With Earth Day fast approaching, the Syracuse University community is prepared to mark the occasion with a number of events spearheaded by the Sustainability Division of Energy Systems and Sustainability Management, Sustainability Initiatives, SU Students of Sustainability and NYPIRG SU/ESF. Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22 in the United States since 1970, was created to raise awareness of and support for global efforts to protect the environment.
The University will begin its observance Sunday, April 19, in Thornden Park during Earthfest, a sustainable music festival scheduled from noon to 6 p.m. The event will be hosted in the park’s amphitheater, and will feature a lineup of student bands and speakers, food trucks, student organizations and local artists. The event is free and open to the public, but there will be food and other items for sale during the event. Earthfest will open with a yoga session at 11:30 a.m., and will officially kick off off at noon with music.
The festival is presented by the Sustainability Division, the campus group Students of Sustainability and the New York Public Interest Research Group. Attendees will be able to donate to Syracuse Grows, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting urban community gardens.
Sustainability Initiatives will hold its research poster session the following day, Monday, April 20, from 3-5 p.m. in 114A Bird Library. The presentation will showcase the findings of student research and proposals entered into the campus sustainability project competition. The competition’s winner will see his or her plan implemented on the University campus.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Students of Sustainability will host the documentary “Bring It Home” in Watson Theater at 7 pm,
On Thursday, April 23, the Sustainability Division will host an e-waste event for all campus community members who have SU IDs. The event is for household e-waste and is being offered to help community members dispose of their e-waste in an environmental fashion. This event will be hosted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Comstock Avenue side of the Life Sciences building. The holding line for vehicles will be in the No Parking Delivery Lane.
Story by Michael Helfenbein, work-study in the Office of News Services
