Parkland College‘s Sustainable Campus Committee and future Student Sustainability Club is ringing in Earth Day with Earth Week, featuring daily events from April 19 to April 21 to lead up to Earth Day on April 22.
From Parkland’s press release:
Earth Week Activities at Parkland College
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Parkland’s Sustainable Campus Committee and soon-to-be-activated Parkland Student Sustainability Club are proud to announce a series of events leading up to Earth Day (April 22). Please join us in the Student Union building, room U142 (which opens to the Union cafeteria stage) for activities and presentations aimed at lowering your environmental footprint and improving Parkland’s sustainability performance. Each day focuses on a different thematic area.
Tuesday, April 19: Sustainable Transportation
As a commuter campus, a significant portion of Parkland’s carbon footprint is attributed to transportation impacts. Learn about existing options to lower your part of that impact, and how Parkland can plan and build for further reductions in transportation impacts. Mass transit and bicycling are also healthier options: learn about the health benefits of sustainable transportation alternatives.9am-10am: Join Ben Leroy, Associate Planner with the City of Champaign, to learn about how Parkland connects to Champaign’s transportation infrastructure and what we can do to support both better connectivity and a larger percentage of bicycle and bus commuters.
11am-1pm: Come provide your ideas and input on how Parkland’s campus can be more connected, accessible, and encouraging of outdoor activity for people of all ages and abilities. We’ll have a big map and idea board to record ideas.
- Bike maintenance and tune-up demonstration with Neutral Cycle
- Strategies and financial implications of car-free living
- Mapping out campus walking paths for fitness
- Find resources from MTD to help make bussing to campus easy and economical.
Wednesday, April 20: Eat Local!
You are what you eat! Here are some local alternatives for healthy eating while supporting your community.11am-1pm:
- Try samples and browse a pop-up mini grocery store of local foods including produce, bread, gelato and coffee from Prairie Fruits Farm, Blue Moon Farm, Sola Gratia Farm, Great Harvest Bread, and Columbia Street Roastery.
- Learn how to make great seasonal meals with pointers and recipes from community-supported agricultural businesses in our region.
- Find out about the Champaign Farmers Market’s double-your-money purchasing incentive program for individuals and families who qualify for SNAP benefits.
- Hear how the Wesley Food Pantry helps reduce food insecurity right here in Chambana, and about opportunities to both use this community resource and volunteer to support its mission.
- Check out the sun using a solar telescope, and learn about the science of the seasons from the Parkland Astronomy Club.
Thursday, April 21: DIY Green
How can you make your day-to-day activities healthier and more environmentally responsible? Come join us for a series of activities that will save you money, reduce your exposure to chemicals of concern, and lighten your environmental impact all at the same time.11am-1pm:
- Green cleaning: learn about the simple, low-toxic products that can be used instead of commercial cleaning products. They are effective and safer for family and pets.
- Natural personal care products: store-bought personal care products and cosmetics can contain chemical toxins and hormone-disruptors. Find out how to make your own personal care products to save both money and the environment!
- Receive a small dose of toxicology! Learn about the health impacts of home cleaning and personal care products from the Parkland Science Club.
- Paper or plastic? Neither! Bring a used T-shirt and we’ll help make it into a one-of-a-kind reusable shopping tote!
- Become water-wise at home: learn how to check your toilet tank for silent leaks that could be costing your household hundreds of dollars a year in unneeded water and sewer charges. And bring home water-saving faucet aerators and showerheads (while supplies last) that will lower your utility bills the minute you install them. We’ll give demonstrations on how to easily install these money- and resource-saving devices.
