making people realize it’s a huge thing going on and they should participate in it.”
Chelsea Mertz, Topeka junior, helped Enders make Blue to Green a reality. She said she hoped students would learn that they could do small things every day to help the environment.
“Each student can make their own difference. It doesn’t have to take something like this to get something done,” Mertz said. “It’s all about individual efforts.”
Enders said he was happy with the momentum that had gathered behind the Blue to Green effort.
“At this point we can’t fail at all,” Enders said. “At some of the events we may only have five to ten people, but that’s fine. We’re not basing it on attendance. Any attendance is great, but if any one person is educated, that’s even better.”
Severin said he had played a minor role in organizing the events and efforts of From Blue to Green.
“The students were the ones who wanted to make this happen,” Severin said. “The student initiative is so strong on our campus.”
Severin said the diversity of the student groups involved allowed for the events to be focused on broad spectrum of themes.
“Bringing together diverse organizations and events illustrates how all-encompassing sustainability can be,” Severin said.
Severin said he looked forward to the Rain Garden planting next to the Ambler Student Recreation Center on Earth Day, April 22.
“It’s taken two years to make that a reality,” Severin said. “It shows how a student-initiated project can happen through collaboration with students and University officials.”
Severin said he was not surprised at how well the movement had been received.
“I hope everyone will take something away from the events that they can apply daily in their own lives,” Severin said. “I hope it inspires them to make a change.”
— — Edited by Susan Melgren
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Comments
astanley86 (anonymous) says...
This article forgot to mention the GREEN pub crawl on Friday, April 17. Meet at Local Burger at 7PM and follow us downtown to six bars (all of which will be recycling for the night) and get FREE cover. More details at www.barrecycling.com
April 14, 2009 at 3:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )