In its journey to improve sustainability on campus, the Earth Week Committee continues the “Connected by Rivers and Roads” events today through tomorrow.
“Throughout American history, transportation has been an essential ingredient,” Sustainability Coordinator Wesley Enterline said. “This year, we examine the environmental threats posed to our river systems and the environmental threats caused by fossil fuel vehicles and how we are responding.”
UW-Whitewater celebrates Earth Week with guest speakers, expositions, a film festival and new technology including electric vehicles. The week’s events began Monday and continue through tomorrow.
Enterline said tomorrow is the most eventful day.
Two guest speakers will bring the electric vehicle showing by companies such as Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Nissan and Toyota.
Chad Pregracke will discuss his work cleaning up the Mississippi River system and Paul Scott will discuss the continued transition to electric vehicles and the obstacles this technology faces for widespread adoption, Enterline said.
Another big event tomorrow will be the Earth Week Expo, which features a wide variety of local businesses and volunteer organizations that all work toward sustainability in their own ways.
According to Enterline, Earth Week is a reminder that making a difference isn’t hard, it’s just the littlest things that students and workers forget, such as turning off a light.
“Turning off electronics and lights when you are done using them, recycling properly, driving less or use carpooling services like Zimride, and avoiding excessive consumerism helps,” Enterline said.
As the cliché goes, every little bit makes a difference according to Enterline.
The Earth Week Committee is receiving help from Creative Marketing Unlimited, a conjunction with American Marketing Association
CMU will be promoting Earth Week for the first time by hosting a table inside of Hyland Hall, which will have a challenge to sort the items on a table into either ‘recyclable’ or ‘non-recyclable’ items.
Senior account executive Jake Struck said they have been working with the UW-Whitewater Sustainability Department all semester, creating new ways to promote Earth Week and to raise awareness of sustainable behaviors on campus.
“The purpose of this event is to not only raise awareness about Earth Week, but sustainability as a whole on campus,” Struck said. “The recycling challenge will educate participants on what items are actually recyclable.”
