Earth Week
Each year, UW Oshkosh celebrates Earth Day with a week-long series of events. The goal of Earth Week is to highlight local and global environmental issues and to encourage students, faculty and staff to take action, as individuals and communities, to create a more sustainable world.
The week (or more) of events, which includes speakers, film series, workshops, demonstrations, tree plantings, and more, offers plenty of opportunities to get involved. Come join in—all events are free and open to the public.
Earth Week 2012: Taking Action for People, Place, and Planet
Schedule of events for April 15-21
NOTE CHANGES IN LOCATIONS AND TIMES HIGHLIGHTED BELOW FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
Sunday, April 15
Interactive Collaboration with artist David Hamlow
10:00 am- 4:00 pm Outside between Reeve Union and Polk Library and in the Reeve Union/Steinhilber Gallery, located on the 3rd floor of Reeve Union.
David Hamlow (of Drop City Redux, featured in the Steinhilber Gallery from April 16-28) records his daily life by saving, sorting and arranging the commercial packaging and detritus of his daily consumption. His latest project, Archival Structure 7, is the last in a series of geodesic sphere shapes, each around 5-feet in diameter, each made from boxboard packaging saved from purchases between 1993-2003. (See series at: http://davidhamlow.com).
David will be working with UW Oshkosh student volunteers to create a second version of Archival Structure 7 at UWO, allowing us to “jointly continuing this exploration of a creative response to our consumption and the (seeming) tedium of daily life.”
Student volunteers and classes are welcome- please contact Emmet Sandburg (sandbere@uwosh.edu) for more information.
Monday, April 16
Prairie Planting
9:00 am - 1:00 pm Next to lot 13, near Kolf and the Tennis Courts
Join UW Oshkosh staff and students in planting wildflowers to beautify the campus, add native species, and clean water draining from campus. Tools and gloves provided.
Individuals and entire classes are welcome; please contact Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu) for more information.
Interactive collaboration with artist David Hamlow
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Outside between Reeve Union and Polk Library and in the Reeve Union/Steinhilber Gallery, located on the 3rd floor of Reeve Union. (See description for Sundat event above)
Earth Week Banquet: Brad Bulin of the Yellowstone Association
6:00 - 9:00 pm Reeve Union Ballroom, 227BC
An annual tradition! Eat a delicious, largely organic meal (with plenty of vegetarian options) while enjoying a presentation by Brad Bulin of the Yellowstone Association, who will present stunning visual images and discuss “Perspectives from Public Lands: Wolves at Yellowstone and in Wisconsin”.
Value of the meal is $20; donations to cover the cost are appreciated! Make sure to pick up your ticket at Titan Central in the Reeve Union to reserve your spot.
Tuesday, April 17
Tree Planting
9:00 -10:00 am Waterfront, near Student Rec and Wellness Center
Help expand the urban forest by planting trees. Tools provided.
Individuals and entire classes are welcome; please contact Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu) for more information.
Green Living Fair
10:00 am – 2:00 pm Reeve Union Concourse and Reeve 202
Come learn about techniques and tools to make your home and community a healthier and more sustainable place! This hands-on fair will feature green certification programs for campus residents, offices and events; demonstrations of practices, products, and services including local art and handicrafts; tips for raising a sustainable baby; gardening; canning; home energy assessments; constructing solar cookers; bike workshops, and more. All are welcome!
If you would like to table or demonstrate a practice, please contact Stephanie Spehar (spehars@uwosh.edu).
Living Sustainably, In the City and Off the Grid
4:00 - 5:00 pm Reeve Union 306
Amanda Bramble of the Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center in New Mexico (http://www.ampersandproject.org/) and Tim Vargo of the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee http://www.urbanecologycenter.org) will speak about their work and the possibilities and challenges for creating a more sustainable way of life. Tim Vargo will also be available before the talk to speak with students about possible internships.
Wednesday, April 18
Tree Planting
POSTPONED TO FRIDAY APRIL 27 (NEXT WEEK) DUE TO WEATHER
9:00-10:00 am Location: Biodigester and Campus Services Building, 650 Witzel Ave. (It’s a 20-minute walk from campus, a 10 minute bike ride across the bridge, or call the UW Oshkosh Shuttle at 424-7426 for a pickup from any building on campus).
