Students,聽faculty聽and staff are encouraged to attend as many events as you can for your chance to win various prizes! First, second and third place winners will be聽determined聽by those who attend the most events throughout the week. There will be one set of student winners and another set of faculty/staff winners. More聽competition details may be viewed on the聽

Huria Tahiry 鈥�26, environmental justice intern for 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Office of Sustainability, has attended several Earth Week events over the past three years, and says that Earth Week is聽鈥渁 wonderful opportunity to learn, make new friends, have fun, and take a moment to appreciate the Earth.” Tahiry is particularly excited for this year鈥檚 Earth Week, since there will be more events聽than聽any previous聽year.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS聽

Saturday, April 18

SUSTAINABLE DAY OF SERVICE | VARIOUS TIMES & LOCATIONS (TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED)
9 – 12 p.m. | PARK REVITALIZATION WITH ALAMANCE COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION

Help restore one of the local Alamance parks that聽serves聽the whole community! The event will be at聽Swepsonville聽River Park (2472聽Boywood聽Rd.聽Swepsonville聽N.C.) The activities will include repainting the entrance gate, and staining two Kiosks, and a couple of park benches.

Transportation will be provided from the 黑料不打烊 Express Bus Stop between Inman Admissions and the Library

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | MORROWTOWN COMMUNITY GARDEN聽WORK DAY聽| MORROWTOWN COMMUNITY GARDEN

Spend time outdoors, connect with others, and support a space that provides fresh food and connection opportunities in Burlington! Come get聽your hands dirty, learn something new, and be part of growing something meaningful together. 罢丑别听Morrowtown聽Community Garden was founded and is managed by the聽Morrowtown聽Community Group, which was formed to inspire positive social and environmental change for a diverse community in Burlington that deserves to thrive. Participants should wear clothing and shoes they聽don鈥檛聽mind getting dirty. Please bring a reusable water bottle and sunscreen. Transportation to the event will be from the 黑料不打烊 Express spot outside of the library.

1:30 – 4:30 p.m. | KAYAK CLEAN UP | LAKE MACKINTOSH

Take care of local Lake Mackintosh while enjoying the beauty of nature. Kayaks, gloves and trash bags聽provided.聽New and聽experienced kayakers are welcome!聽聽Please wear聽clothing聽you聽don鈥檛聽mind getting dirty and bring a reusable water bottle and sunscreen.聽Transportation to the event will be from the 黑料不打烊 Express stop outside of the library.

Monday, April 20

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | CAREER CLOSET | UPSTAIRS LAKESIDE

Join us for the Career Closet 鈥済rand opening鈥� for a special one-day pop-up shopping event!

The Career Closet empowers 黑料不打烊 students by increasing access to professional and formal attire while fostering leadership, service, and community impact. In partnership with the Student Professional Development Center, the Center for Leadership, the Office of Sustainability and Student Involvement, this on-campus resource encourages students to think ahead, support one another and give back to the 黑料不打烊 community.

This event is open to all members of the 黑料不打烊 community.

Have聽extra professional or formal wear? Donate gently used items from April 7th鈥揂pril 17th in the Center for Leadership to give back, support fellow students and promote sustainability on campus.

Stop by, shop sustainably and find the perfect look for your next interview, internship, or formal event!

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. | ORGANIC MOCKTAILS | CLOHAN DINING HALL

Come try a delicious mocktail featuring Certified Organic Tractor Beverage and learn about organic produce with 黑料不打烊 Dining鈥檚 Sustainability Manager Leslie Bosse!

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | SOOTHING SOUNDS OF SUCCULENTS | NUMEN LUMEN SACRED SPACE

Step into a space designed to help you slow down, breathe deeply and reconnect. Soothing Sounds & Sprouts is a mental-health-centered gathering where calming music and hands-on planting come together to nurture you.

Enjoy a curated soundscape of gentle, restorative music; learn how different sounds can聽impact聽mood; and plant your own small herb to take home鈥攁 living reminder of growth, care and resilience. We will share simple grounding practices you can use anytime stress feels overwhelming and use our senses to be more present.

