It might be the end of Earth Day, but there are still plenty of events around campus, in Evanston and in Chicago to celebrate.
Earth Day Fair at Norris University Center
Tuesday, April 23, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. in the Wildcat Room 101
Hosted by SustainNU, this is Northwestern’s first Earth Day fair. Learn more about sustainability and campus initiatives from student organizations, departments and groups from the Evanston community. There will also be a place to register your bike and pick up a helmet as well as enter giveaways, including one for AirPods!
Defining and Enacting Food Sovereignty Through Native American Farming and Gardening Projects
Tuesday, April 23, 5:00 p.m. in Kresge 2350
Elizabeth Hoover, an assistant professor at Brown University, will be giving a talk about food sovereignty. At Brown, she teaches courses about environmental health and justice and food movements, focusing on Native American communities and Indigenous cultures.
Earth Month Arbor Day Tree Planting
Friday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Rock
Plant a willow or oak tree on Northwestern’s campus on Friday, April 26. There will be two shifts with lunch served between them. Participants will meet at the Rock before planting trees on the Lakefill or in the Sculpture Garden.
Saturday, April 27 from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at various Evanston locations
Help clean up Evanston parks and other public spaces with other members of the community, and stop by the Evanston Ecology Center between 9:00 a.m. to noon for other Earth Day events, seed plantings and an indoors farmers’ market.
Screenings of “Before the Flood”
Multiple screenings from Monday, April 22 to Saturday, April 27 at various times and locations
One Earth Film Festival is holding a mini film festival this week where they plan to show “Before the Flood,” which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and is presented by National Geographic. In “Before the Flood,” DiCaprio travels to five continents and meets with political leaders to learn about and discuss the threats of climate change.
Although you can show your love for the planet during Earth Day, it’s important to also make sustainable choices in your everyday life. Here are a few ways you can reduce your waste and make a positive impact on the environment:
Bring a reusable cup to Starbucks or any other local coffee shop! Besides saving the environment, you could also be saving money. Starbucks, yes, Norbucks included, gives anyone who brings a reusable cup a 10-cent discount. You can buy a reusable venti cold cup (with a plastic-free straw!) from Norbucks for $3.00.
Put all those reusable water bottles from Wildcat Welcome to good use! Instead of picking up a water bottle from Mod for your meal exchange, bring your own bottle and fill it up at one of the water fountains in Norris. Similarly, bring those reusable bags from Wildcat Welcome or Big Bite Night for your next trip to Target.
If you want to do even more, join and support environmental activism groups on campus. Fossil Free NU and Real Food NU are looking for new members. Fossil Free NU is working to get Northwestern to divest from fossil fuels and reinvest in eco-friendly companies while Real Food NU strives to make the university’s food system more sustainable. Additionally, you can email the senior vice president for business and finance at Northwestern, Craig Johnson, to encourage him to increase funding for sustainNU.
Happy Earth Day!