The UMD Campus might look a little different this April; perhaps a little greener. Activities to celebrate Earth month abound. Attend any of these events to learn, discuss, explore, and even create!
Check out a listing of events below or CLICK on the calendar to the right to see a schedule of events: 30 Days of Green!
April 17: UMD Campus Beautification and Clean-Up
What: Help make the UMD campus a cleaner and healthier place!
When: Saturday, April 17th from 11 am - 1pm
Where: Several locations around the UMD campus
How: Contact Brian Bluhm with the Office of Civic Engagement (bluh0020@d.umn.edu, 726-6623) to sign up. Volunteers will form teams to concentrate on a particular area of campus and enjoy some pizza for lunch at 1pm.
Why: For the benefit of students, staff, faculty, the community and campus visitors; in honor of Earth Day; to prevent campus trash from spreading into the neighboring community and down the hill into Lake Superior
April 20 and April 22: Edible Landscape project & garden construction
What: Using food as part of UMD landscaping!
When: Gardens will be built April 20 and April 22, from 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Where: Outside courtyard on top of the MWAH building, near the upper greenhouse
Professor Randy Hanson's Urban Ecology Class, UMD Facilities Management and other volunteers will be constructing small campus food gardens from 8:30-10a.m on both April 20 and April 22. Note: volunteers needed for watering and maintenance over the summer. There will also be a need for additional volunteers for harvest events in the fall. Contact Brian Bluhm with the Office of Civic Engagement (bluh0020@d.umn.edu, 726-6623 to sign up. (Note: volunteer positions are open to UMD students, faculty & staff for liability reasons.)
April 21 - UMD Sustainability Update 2010 and UMD Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Update.
What: Find out how UMD sustainability efforts are going and how you can help.
When: Wednesday, April 21, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Where: UMD Library rotunda.
Refreshments begin at 11:30 am with lecture and questions/answers begin at noon. Mindy Granley, UMD Campus Sustainability Coordinator will give an update on sustainability efforts in UMD operations, academics, and administration. An opportunity for comments and questions on UMD's current Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) will also be a focus.
For more information: Candice Richards, crichar1@d.umn.edu, 726-8261 or Mindy Granley mgranley@d.umn.edu , 726-8198
April 22: UMD Spring Sustainability Fair
What: Celebrate Earth Day by attending the Spring Sustainability Fair! The Fair's theme is Art + Design.
Where: UMD Kirby Student Center/Kirby Lounge
When: Thursday, April 22, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
WHAT CAN I DO AT THE FAIR?
o Attend an engaging talk with community experts (Location: UMD Kirby Lounge):
10am: Architect David Salmela, FAIA presents A Macro and Micro Look at Sustainability. David will present a broad look at sustainability in design and construction of buildings
11am Sustainability in the Community: Pastor David Carlson talks about sustainability efforts, Natural Step training, and changes at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
12 pm Susan Meyers, UMD Masters of Fine Art student, will discuss the Art for Healing Project
1 p.m. Ryan Jordan: Music and social change.
o Visit community, UMD, and vendor interactive booths (Location: Kirby Student Center Hallway) Includes: Cut Loose Creations, Peace Coffee, Jes Durfee Glass Creations, Boreal Natives, KUMD, UMD Stores, Kirby Leadership Institute, UMD Office of Civic Engagement, UMD Office of Sustainability, UMD Sustainable Agriculture Project, UMD Civic Engineering Student Projects, Interactive Art Booths (work to be created by passers-by - inspired by artists Leslie Bohnenkamp and Judy Onofrio) and more.
o Stop by the UMD Stores Express to check out the Recycled-Re-Used and Social Justice Art Showcase (UMD Student and Duluth area elementary school art inspired by artist Big Al Carter. Art created through UMD Masters of Liberal Studies Student Susan Meyers project Imagine: Creating a Journey into Healing through Art. Art will be on display from Monday, April 19th - Friday, April 23rd.
* Funding for portions of the Sustainability Fair was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
April 24: Better Neighbors City Clean-Up
What: UMD students make a positive impact on the Duluth Community!
When: Saturday, April 24, 1 pm - 3 pm
Where: Meet in Portland Square (10th Ave E and 4th St), then disperse in teams to pick up garbage throughout the east hillside and neighborhoods surrounding the UMD campus.