Whether you stay for five minutes or the full experience, this event invites you to pause, reset, and tend to yourself鈥攂ecause just like plants, we thrive when we receive light, care, and space to grow.

4 – 6 p.m.聽 | POP UP SWAP SHOP | DOWNSTAIRS MOSELEY
Looking to refresh your closet?聽Have聽any聽perfectly good聽clothing you no longer wear? Bring it to the Pop-Up Swap Shop to trade for new-to-you shirts, pants, dresses, and more! No clothing to swap? No problem! Commit to a sustainable habit OR donate any fabric scraps on hand to earn free clothing!

罢丑别听Pop Up聽Swap Shop聽runs in聽downstairs Moseley every Monday (4 – 6 p.m.) and Friday (3:30-6 pm) during the Spring 2026 semester.

4:15 – 5:30 p.m. | BOOK DISCUSSION 鈥� SAVING US: A CLIMATE SCIENTIST鈥橲 CASE FOR HOPE AND HEALING IN A DIVIDED WORLD | LOY FARM

In preparation for Katharine Hayhoe鈥檚 keynote address on Wednesday, April 22, join Faculty Fellow for Sustainability Scott Morrison for a discussion about Hayhoe鈥檚聽most recent book. Light snacks will be provided for those who register.

5:30 – 6:30 p.m. | HONORING INDIGENOUS VOICES | CREDE

Join us for a conversation with Corey Roberts, assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous studies, exploring indigenous history, culture and perspectives connected to this region. This event aims to create space for learning,聽reflection聽and dialogue within the 黑料不打烊 community. Traditional food will be shared as part of the gathering.

Tuesday, April 21

9:40-10:20 a.m. | COLLEGE COFFEE聽

Stop by the Office of Sustainability鈥檚 table at College Coffee to learn about sustainability efforts on campus.聽Don鈥檛聽forget your reusable mug to enter to win $100 Phoenix Cash!

11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | COASTAL CRAFTS: SHELL JEWELRY DISHES | YOUNG COMMONS

Create or聽take home聽oyster and wampum shell jewelry dishes while learning about their ecological significance and Indigenous cultural importance in the Northeastern United States.

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | GARDEN PARTY | MCEWEN DINING HALL

McEwen Dining Hall will feature garden party themed foods, including small plates and plant-forward options. Come join us for this super fun and sustainable lunch!

4 – 5 p.m. | STARS CELEBRATION | LAKESIDE MEETING ROOMS

Celebrate 黑料不打烊鈥檚 most recent Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Report with food, interactive聽activities聽and exciting prizes! Learn about 黑料不打烊鈥檚 sustainability efforts, connect with聽others聽and discover opportunities to support sustainability at 黑料不打烊. This event is open to all students,聽faculty聽and staff.

Wednesday, April 22

11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. | PICKLE POP UP | LAKESIDE DINING HALL
Join 黑料不打烊 Dining to taste how delicious and sustainable pickling can be!

12 – 2聽 p.m. | TOTE-ALLY SUSTAINABLE | MEDALLION PLAZA
Join us to paint your own reusable tote bag while learning about how to reduce waste!

5 – 6:30 p.m. | BELTANE CELEBRATION | ELON COMMUNITY GARDEN
Beltane is a time of renewal, protection and community where people can come together to share stories, offerings for deities, and have fun by dancing and making crafts. Beltane is historically a practical agricultural and seasonal holiday signifying the start of the growing seasons and time of abundance. Come celebrate together by making flower crowns, mini maypoles, and enjoying聽good food!

7 – 8 p.m. | EARTH WEEK KEYNOTE: KATHARINE HAYHOE, 鈥淪OLVING CLIMATE CHANGE STARTS WITH US (BUT NOT THE WAY YOU THINK!)鈥� | MCKINNON HALL, MOSELEY CENTER

鈥淲hat can I do?鈥� is most people鈥檚 top climate question. The truth is, while our personal choices matter, the most important action any of us can take聽isn鈥檛聽changing a lightbulb, eating a plant-based burger or buying an electric vehicle (EV).聽Drawing on聽lessons from science, history, and social movements, Katherine Hayhoe shows how using our voices to call for systemic change is the first step towards catalyzing the tipping points that will help us build a better future. Solving climate change does start with us鈥攂ut in ways far more powerful than we might imagine.

