Making an impact on environment for Earth Month
Each year, the UW-Whitewater Sustainability Office joins a variety of partners across both campuses and the wider community to create fun and educational events for Earth Month throughout April. This month is chosen because Earth Day was established on April 22, 1970 by former Wisconsin Governor and Senator Gaylord Nelson. We are proud to celebrate this holiday’s tradition by finding a variety of ways to recognize the various environmental issues that impact our lives and our University.
Our collective impact on Earth was beginning to become apparent in 1970 because there was excessive pollution and rivers were so contaminated, they would literally start on fire. Legislation like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act helped reduce the severity of these problems, but many modern environmental problems like climate change or species loss are more invisible. Now, more than ever, it is important to recognize that we do have an impact on Nature and we have a responsibility as stewards of this planet to help preserve the quality of our environment for future generations to enjoy. And since most college students represent that future generation of adults, most of all, we do this work for you and your future.
It may seem like students cannot have much of an impact on big environmental issues. It is also challenging to make eco-conscious decisions when many of your purchasing or consumption options are not affordable or within your direct control. Often, it is simple daily decisions that you may overlook that can have an impact on the greater good. When many people do the same small things, it can add up to a pretty significant impact.
Deciding to walk or bike instead of driving from your local apartment may not save a lot of fuel, but it does help you reduce your own cost of fuel and vehicle repairs. Deciding to eat the occasional plant-based meals or even growing your own produce will help reduce your personal carbon footprint and may provide you with healthier options. Finding ways to make your own household cleaners, as you can learn more about at our Going Green event with SAGE on April 18, can be a fun activity that will also save you a little money. Turning off lights and appliances reduces our electricity bills. Proper recycling lowers the cost of waste collection because we don’t need to pay a landfill to store those materials. All of these small acts have a measurable impact.
If you want to join us for our recognition of Earth Month, please visit our website to see the detailed schedule. Our events are just small acts that we can do to help share the message of environmental stewardship that is at the core of sustainability. We invite you to make your own small act and join us at an event, reach out to learn more about what you can do or ask questions you might have, and together we can have a positive impact as the UW-Whitewater community. Our event schedule can be found at https://www.uww.edu/sustainability/earth-month-2024