BGSU to celebrate Earth Week April 22-28

Events designed to raise awareness of environmental matters

Bowling Green State University will celebrate Earth Week 2019 April 22-28 with a series of free events intended to raise awareness of environmental matters. Two events will be held April 22 to kick off the week, including a tree planting service project and the Earth Week speaker, Channel 11 WTOL Meteorologist Chris Vickers.

The tree planting service project will be held at 1:30 p.m. in front of the Oaks Dining Center entrance. Everyone is invited to grab a shovel and help add to BGSU’s native tree population. Trees reduce carbon dioxide, produce oxygen and help lower our carbon footprints. Tools and gloves will be provided; no open-toed shoes.

Vickers’ lecture, “Climate Change: Today and Our Future,” will begin at 6 p.m. in the 206 Bowen-Thompson Student Union. He will discuss how extreme weather events in northwest Ohio are related to climate change and what to expect in the short- and long-term.

Events continue throughout the week, demonstrating the University’s commitment to sustainability — one of the reasons it was named among the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to the 2018 Princeton Review Guide to 399 Green Colleges.

On April 23, the campus-wide reuse and waste reduction initiative, “When You Move Out, Don’t Throw It Out,” begins. Collection boxes will be located in all residence hall lobbies, Greek townhouses, the Bowen-Thompson Student Union and Outtakes locations for nonperishable food and still-usable items such as clothing, shoes, school supplies and books, and personal items.

The popular Eco Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 24 in the Union Oval. Environmental and sustainability-related organizations, both on and off campus, will have information to share. Participants can view electric and hybrid vehicles, meet live animals and birds from Back to the Wild, pick up a tree seedling and plants, grab a reusable bag and learn about involvement opportunities. In the event of rain, the fair will be held in the Union Multipurpose Room.

Environmental Action Group members will demonstrate how much we throw away, its impact on us and how to reduce that impact during the Trash Audit from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. April 25 at the Union Oval.

The week will once again include a tour of the DG AMP Solar Field on Carter Road, which is the largest solar field in the state. Participants will learn about solar technology and how it is produced and used in Bowling Green. Prior registration for the April 26 tour is required by visiting the Solar Tour website.

At 6:30 p.m. April 26, students will come together to turn off lights in selected buildings to save energy, thus reducing BGSU’s carbon-based emissions, and money. Volunteers should meet outside the 206 Bowen-Thompson Student Union; they will receive Earth Week treats.

Later that evening, at 8, two bands will participate in an Earth Week Concert at Grounds for Thought. The free concert will also include an open mic. Donations will go to local nonprofit environmental organizations. The concert is sponsored by the Environmental Action Group.

The week culminates with the 10th annual Community Earth Day Celebration at the Montessori School of Bowling Green. BGSU’s Campus Sustainability and the Department of Environment and Sustainability classes will join with other community and municipal groups for this outdoor, family-friendly event. Guests can plant a sunflower, ride an energy-producing bike, see river-dwelling critters and chase the Earth Ball across a field, among many other activities.

The Office of Campus Sustainability and the Department of the Environment and Sustainability co-sponsor Earth Week; events are free and open to the public. More information is available on the Earth Week webpage.

In 2012, BGSU signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, committing the University to take action on climate change through a goal of carbon-neutrality. In 2014, BGSU submitted its Climate Action Plan and began to implement it. Among the many projects moving the University toward carbon neutrality and emissions reduction are numerous LED lighting upgrades, LEED building construction/renovation, increases in waste diversion, and the study of renewable energy feasibility. More information on the University’s progress toward its sustainability goals and its Climate Action Plan is available on the Office of Campus Sustainability website.

Guests with disabilities are requested to indicate if they need special services, assistance or appropriate modifications to fully participate in any of these events by contacting Accessibility Services at access@bgsu.edu or 419-372-8495 prior to the event.