BGSU gets hands-on for Earth Month

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Bowling Green State University has special cause to celebrate Earth Day this year. The University will be included in the 2013 edition of the Princeton Review’s “Guide to 322 Green Colleges.”

“From our LEED-certified buildings to our student efforts toward energy savings, we’ve worked hard to become a more sustainable campus,” said Dr. Nicholas Hennessy, campus sustainability coordinator. “Another important step came last semester when President Mazey signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which supports BGSU’s desire to become a carbon-neutral campus.”

Because preserving the Earth and its environment requires an all-around effort, BGSU is partnering with community and civic organizations to celebrate Earth Month and contribute to the cause while furthering its sustainability plan.

From removing invasive garlic mustard to recycling electronic devices, there will be opportunities to get your hands in the earth as well as learn more about sustainability and raising awareness, said Hennessy. Participants will receive tickets at each event they attend for a prize drawing at the Earth First Celebration April 20 in City Park.

On Earth Day itself, April 22, BGSU will host a talk by Dr. Nancy C. Unger, an associate professor of history at Santa Clara University in California to learn about a little-known aspect of the environmental movement.

Unger will present “Beyond Nature's Housekeepers: American Women in Environmental History” at 7 p.m. in 95 Overman Hall. Sponsored by the Department of Environment and Sustainability; Department of History; Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and the BGSU Women's Center, her talk is free and open to the public.

Leading up to Earth Day, on April 15, the University community will work with the Wood County Park District from 6:30-8 p.m. to clean up the Wood County Historical Center grounds and remove invasive garlic mustard. Volunteers may take a van that will leave from behind the Bowen-Thompson Student Union at 6:15 p.m.

In addition, on April 15, the annual When You Move Out, Don’t Throw It Out collection begins on campus. Bins will be located in the residence halls and lobby of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union. All items will go to local food pantries and shelters. Sponsored by the Office of Campus Sustainability, the collection has helped needy community members while keeping tons of material out of the landfills.

On April 16, from 5:30-7 p.m., volunteers will help the city of Bowling Green’s utility department to stencil storm drains, alerting citizens that the drain leads to a water source. Free van service will leave at 5:15 p.m. from behind the Union.

Also on the 16th, the Department of Environment and Sustainability will host a screening of “Shattered Sky,” suggesting a novel way of approaching climate change issues, at 7:30 p.m. in South Hall. Following the film, student Josh Chamberlain, president of BGSU’s Environmental Action Group, will lead a discussion.

On April 17, the annual campus Eco Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Union Oval. The University will partner with a number of city and county agencies and organizations to present a variety of displays on environmental issues, green products and more. Faculty, staff and students can also test-drive an orange bike, complete a registration form and get a key that will unlock any orange bike on campus. All are welcome.

Three earth-conscious events are scheduled for April 18. Again this year, BGSU will take part in the Bowling Green Community Earth Day hosted by the Montessori School of Bowling Green The event takes place from 4-5 p.m. at 515 Sand Ridge Road.

From 6-8 p.m. that day, volunteers will help remove garlic mustard and clean up the Bradner Preserve.

Back on campus, the documentary “Triple Divide” on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in South Hall. Dr. Andrew Kear, an expert on fracking and faculty member in the School of Earth, Environment and Society, will lead a discussion afterwards.

A special Earth Week edition of Friday Night Lights will begin at 6:30 p.m. April 19, outside the Bowen-Thompson Student Union Theater. In this weekly activity, students go through campus buildings turning off lights. Their efforts so far have saved BGSU thousands of dollars in utility bills.

The University will participate in the county-wide litter cleanup on Saturday, April 20. The local event is hosted by Bowling Green municipal utility department and BGSU. Volunteers will meet at the south ticket lobby of the Stroh Center, beginning at 8 a.m. In addition, more garlic mustard removal will be going on in Wintergarden Park, from 3-5 p.m., sponsored by the BGSU Outdoor Program. Transportation will be provided from the Perry Field House parking lot. Volunteers should meet at 2:45 p.m.

April 20 is also the day to “Get the ‘E’ Out!” The community is invited to safely dispose of all sorts of devices at the Electronic Waste Recycling Program sponsored by the Office of Campus Sustainability and BGSU Outdoor Programs. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Campus Operations parking lot across from the airport on Poe Road, drop off computers, monitors, cell phones, TVs, DVD players, printers, laptops, batteries, telephones, lab equipment, phone systems, copiers, hard drives, audiovisual equipment, radios, speakers, fax machines, cameras, camcorders and old video games. ‬

There is a $10 processing fee for TVs with a 24” screen or smaller; for those with a screen larger than 27” the fee is $20.
 The AIM recycling company is certified at the highest level for electronics recycling. All computer hard drives will be physically destroyed or electronically wiped to D.O.D. and NIST 800-88 standards.‬

City Park in Bowling Green will be the site of the Earth First Celebration from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 21. Bring a picnic to the park and enjoy music and activities. Volunteers are needed to perform and help out. Bring raffle tickets collected throughout the week and be entered for prizes.

For more information on any Earth Week event, contact the Office of Campus Sustainability at greenbg@bgsu.edu.

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(Posted April 05, 2013 )