Katharine Hayhoe is the chief scientist for聽The Nature聽Conservancy and a Horn Distinguished Professor and endowed professor of public policy and public law at Texas Tech University. She has served as a lead author for the second, third and fourth U.S. National Climate Assessments. She is the author of the best-selling book 鈥淪aving Us: A Climate Scientist鈥檚 Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.鈥� Hayhoe has been named to lists including the TIME 100 Most Influential People and Fortune鈥檚 50 World鈥檚 Greatest Leaders.

Sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, the Environmental Studies Department, Facilities Management, the School of Communications, the Sustainable Enterprises program and the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

9 – 10 p.m. | S鈥橫ORES WITH OUTDOORS | BECK POOL PATIO

Join 黑料不打烊 Outdoors and the Eco-Reps for a special Earth Week S鈥檓ores with Outdoors! Make your own sustainable bug spray so that you can enjoy more time outdoors.

Thursday, April 23

9:50 – 10:30 a.m. | NUMEN LUMEN | NUMEN LUMEN PAVILION 110

The challenges we face expand our perspectives. The moments that leave us speechless have the power to change lives. The stories we tell help us to make sense of these challenges, moments, and everything in between.

Grounding ourselves in this moment is how we show up in an unexpected and ever-changing world.

This week鈥檚 speaker is Becca Bishopric Patterson, associate director of the聽 Gender and LGBTQIA Center at 黑料不打烊 where her work focuses on gender equity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, survivor support and violence prevention. For the last 15 years, Becca鈥檚 life and work聽has聽been dedicated to聽facilitating聽healing, justice, sustainability, and connection within communities in professional and personal roles. Becca has served on leadership and organizing teams across Alamance County, currently leading initiatives within the Alamance Racial Equity Alliance and Transcend Alamance. Bischipric Patterson lives in 黑料不打烊 with her spouse, toddlers, and (many) pets, and loves spending time with friends envisioning a world where all life can thrive.

5 – 7 p.m. PM | PARTY FOR THE PLANET | MOSELEY WEST LAWN

Celebrate sustainability with fun activities and live entertainment! This event will also feature a swap shop where students can trade their gently used clothes for new (gently used) clothes.

5 – 7:30 PM | EARTH FEST | LAKE MARY NELL

Try over a dozen dishes featuring local foods and meet the local聽partners themselves聽at 黑料不打烊 Dining鈥檚 Earth Fest!聽You鈥檒l聽even get to meet our most famous local partner, Pearl the dairy cow, from Ran-Lew Dairy.

Friday, April 24

PIZZA & PRAYERS FOR THE PLANET | VARIOUS TIMES | MCBRIDE GATHERING SPACE (NUMEN LUMEN)

Join the Truitt Center鈥檚 Rabbi Maor Greene, Father Peter Tremblay and Imam Shane Atkinson for Earth Week themed sermons and guided discussion on being caretakers of the natural world. All are welcome to attend one or聽all of聽the following sessions:

12:15 -12:45 p.m.聽 鈥� Catholic Mass
12:45 – 1:15 p.m.聽 鈥� Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Maor
1:15 – 1:30 p.m. 鈥� Jumuah Prayer

3:30-6 p.m. | POP UP SWAP SHOP | DOWNSTAIRS MOSELEY

Looking to refresh your closet?聽Have聽any聽perfectly good聽clothing you no longer wear? Bring it to the Pop-Up Swap Shop to trade for new-to-you shirts, pants, dresses, and more! No clothing to swap?聽聽No problem! Commit to a sustainable habit OR donate any fabric scraps on hand to earn free clothing!

罢丑别听Pop Up聽Swap Shop聽runs in聽downstairs Moseley every Monday (4-6 pm) and Friday (3:30-6 pm) during the Spring 2026 semester.

