Reflecting on a successful Earth Week

Taking a proactive approach, the Office of Sustainability established an “Earth Week Committee” comprised of student organizations and departments interested in contributing to Earth Week. Through this collaboration, a week of fun and exciting events were developed and publicized throughout campus garnering the attention of the NU community. “It was really exciting to see a lot of new faces,” stated Sustainability Communications Coordinator Allison Potteiger.

There were more than 15 events and programs during the week, focusing on various topics such as alternative transportation options, sustainable meat, climate change, and campus waste. During the “What is sustainable meat?” potluck, attendees learned the importance of making use of an entire animal and balancing your purchase of premium cuts such as steak with a couple pounds of ground chuck. Facilities Management took the time to teach students how to plant trees on Arbor Day. Roosevelt Institute’s “No Impact Challenge” got participants thinking about how much waste they produce. The topic of climate change was covered in the screening of “The Island President” and Howard Leaner’s lecture.

The Office of Sustainability is delighted by the hard work of the organizers and the broad reach Earth Week had this year.