It’s Earth Week this week and the UIUC Environmental Communications course created a “7 Days to Sustainability” campaign that will help students make changes to make positive impacts on the environment.
From the release:
Champaign, Illinois – This Earth Week, April 19th- April 26th, students at the University of Illinois are gearing up to change their unsustainable habits! A UIUC Environmental Communications course has created a “7 Days to Sustainability Campaign” that advises students on simple changes they can make in their daily lives to reduce their environmental impact.
The Environmental Communications course consists of 25 students with majors as diverse as Geology and French. Throughout the semester, students have learned about environmental issues and strategies for mobilizing and educating the public through traditional and social media outlets.
Each day of Earth Week the campaign will focus on one eco-friendly product or practice:
Monday, April 20th: Buy local food by supporting the Student Sustainable Farm selling produce on the Quad: The average distance food travels in distribution is 1,500 miles. Buying local saves energy and transportation costs.
Tuesday, April 21st: Donate/Sell your clothes to Karen’s Kloset (Mattis Ave) & Habitat for Humanity Restore (University Ave): The average American trashes 65 lbs of textiles each year.
Wednesday, April 22: Use toxic free cleaners, check the labels for “danger or fatal if swallowed or inhaled”: 1 out of every 3 chemical cleaning products contains ingredients known to cause human health or environmental problems.
Thursday, April 23: Recycle used electronics at Best Buy & Staples: Recycling one lithium ion cell phone battery prevents the contamination of up to 60,000 liters of water (3 swimming pools).
Friday, April 24: Check personal hygiene products labels for “Triclosan”: This major ingredient in toothpaste and soaps can interfere with muscle activity and hormone regulation.
Saturday April 25: Recycle old office supplies at the IDEA Store: The average American uses up to 700 lbs of paper a year, but only half of that amount is recycled.
Sunday, April 26th: Recycle your furniture at the end of the school year through the YMCA “Dump and Run” Sale: 90% of furniture contains wood, which can be recycled. The campaign features a 3-minute video addressing the themes and an appealing infographic.
Additionally, the campaign will have a strong social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and “Earth Week is an important event that raises awareness for sustainability and provides students with an outlet for acting upon environmental issues,” said Drew O’Bryan, president of the UIUC Students for Environmental Concerns. We encourage everyone to participate in the 7 Days to Sustainability by liking/sharing our social media posts and incorporating these actions into their habits this Earth Week and beyond. Every small change is significant in mitigating environmental harm and safeguarding our health.