8:00-9:00 p.m. | SUSTAINABLE FASHION SHOW | GREAT HALL, SATO COMMONS

Join us for a student-led sustainable fashion show celebrating the creativity and potential of upcycled fashion! Featuring three main themes of聽comfy, casual, and classy, student designers and聽models are聽showcasing聽the endless possibilities of sustainable styles! Come early to enjoy sustainable sweets and a scrap fruit mocktail prior to the show!

Sunday, April 26

1 – 3 p.m. | ZERO WASTE BASEBALL GAME | LATHAM PARK

Join us at Latham Park for a Zero Waste Baseball Game鈥攚here cheering for 黑料不打烊 also means cheering for the planet! Enjoy the game while helping us reduce landfill waste through composting and recycling.聽Come learn聽how small actions can make聽a big difference聽and help us show that game day can be both fun and sustainable.

Hayhoe is the chief scientist for聽The Nature聽Conservancy and a Horn Distinguished Professor and endowed professor of public policy and public law at Texas Tech University. She has served as a lead author for the second, third and fourth U.S. National Climate Assessments. She is the author of the best-selling book 鈥淪aving Us: A Climate Scientist鈥檚 Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.鈥� Hayhoe has been named to lists including the TIME 100 Most Influential People and Fortune鈥檚 50 World鈥檚 Greatest Leaders.

Hayhoe鈥檚 talk will focus on the importance of calling for systemic change聽to聽tackle the climate crisis.聽Many people are eager to learn what they can do as individuals to help address climate change.聽While聽personal聽actions聽are important,聽Hayhoe emphasizes that聽solving聽climate change聽is dependent on people using their voices to help build a better future.

Hayhoe is also the creator of 鈥淭alking Climate鈥�,聽an online聽newsletter that shares helpful climate science and solutions through weekly聽climate聽updates, positive聽climate聽stories and more.聽

To view the full schedule of Earth Week events聽and read more about the聽upcoming聽keynote, visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.聽聽

罢丑别听黑料不打烊聽Farmer鈥檚 Market聽runs聽every Thursday at the 黑料不打烊 Community Church parking lot from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (271 N. Williamson Ave., 黑料不打烊). Typical items sold at the market include fruits and vegetables, seasonal聽fresh-cut聽flowers, homemade bread,聽eggs聽and聽more.

Other聽occasional聽and聽guest聽vendors聽sell items including聽pottery,聽jewelry, crafts,聽clothing聽and聽apothecary products.聽Additionally,聽Alamance County Public Libraries聽attends the Farmer鈥檚 Market every other week聽to encourage聽residents to take advantage of the books and library resources available in Alamance聽County.

鈥淲e love when 黑料不打烊 students and faculty not only shop but also聽participate聽in the market,” said Sarah Bass, the manager of the farmer’s market. “We have had many students聽participate聽as guest vendors and musicians. We also have a professor selling her artwork at the market this season鈥�.

黑料不打烊鈥檚 Office of Sustainability will be tabling during聽opening聽day of聽the Farmer鈥檚 market聽about聽鈥渦gly鈥� produce聽and shopping sustainably. For more information on the聽Farmer鈥檚 Market, visit the聽聽For聽additional聽information on sustainability-related events at 黑料不打烊, visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.

The Haw River stretches 110聽miles,聽and tributaries of the Haw River extend through several counties聽(including Alamance County), providing drinking water and recreational opportunities to residents.

鈥淎s a聽current聽intern聽and past Eco-Rep聽for the Office of Sustainability at 黑料不打烊, I have been able to聽learn how聽sustainability聽is applicable聽to many different聽fields聽and聽areas of study. Now as an聽intern for the Haw River Assembly, I have an even greater understanding of how聽sustainability聽is important in addressing聽both human and environmental health,鈥� Campbell said.

