April is Earth Month, and Worcester State University offers many ways for its community to promote protecting and saving the environment, including a lecture from the state’s head of environmental affairs, food-waste tracking, cleanups, and household-items recycling. The events are coordinated by the Office of Sustainability, and various campus groups are leading each.
To participate in upcoming Earth Month events, sign up online.
The Urban Studies Club sponsored a cleanup, together with the Regional Environmental Council, of the Hadwen Arboretum on April 7, to kick off WSU’s month-long series of events, and on April 9, the Department of Earth, Environment, and Physics held an Environmental Movie Night, where they showed “Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution” directed by James Redford.
The Honorable John J. Binienda Center for Civic Engagement is sponsoring a volunteer event on Saturday, April 14, when it is partnering with Working for Worcester to bring volunteers to two elementary schools that are building “buddy benches.” To volunteer, send an email mwagner2@worcester.edu.
The Stop Food Waste Event began on April 13 and will take place again on April 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help WSU’s food service provider, Chartwells, track the amount of food disposed of during a three-week charitable competition. Volunteers will receive a free POD lunch, which is where the food tracking takes place.
A cleanup at Patch Pond will be held on Friday, April 20, at 1:30 p.m., when volunteers will gather behind Dowden Hall. Pizza and a free t-shirt will be provided for volunteers after the cleanup. Sign up by sending an email to green@worcester.edu.
An Earth Day lecture by the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew A. Beaton will be offered on Wednesday, April 25, at 1 p.m. in the Sheehan Hall Multipurpose Room.
The day after the lecture, April 26, the third annual Neighborhood Cleanup will be taking place beginning at 2 p.m. from the May Street Building. Along with the staff of Office of Sustainability, volunteers will be cleaning up in the areas around the Chandler/May Street intersection. Volunteers will get a free t-shirt and pizza after the cleanup. Sign up at green@worcester.edu.
To conclude the April portion of Earth Month, the E-Waste and Shred Collection Day will be held on Friday, April 27, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first floor of the WSU parking garage. This is an “almost free” electronics collection and shredding event for all students, faculty, and staff. The only items that require a fee to dispose of are old-style TVs and CRT computer monitors, at 25 cents per pound. Flat-panel TVs and monitors are free. Anything with a plug will be accepted EXCEPT air conditioners, microwaves, dehumidifiers, white goods (refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers etc.), and fluorescent and CFL bulbs.
Extending into May, the Office of Sustainability offers multiple days to participate in the “Ditch the Dumpster” event, and volunteers are needed. Established as a way for students moving out of the residence halls to recycle what might otherwise be tossed, the event has grown to include all members of the WSU community, and anyone can bring in lightly used items for immediate donation. (There will not be a Fall Yard Sale in 2018, so this is the only opportunity to donate such items at WSU.)
There are 10 possible days to volunteer and/or donate, starting on May 2, when donation boxes will be set out. All days of the event will start at 9 a.m. and will end at lunchtime. All volunteers receive a t-shirt and a pizza lunch, and one lucky volunteer will receive a grand prize at the conclusion of the event. Details and signup information is available online.
Beyond the Classroom
Civic Engagement and Community Service Recognized at Campus Event
Helping new immigrants learn English, restoring an historic tropical grove that had been ravaged by a hurricane, and reaching out to help the hungry get the nourishment they need. The Worcester State . . .