NSU’s Green Sharks Sustainability Club is hosting their fifth annual Earth Day celebration with a tabling event. The event will take place on April 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in front of the Alvin Sherman Library.
The theme of this year’s Earth Day celebration is showcasing the diversity of sustainability. Topics that will be explored at the event will include recycling, sustainable farming, public health, conservation of resources, water and air quality, renewable energy, social justice and building efficiency.
According to Justin Gaffney, the vice president of NSU’s Green Sharks Sustainability Club, “The Chemistry Club will be [at the event], talking about green chemistry and what it is and how it reduces waste. It is going to be like Community Fest in that you can just walk around. [Sustainability] is not just picking up trash, even businesses can have good sustainable practices. Reduce, reuse, recycle, that’s really the key aspect of it.”
The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, to protest oil spills, pollutions, toxic waste dumps, deforestation, extinction of flora and fauna and overall the destruction of the environment. It drew support from both the Democratic and Republican parties.
According to Earth Day Network, an international network of environmental activists that organizes world-wide environmental movements, “The first Earth Day had led to the creation of the United States E P A and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.” By showing the diversity of sustainability at this year’s Earth Day celebration, NSU’s Green Sharks Sustainability Club plans to continue the original purpose of raising awareness of environmental issues.
“I’ve seen a lot change [at NSU]. We are not a very sustainable campus, we do waste a lot. That is something that we [as a university] need to focus on. But I can’t say that without saying that I do see that we are [focusing on it now]. We are wrapping up Recycle Mania now. We had our biggest record ever. Over 200,000 pounds of waste [was] recycled,” said Gaffney.
The Green Sharks Sustainability Club is looking for organizations to come and table at the Earth Day celebration. To sign up to table at the Earth Day celebration contact Gaffney at jg2702@mynsu.nova.edu.