Campbell’s role as an intern for the Haw River Assembly is to聽conduct surveys of聽several聽streams and tributaries聽in the Haw River watershed with the goal of聽contributing聽to聽research聽on the聽overall聽health of the聽watershed. Data collection includes biological and chemical parameters, as well as macroinvertebrate sampling.聽Macroinvertebrates聽are聽organisms that can be seen without a microscope. Stream macroinvertebrates聽are good indicators of聽water quality since聽different types聽have varying tolerances to pollution. Pollution-sensitive macroinvertebrates, such as stoneflies and caddisflies,聽for example,聽can only be found in聽good quality聽water.

The Haw River Assembly has several opportunities for community members to get involved聽in helping to protect the river, including educational events聽and聽.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Haw River Assembly may聽聽on events and聽information聽or view the聽.

鈥淚 work to ensure that when conversations are happening about programming or policy, we as student representatives are also considering the impacts on people, the planet, and prosperity,鈥� Costa-Helmsteadt聽said

In addition to聽meeting regularly聽with other members of聽Student聽Government, Costa-Helmsteadt also聽works聽with聽the聽Environmental Advisory聽Council聽at 黑料不打烊. The council is聽comprised聽of聽faculty,聽staff聽and students聽and聽serves聽to聽raise awareness of environmental issues and sustainable practices.

Through her work as both an Eco-Rep and SGA senator, Marielle has聽gained a broader understanding of sustainability and聽emphasized聽how it can relate to many聽different aspects聽of everyday聽life.

鈥淭hrough these roles,聽I鈥檝e聽learned a lot about the policy side of sustainable work,”聽Costa-Helmsteadt said. “I鈥檝e聽also realized that people often think of sustainability as more complicated than it really is.聽In reality, it聽can be embedded into everyday choices and systems with intentionality and collective action.鈥�

Finally,聽Costa-Helmsteadt hopes that through her work she can help show other students at 黑料不打烊 how they can incorporate sustainability into their own lives easily.

鈥淚 love being in these positions because聽they鈥檝e聽shown me that sustainability聽doesn鈥檛聽have to be overwhelming,” she said. “Through my work, I hope to keep聽demonstrating聽to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 community that sustainability can be as simple as choosing reusable options at events, being mindful about where funding is directed, or just pausing to consider how a decision impacts people, the planet, and long-term prosperity!”

Visit the聽SGA website聽to view the full list of representatives from each academic and undergraduate college.聽For more information on sustainability聽initiatives and events聽at 黑料不打烊, visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.

Lauren Hill 鈥�24 graduated from 黑料不打烊 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering. During her time at 黑料不打烊,聽she聽worked as an Intern for the Office of Sustainability, where she regularly attended the Sustainable Alumni Speaker Series.聽Lauren聽also聽participated聽in聽the Sustainable Alumni Speaker Series as an聽黑料不打烊 graduate聽in聽September聽2025.

Hill currently works聽for聽the North聽Carolina Department of Environmental Quality聽as a permit engineer within the Division of Waste Management.聽Her responsibilities include聽reviewing permit applications for large composting facilities, which聽helps聽support public health and the environment.

罢丑别听Sustainable聽Alumni聽Speaker Series helped to show Hill, as an 黑料不打烊 student, that the path to finding a job in a sustainable career is rarely linear.

鈥淯p until you graduate, you鈥檙e always聽in聽a really set path,鈥� Hill聽observed.

Additionally, hearing from several different alumni聽working in sustainability聽helped聽her聽to gain a broader perspective of how different the job path聽can be for everyone.

鈥淢y biggest takeaway from the speaker series that I attended and something I really felt when I was looking for a job is just how different that journey is for everyone,鈥� she聽said.

Students may view upcoming Sustainable Alumni Speaker Series on the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 events webpage.聽Students may聽聽to virtual meetings.聽聽For more information on upcoming sustainability-related聽events聽across campus,聽please visit the聽.

The Sustainability Research Grants were聽initiated聽through the Class of 2010鈥檚 gift to the University.聽聽Sustainability聽research聽clearly addresses the concept of sustainability, furthers understanding of the interdependence of ecological and social/economic systems, or focuses on a major sustainability challenge. 罢丑别听聽illustrate the breadth of sustainability and major sustainability challenges.

