The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, marked a turning point for American environmentalism—20 million Americans participated in the nationwide event that many consider the catalyst for the modern environmental movement.
“Our long history of environmental action and commitment to sustainability on campus certainly influences our celebration of Earth Day,” said Brad Spanbauer, associate lecturer in the biology department. “I think that since the inception of Earth Day has such direct ties to Wisconsin, environmental stewardship is really a part of our heritage, and I think we really exhibit that at UW Oshkosh.”
For sustainability intern and environmental studies major Kasey Stewart, Earth Week is a way to acknowledge the progress that has been made with environmental issues while raising awareness for issues that still need to be addressed.
“It’s a way for the UWO community to come together outside the classroom and network with people working on these issues in the field, get our hands dirty with direct action on campus like shoreland restoration at Shapiro Park, or stretch our theoretical and cultural knowledge with diverse speakers,” Stewart said.
Earth Week events span diverse topics covering all the tenets of sustainability and are meant to provide attendees with more knowledge and confidence to share that knowledge.
“The Earth Week events are designed to improve attendees’ level of awareness about the state of the world and increase their level of concern for the issues, so that they may be better positioned to make informed choices about how to take action in their daily lives,” said Brian Kermath, sustainability director. “Having an impact demands that people adjust their lives to reduce their ecological footprint and that they become active in shaping the kinds of public policies that are needed for a meaningful and just transition to a sustainable world.”
“I hope Earth Week at UW Oshkosh challenges our campus community to reflect on their actions and how they impact the planet and that they can learn something new from one of the events,” Spanbauer said.
Earth Week events include keynote speaker Brent Loken, executive director and co-founder of Integrated Conservation; an e-waste collection day; a biking session, Fair Trade film viewing, music and more. See the full schedule of events at uwosh.edu/go/earthweek.
“Regardless of political, religious or cultural affiliations we all have to exist on this planet together so we need to find a way to do so today that will leave the next generation better off, not with more problems,” Stewart said. “And we must do that in the context of the environmental limits of our planet. There is only so much usable water, air, soil, etc. It’ll work out a lot better for humanity if we recognize that ahead of it running out and act responsibly to take care of it.”
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