Description: Help expand the urban forest by planting trees. Tools provided. Individuals and entire classes are welcome; please contact Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu) for more information.
Green Living Fair
10:00 am – 2:00 pm Reeve Union Concourse and Reeve 202
(See description above for Tuesday).
Shantython and Fair Trade Coffee Roasting for Compas de Nicaragua
10:00 am – 2:00 pm Outside Reeve Union Concourse
Stop by to learn about global housing issues by seeing the construction of a sheet-metal shanty like the sort more than 1 billion shantytown dwellers worldwide live in. UWO study abroad students will be building and sleeping in the shanty, as well as roasting and selling fair trade coffee from a farmer's coop in Nicaragua that they worked with in January. Come pound a nail, have a cup of joe, and donate to help support the non-profit organization Compas de Nicaragua.
Workshop on Experimental Sustainable Structures with Amanda Bramble
NEW LOCATION
2:30 - 4:30 pm (drop in and stay as long as you can) Outside Reeve Union Concourse
Like playing in the mud? Join this hands-on workshop that will explore the basics of building with earth. Together we will build a cob sculpture for the garden.
Thursday, April 19
Tree Planting
ANOTHER NEW LOCATION AND TIME
10:00 am Arts & Communication Bldg, Elmwood Ave.
Help expand the urban forest by planting trees. Tools provided. Individuals and entire classes are welcome; please contact Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu) for more information.
Sustainability Goes International: Stories from Study and Service-Learning Abroad
5:00 - 6:30 pm Reeve Union 215
In this multi-media presentation, UW Oshkosh students, faculty, and staff who journeyed to Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Tanzania in 2012 will share writings, stories, photos, videos, magazines, crafts, and fair trade coffee stemming from their travel experiences. Beyond educating and inspiring the Oshkosh community about sustainability issues facing Central America and East Africa, the voices and images shared at this event will help create lasting links between UW Oshkosh and our partner communities around the world. Featuring participants from Alternative Spring Break (led by Mike Lueder), Writing Community Development in Nicaragua (led by Douglas Haynes), and Activism, Gender, and Social Justice in Tanzania (Brad Spanbauer).
Film Screening: “The Last Mountain”
7:00 – 9:00 pm Reeve Union Theatre, Reeve 307
Director’s Statement: The central front in the battle for America’s energy future, with enormous consequences for the health and economic prospects of every citizen, is the fight for Appalachian coal. In valleys and on mountaintops throughout the heart of the eastern seaboard, the coal industry detonates the explosive power of a Hiroshima bomb each and every week, shredding timeless landscape to bring coal wealth to a few, and leaving devastated communities and poisoned water to many. With politicians siding with their corporate donors, it falls to a rag tag army of local activists to stand alone for the welfare of their families, their heritage and for a principled and sound energy future. Our film is their film – the uplifting story of the power of ordinary citizens to remake the future when they have the determination and courage to do so. (http://thelastmountainmovie.com/)
Friday, April 20
UW Oshkosh – Responsibilities and Actions in Support of Clean Water
10:20 am - 11:20 am Reeve Unioon 213
Talk by Steve Arndt, Director of Facilities Management and Co-Chair of the Campus Sustainability Council
Riverfront Cleanup
11:30 am -- 12:30 pm, Boathouse/Environmental Research & Innovation Center on Pearl Avenue
Help with Spring Cleaning for the Fox River waterfront and the WIOUWASH Trail through campus. Tools provided. Individuals and entire classes are welcome; please contact Mike Lizotte (lizotte@uwosh.edu) for more information.
Improving Efficiency in Biodigesters
12:40-1:40 pm Halsey 266
Talk by Brad Spanbauer, Master’s Student in Biology at UW Oshkosh
Saturday, April 21
Garden Planting Party
10:00 am- 2:00 pm 3rd Avenue Gardens (Across the River: cross the Wisconsin Street Bridge, continue on Ohio Street, take a right onto 3rd Ave. It’s a 20-minute walk from campus, or a 10 minute bike ride)
Come help the UWO Community Garden Club plant tomatoes, beans, potatoes, and much more. Lots of work to be done, and we would appreciate your help. We will be filling raised beds with soil, building trellises, and sharing our knowledge on composting. There will be free food. Students will also be able to sign up for individual plots for the summer at the party. Check our Facebook page for more information: http://www.facebook.com/groups/2223913112/