Zachary Diamond聽is a聽senior聽at 黑料不打烊聽and聽a聽Sustainability Research聽Grant recipient.聽He聽is majoring in聽Environmental and Ecological Sciences and聽Statistics with a minor in GIS.

鈥淥ver the past three years,聽I鈥檝e聽been conducting a sustainability-focused research project examining how different soil amendments (biochar, basalt rock dust, and used coffee grounds) influence soil organic carbon, pH, cation exchange capacity, and overall turfgrass health. The broader goal of the project is to evaluate whether alternative, lower-input soil amendments can improve soil function and carbon storage in managed landscapes such as lawns and golf courses,鈥澛燚iamond said.

Zachary first found out about the Sustainability Research Scholars through聽faculty in the聽Environmental Science聽department. The grant has allowed him to聽purchase the necessary materials to test soil samples聽as part of his field experiment. It聽has also聽allowed him to present聽his findings聽at聽the ASA-CSSA-SSSA CANVAS Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah and connect with other聽scientists.聽More broadly,聽this聽research experience has helped him to grow his聽skills in data analysis聽and聽experimental design聽as well as聽improve聽his聽ability to communicate science to a wide variety of audiences.

鈥淎fter interning this past summer at Vineyard Golf Club, a nationally recognized and preeminent organic golf course, I will be returning after graduation in May, where I hope to continue applying sustainability-focused agronomic management practices in the field,” said Diamond.

For more information on how to apply for the Sustainability Research Grant,聽visit聽聽黑料不打烊鈥檚聽Endowed Grants聽website. The application聽is available聽.聽聽Grant applications聽will be accepted until聽March 13 at 5 p.m.聽For more information on the Sustainability Research Scholars and聽other聽sustainable programs聽and initiatives聽at 黑料不打烊, please visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.

Oaks Originals聽is a Doherty Center for聽Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship program that provides student business owners with opportunities to聽showcase聽their products to the 黑料不打烊 community.聽Students聽are able to access聽pop-ups,聽workshops,聽networking聽and聽consulting聽events that help them聽to聽further their聽journeys聽as entrepreneurs.

Many聽student聽business聽owners at 黑料不打烊聽have worked to incorporate sustainability into their products and designs.

Shriya Baru ’25 is an accounting major at 黑料不打烊, and her business, Kolis USA, started as a passion project that allowed her to channel her creative interests, and has grown into a lifestyle brand that incorporates Indian design聽through handcrafted products including candles,聽jewelry聽and accessories.聽Oaks Originals has allowed Baru to further her passion for entrepreneurship while聽maintaining聽a commitment to sustainability in various forms.

鈥淜OLIS connects to sustainability through small-batch, handcrafted production that minimizes waste, reusable candle jars and durable materials, reduces transportation impact, and a focuses on cultural sustainability,” Baru said.

Noah Elliott ’28, is an economics and financial technology major whose business,聽Elliott Ringworks, makes and sells fine jewelry. Throughout his time at 黑料不打烊, Elliott聽has become particularly interested in how business聽and management connect to jewelry making. His聽jewelry-making process involves聽the聽recycling of聽silver聽and metal scraps:

鈥淚 take my old scraps from聽previous聽projects, such as off-cuts and old rings. I then combine that with new silver in the form of a coin and heat it up to 1763 degrees. It all melts together and I can pour it out into usable ingots and make more jewelry out of it,” said Elliott.

For more information on student vendors at Oak Originals,聽visit this聽link.聽For more information on student groups involved with sustainability on campus, please visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.

Laura Miller聽has聽worked聽as聽a gardener at 黑料不打烊 for two years. Having lived in Alamance County since 2000, she previously taught horticulture to adults with special needs at Alamance聽Community College.聽She mentioned how much 黑料不打烊 has meant to her and the community she has built over her time working here.

鈥淚 look forward to coming to work, rain or shine or snow.鈥澛燤iller noted.

While she enjoys pruning and聽maintaining聽plants as well as getting rid of any invasive species, Laura says her favorite thing about working at 黑料不打烊 is the community,聽adding聽that she聽values every interaction with students,聽staff聽and faculty.

