Elon's Office of Sustainability Moved Earth Week Online
Earth Week graphic designed by Office of Sustainability's Comminication Intern Sarah Bellinger. (Photo provided by @elonsustainability Instagram account.)
From Monday, April 20 to Friday, April 24, Elon Sustainability is celebrating digital Earth Week.
Nobody expected that Earth Day would fall during a time when so many people are stuck inside and most parks are closed, but Elon Sustainability is doing what they can to keep the Earth Day spirit alive. The Office of Sustainability has exciting activities planned for each day of the week, all of which are fun, eco-friendly and easy to participate in no matter where you are.
If you do the eco-activity of the day and send evidence to @elonsustainability on Instagram or via email to sustainability@elon.edu, you have the chance to win a sustainability goody bag and a hammock! The more activities you participate in, the better chance you have of winning. Here’s what you can do…
On Monday:
Keep track of all your trash. Ask yourself if it is necessary to throw out every item. At the end of the day, send in a picture of your trash.
On Tuesday:
Elon Sustainability will circulate a helpful infographic. Afterward, let Elon Sustainability know one fact you learned about the Green New Deal.
On Wednesday:
Take a quiz on the impact of plant-based eating, created by members of Elon’s Animal Protection Alliance. If you get all the answers right, you can win a reusable straw or utensils.
On Thursday:
Watch “Fenceline: A Company Town Divided” on Kanopy. This is a documentary about Shell Oil and the community where they are based. Then, let Elon Sustainability know something you learned from the movie!
On Friday:
Elon Sustainability will be sending out some plant-based recipes! Let them know which one you’re most excited to try.
Elon Sustainability will also be hosting live events that students can access remotely in addition to the daily activities. You can look forward to a live-streamed yoga class from a certified instructor and a collaging wellness event live-streamed by Eco-Rep Lilly Santiago. We caught up with Santiago to learn more.
“We’re trying to raise awareness about sustainability,” she said about Elon Sustainability’s goals for Earth Week.
While Elon Sustainability is making the best out of a bad situation to spread this message, Earth Week was originally planned to be a bigger celebration had everyone still been on campus.
Last year, Santiago said her favorite part of Earth Week was doing a partnership with Irazu. They made reused coffee grinds into body scrubs. She was planning on repeating this event before the semester was disrupted.
“I honestly just miss that event a lot,” she said.
Until we can all get back to on-campus sustainability events, Santiago’s recommendation is to just stay mindful and do the little things to stay green.
“Use this time to research what you can do and think about how you can pivot later on to make a change. It doesn’t have to be huge,” she said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. There’s people that want to make a difference, but they feel like it’s a lot of pressure, and really, it’s super simple habits.”
This might include using a reusable water bottle or turning off the lights when you leave a room. Her most important tip, however, is about recycling.
Santiago rode a smoothie bike last year during an Elon Sustainability event for Earth Week. (Photo provided by Lilly Santiago)
“It’s okay if something isn’t recyclable,” Santiago said. “Just don’t put it in the recycling [bin] with everything else if it’s not [recyclable] and ruin the whole thing.”
Santiago also said there’s only so much we can do to help the environment even while in quarantine.
“You’re not always going to have chances to be sustainable, and that’s okay,” she said. “But when you have the chance, you should try your best.”
To learn more about how to be green from home and how to celebrate the Earth this week, stay updated with Elon Sustainability!