At a glance
The Earth day celebration is a popular annual gathering at the University of Washington. This year marks the 45th anniversary… Read full summary
- Funding received
- 2015-2016
- Small
- Awarded
- $1,000
- Funding partners
-
- Services and Activities Fee (SAF)
The Earth day celebration is a popular annual gathering at the University of Washington. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the event. On April 22nd, 2015 the event was put on by UW’s student run Earth Club and assisted by the UW sustainability staff. The goal of the organizers is to bring as many people together as they can to talk about our planet and sustainability. This year the celebration was located in Red Square in the center of campus. Thousands of people gathered to enjoy live music, free food and talk with the dozens of organizations who represented themselves with booths and tables.
Events like Earth Day are very important to sustainability at the University of Washington. They are effective outreach tools and help get thousands of people involved in sustainability on campus. The various clubs that table the event cover a broad range of environmental topics, from eating locally and being sustainable in your daily life, to thinking globally and getting involved in national policy. Many people who would not interact with groups focused on the environment are attracted to the sights, smells and sounds of the various events in Red Square. They mingle with the other students, speak with some of the student groups and RSOs and leave with a greater knowledge of what their peers are doing to make a difference to sustainability locally as well as globally.
The $1,000 that the CSF put towards Earth Day funded the rental of tents and tables for the event. With several dozen groups tabling and a few large tents the event was able to include a wide variety of sustainable groups. Other expenses included: purchasing compostable cups, renting a PA system and printing advertisements and decorations to promote the event. In addition to the CSF, the Earth club also received funding from ASUW and the College of the Environment.
Earth Club is requesting $999 from the CSF Small Projects Fund for the Earth Day 2016 Celebration. The purpose of Earth Day Celebration is to come together and celebrate the 46th Earth Day here on the University of Washington Seattle campus. It will create an opportunity for people throughout the entire campus including undergraduate, graduate and professional environmental active UW students to meet and network with local sustainability focused businesses and vendors, present their original work and come together to connect with campus environmental and sustainability groups, therefore contributing to a more sustainable campus. On April 22nd 2016, there will be an exhibitors fair for various environmental groups, the Husky Green Awards from the College of Environment and live music from Rainy Dawg Radio- all on Red Square from 10-3. ·
Brief explanation of how the project will meet the requirements and preferences of the CSF:
Environmental Impact
On Earth Day, the exhibitors fair and stage performances plan to attract more than 10,000 students and community members on campus who will find the opportunity to explore the environmental stewardship on campus and learn what they could do to contribute to reduce the school’s environmental impact. The groups tabling at our booths focus on specific environmental issues including reducing carbon emissions, effective usage of solar power, reducing pollutants and so on. Visitors will be able to help with signature gathering for certain groups as well as learn how to create a sustainable campus through small actions daily.
Student Leadership & Involvement
The Earth Day 2016 Celebration is primarily organized by student-oriented Earth Day planning committee and facilitated by UW Sustainability staff members. Coordinated by Earth Club members Lauren Rowe, James Bao, and Sierra Kross, the planning committee consists of around 8 student leaders from various environmental groups on campus, including Earth Club, SEED, and CSF. The leadership of the planning committee and generous help from UW Sustainability have played a crucial role in determining the trajectory of the Earth Day 2016 celebration.
Education, Outreach, & Behavior Change
Since the celebration is projected to attract more than 10,000 visitors, the exhibitors’ fair would essentially be an environmental educational outreach for the entire campus community. Visitors will be able to connect with various campus sustainability groups and thus increasing their awareness of the environment.
Feasibility, Accountability, & Sustainability
The UW Sustainability staff members who have experiences of Earth Day celebrations planning are facilitating the planning process. They have helped our committee connect with the College of Environment, UW Recycling, HFS and other on-campus departments, as well as with acquiring permits and general logistics. Moreover, the students in the committee have already worked various environmental groups, which makes them equipped with leadership and project management skills that can contribute to the successful completion of the celebration. We have already obtained approval for using Red Square for April 22nd, permits for outside sustainable vendors giving out food on campus and so on. Our planning team is equipped with skills that will enable us to plan the celebration successfully.
James Bao
Project lead
- jambao24@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Student
Toren Elste
Team member
- tee10@uw.edu
- Affiliation
- Faculty