Earth Week 2012 will feature more than 15 on-and-off-campus, sustainability-themed events.
The University of Idaho Sustainability Center coordinated events every day this week that includes documentaries, demonstrations and a concert.
“This is something we started last year making an Earth Week Planning Committee,” said Adria Mead, student programs coordinator for the Sustainability Center. “We searched the student organization list, emailed professors and contacted city organizations asking if they want to be a part of the planning committee.”
Mead said groups met in December to brainstorm what they wanted to accomplish during Earth Week.
“Each group takes on events and more and more people want to get involved in planning,” Mead said. “I think it’s important for the university to do this because the Earth Week events create a place to get involved and interact in the community beyond your club or office.”
Mead recommended three events in particular.
“I think the Wednesday trail mix event is an important event for people to go to,” Mead said. “It’s a spinoff of the sustainable cooking classes and they get free trail mix and get to learn about local food options.”
Mead also said the bike fix event on Thursday is worth attending.
“This year instead of the center putting on the event, a student is putting it on through a mini-grant he received,” Mead said. “Because of the mini-grant he is able to subsidize bike lights and sell them for $2 when they normally cost around $30.”
She said experts will be available to fix minor problems and offer advice for bike trails.
Lastly, she recommends the Friday concert.
“A bunch of organizations will be tabling, but also Patty’s will have free tacos and three local bands will play throughout the day,” Mead said, adding that it’s really great to see the event get bigger and bigger and see so many different people come together for the week.
The City of Moscow will host three Earth Week events, including a Sustainability Fair from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday in Friendship Square.
“It’s more of an informational fair so all the sustainability programs will be there so citizens can learn more about it and community groups will be there as well,” said Brady McNall, City of Moscow intern. “It’s a good way for citizens to come out and learn about how they can be more sustainable.”
McNall said this is the first year the city has hosted such an event, although it has offered other informational programming in the past.
“In the past we have had individual days that would only get two or three people so we combined them all so people can see all we can offer,” McNall said.
He said anyone interested in getting involved should contact him at [email protected].
Friday there will be a city cleanup, also starting in Friendship Square.
“Anybody interested is encouraged to come to Friendship Square and spend a few hours going through downtown,” said Jen Pfiffner, assistant to the city supervisor. “Depending on the number of volunteers we might expand.”
Pfiffner said the event aims to clean up downtown for UI’s graduation by sweeping, picking up trash and raking.
She said the city will have one other sustainability-themed event Saturday, where groups will walk routes proposed for the Neighborhood Greenway — a project from the Active Living Task Force.
“The greenway is a designated route for a shared road, where people could expect there to be more walkers and bikers,” Pfiffner said. “We have two routes in mind, so on Saturday we will have groups walk it and give feedback, what’s good and what’s bad. We will then take that and use it when making the final plan.”
For a complete list of events, visit uidaho.edu/sustainability/uisustainabilitycenter/earthweek2012.
Katy Sword can be reached at [email protected]