MWCC Celebrates Earth Day!

MWCC commemorated the 41^st anniversary of Earth Day by emphasizing the many simple ways people can make a difference to the environment through recycling, energy conservation and choosing reusable products over disposable ones, coinciding with Earth Day 2011's theme of "A Billion Acts of Green."

Due to the college’s decision two years ago to switch to a Monday-through-Thursday class schedule to allow students and employees to conserve on gas, the activities took place today, a day in advance of Earth Day.

MWCC’s Student Life office, Campus Activities Team for Students (CATS), the student sustainability club The Green Society, and the Energy Management and Natural Resources academic programs sponsored activities in the South Café and Commons area.

Members of The Green Society sold CFL bulbs, LED nightlights and reusable bamboo utensils, and a number of organizations were on campus to promote their environmental initiatives. Presenters included MASSRides and Miller’s Watershed. The musical group The Hickory Strings provided entertainment.

In addition, students in the Health, Nutrition and Sustainability Honors Colloquium displayed information from research projects exploring the historical, cultural and political influences on our food, food sources and the provision of food, as well as the health implications of these influences. The students will present their research tomorrow on Earth Day during the 17th annual Undergraduate Research Conference at UMass, Amherst.

Through MWCC's renewable energy initiatives and the growing emphasis nationally on “going green,” students are now more aware than ever of the meaning of Earth Day. “Our students get to see the biomass plant, wind turbines and the work on campus and in the community conducted by The Green Society,” said Greg Clement, assistant dean of student services. “The college leads by example. What the college does influences everyone else.”

“Students are more aware today than 10 years ago about new initiatives and new ways to help protect the environment,” added Dr. Thomas Montagno, biology professor and advisor to The Green Society.

Pictured: Members of The Green Society helped celebrate Earth Day 2011. From left, Rosemary Mruk, Mike Crowley and Joe Berube.

- Guest post & photo by Kim Anderson, Marketing & Communications Department intern