Events and programs to celebrate Earth Day on UW campus

A number events and programs have been planned by various organizations to celebrate Earth Day on the UW campus. Earth Day is observed annually on Sunday, April 22, by more than 175 countries worldwide.

Throughout the month of April, Wisconsin Public Television celebrates Earth Day with viewing selections that bring awareness to environmental issues and encourage respect for the planet. Programs on environmentally related topics are scheduled for April 20, 22 and 25.

On the morning of Friday, April 20, WISPIRG Energy Service Corps members will work with WISPIRG Students’ Big Red Go Green campaign to host activities on the UW–Madison campus to celebrate environmental stewardship and raise awareness about environmental issues. In the afternoon, WISPIRG members and volunteers will perform direct service in the community. Service activities may include energy efficiency surveys in a neighborhood to help people save money on their energy bills while helping the environment, or working with a local high school to promote environmentally sound practices.

UW Health is recognizing Earth Day on Wednesday, April 25, by hosting a booth at UW Hospital that will include UW Health Green STEPS information, UW Hospital and Clinics’ designation as an Mpower Business Champion in Madison and a trivia contest for staff. The purpose is to continue raising awareness about the ‘greening’ of UW Health and our consciousness about reducing toxic emissions in our community.

Also on Wednesday, April 25, in partnership with All Campus Party, the Morgridge Center for Public Service is sponsoring an event called “Bucky’s Community Cleanup” from 3-5 p.m. at Library Mall.

Interior Design students from UW Madison will participate in the Madison Museum of Contemporary Arts 2012 Design MMOCA, April 26-May 6. They will present their project, “Creating Calm after the Storm-Restorative Environments for Families in Need of Temporary Shelter,” in which the students created a prototype shelter that might be used to provide temporary private family space within a large public disaster relief center. For the project, students used cardboard and other sustainable materials.

Finally, each year around Earth Day, staff at the Center for Limnology and the Water Science Engineering Lab have a “Trash Party” where employees are invited to grab a garbage bag, gloves and pick up trash along Lakeshore Path. This year’s event is on Tuesday, April 24 at 11:45 a.m.

– By Kylie Peterson