Students Allied for a Green Earth (SAGE), completed yet another successful volunteer clean-up Sunday, Oct 8.

The student organization addresses environmental and sustainability issues of all types through programming like these bi-weekly clean-up sessions. Members walk around campus picking up any garbage or recycling laying on the ground. The clean-ups became a scheduled priority event a year ago, according to Co-President Lorenzo Backhaus.

“When it is nice out about 12 to 15 people will show up for the clean-up, and when it isn’t about 6 to 8 people will show,” Backhaus said.

Attending the clean-ups is really important to members like Corbin Marucco, a sophomore who never missed a single event. For Marucco, Students Allied for a Green Earth is an organization that does more than help the environment. The organization helped him meet like-minded people who became his best friends through their environmental advocacy.

“SAGE is the highlight of the week, every week,” member John Brand said.

Brand is proud of SAGE’s efforts such as a pipeline resolution that was passed last year. UW-Whitewater became the first university to pass a pipeline resolution with the help of SAGE, he said. This is one of many reasons Brand recommends joining the organization.

Sunday cleanups are not for SAGE members only, and he urges students to get

Involved in caring for the planet.

“We will take all the help we can get,” said Brand.

SAGE meetings are held at 6 p.m. every Wednesday in Heide Hall Room 101. There, SAGE members discuss news and events before break up into committees of food justice, waste, green house/aquaponics and clean energy.

For more information on SAGE or Sunday cleanups, email [email protected].