Gardeners at 黑料不打烊 work in and around the聽Historic neighborhood, Academic Village, Young Commons,聽Belk Library,聽Moseley, Koury Gym, Global Neighborhood and Loy Center.聽They聽work聽not only聽to keep campus looking beautiful, but they are invaluable in keeping campus safe and accessible for the entire 黑料不打烊 community.聽They also聽keep paths and walkways clean,聽remove trash, prune聽plants to聽maintain聽their health聽and growth and remove unhealthy plants.聽Much of their work is done in the early hours of the morning.

While trash removal is part of a聽gardeners鈥櫬爅ob at 黑料不打烊, excessive litter and trash left outside of trash or recycling bins creates聽more work聽for聽gardeners. As a聽result, they聽have less time to聽maintain聽plants and landscaping around campus.

鈥淓very minute we spend picking up trash is time we are not spending on pruning, planting, watering and fertilizing,鈥� Miller mentioned.

Aside from taking away from the beauty of campus,聽litter creates environmental hazards, as well.

鈥淭rash often includes things that could be recycled, but聽they’ll聽never be recycled if they are on a walkway or in the shrubs,” she said. “And if we聽don’t聽catch it soon enough, it ends up in storm drains and into our water system, which is even worse.鈥�

While gardeners have many roles at 黑料不打烊 and dedicate much of their time to caring for 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus,聽Miller聽especially聽emphasized just聽how much聽黑料不打烊鈥檚 gardeners聽truly care聽about students鈥� success and safety:

鈥淲e聽truly care聽about this campus, but more importantly, we care about you as students,” said Miller. “We want you to have聽a great experience聽here, wonderful classes, make great friends, be safe and enjoy a gorgeous campus.鈥�

The ability to enjoy a gorgeous campus is made possible by 黑料不打烊鈥檚 gardeners, but students聽also聽have聽a large role聽to play in keeping 黑料不打烊 looking beautiful for future students聽and visitors聽to enjoy.

鈥淣o matter where you go in life, you will always have your degree from聽EU. By keeping the campus clean, you are continuing that legacy, encouraging more students to come here, and donors to continue to support us,鈥澛燼dded聽Miller.

Students are encouraged to take care to dispose of trash properly every聽time聽they聽host a social event or gathering, or even聽while聽walking to daily classes.聽Encouraging聽friends to do the same聽is also聽a great way聽to create positive change in聽the 黑料不打烊 community and beyond.

Miller’s tips to reduce litter:

1. Always throw away聽your聽trash,聽including cans and other beverage聽containers聽in the proper bin (recycle if possible!)
2. Use reusable cups if possible and when hosting social gatherings- encourage your friends to do the same!
3. Throw away receipts or ask for one not to be printed to minimize waste

For more information on waste reduction聽initiatives at 黑料不打烊, visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.

By using real-world 黑料不打烊 systems for projects, students can learn about sustainability innovation on campus and help improve systems in real time. Students, faculty and staff are also able to and browse potential project ideas.聽

Sophie Remisio ’27 is a Lumen Scholar at 黑料不打烊, majoring in environmental engineering and applied math. She first became interested in conducting sustainability research while taking an engineering class and learning about the impacts of fertilizer and eutrophication on water bodies.

Her current research explores the use of sorbents to remove PFAS from drinking water. Through this experience, however, she became aware of the large amount of plastic waste generated in the lab setting. She is currently working on developing a regenerative water filter to remove contaminants while addressing waste accumulation, combining her passions for engineering and sustainability.

For students interested in sustainability research but who are unsure of where to start, Remisio mentioned the importance of connecting with professors and peers.

鈥淯se your resources,鈥� she encouraged. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e interested in sustainability but don鈥檛 know where to begin, reflect on what piques your interest the most in a field.鈥�

Students are eligible to apply for research funding through the Sustainability Research Grant program each spring semester. One student is awarded $1000 each academic year for research related to sustainability.

For more information on Campus as a Living Lab, please visit the Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.