How: Contact Thomas DeMinico @ https://wm3.d.umn.edu/horde3/imp/message.php?mailbox=INBOX&index=93 to sign up or if you have questions. Sign up by Wednesday, April 21.
Why: The Clean-Up is a great volunteer opportunity and shows student commitment and support to our community. Come enjoy free food and drink, win great prizes, and make a difference in Duluth at this year's Better Neighbors City Clean-Up!
April 26: Overman Lecture on The Roadmap to Energy Independence
What: Author Joseph Shuster will speak on The Roadmap to Energy Independence
When: Monday, April 26, 7:00 pm
Where: Weber Music Hall
Joseph Shuster is the author of Beyond Fossil Fools: The Road to Energy Independence. Come hear Mr. Shuster's plan: trade Energy Foolishness for Energy Independence. Join this important conversation about the future of energy as Mr. Shuster outlines how we must urgently map a new energy direction to avert energy disasters that loom on the horizon.
April 29: Bike-To-School Fest
What: Bike to School Fest
When: Thursday, April 29, 11 am - 4pm
Where: Outside on the Kirby Bus Hub plaza
Do you bike to UMD? Wonder how to care for your bike? Then bike (or board, bus, blade or even walk!) to the Kirby Bus Hub for the second annual Bike-to-School Fest! The purpose is to encourage UMD staff and students to tread a bit more gently on the earth by biking, walking, boarding, blading, and busing to UMD. Stop by for information on local bike trails, talk to Fit City Duluth about healthy ways to commute, learn how to load your bike on a DTA bus bike rack, register for prizes (including an individual covered and secure storage locker on campus for your bike!), and find out more about biking in Duluth. Tables from local organizations and businesses will be located outside near Kirby bus hub.
This event is sponsored by the Student Sustainability Coalition and the UMD Cycling Club. For more information, contact Mindy Granley, Sustainability Coordinator 726-8198 or mgranley@d.umn.edu or Hannah Schoof, Sustainability Intern in Health Education, at schoo076@d.umn.edu
* Funding for portions of the Bike-to-School Fest was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
April 29: Duluth Bike Route Network Public Meeting
What: Public meeting to discuss biking and/or walking issues in the community.
When: Thursday, April 29, 6:00 pm.
Where: Garden Room, UMD
Ever wish Duluth had marked bike paths and bike lanes? Bike enthusiasts are invited to give feedback about biking and walking in the City of Duluth and at UMD. For more information: contact Codie Leseman at 218-940-3186 or lesem002@d.umn.edu
Food Film Fest: throughout April
Are we what we eat? The Minnestoa Public Interest Research Group at UMD (MPIRG) is sponsoring a month of food-related films. Learn about the economic, health and environmental ramifications from the everyday food choices we make:
April 12: Dirt! - Kirby Lounge at 4:00pm
April 21: Food Inc. - Montague 80 at 4:00pm
April 22: King Corn – Kirby 333 at 6:00 pm
April 26: Super Size Me – Kirby 333 at 6:00 pm
If you can't make it to any of the sustainability events, you can still pitch in for campus sustainability by signing the UMD Energy Pledge. If we each take small actions every day, the results will add up. Saving energy, reducing emissions and saving money are all part of helping sustainability efforts at UMD. The Pledge asks for simple, everyday actions that anyone can do: from enabling energy saving settings on computers, to turning off lights, to ramping up your recycling habit. Join now at: www.d.umn.edu/sustain
Did you know? UMD Stores is going bagless for April. More info Ann Pellant: apellant@d.umn.edu or 726-8540.
Demonstrate commitment to saving energy on campus by signing the UMD Energy Pledge. Not only will you be helping to reduce environmental impacts, together we will save money on utility bills for our campus.
What is the Energy Pledge?
It is a list of 10 simple actions everyone can take to help reduce energy use on campus. Take the pledge online, and chose some (or ALL) of the simple everyday actions suggested, such as enabling energy-saving settings on computer. turning off lights when leaving a room, avoiding space heaters, and more.
Why is reducing energy use at UMD important?
UMD emits 5.5 metric tons of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions each year for every student on campus. That's 33 pounds per student each day. To visualize how much this really is, think of it this way: for each UMD student, we emit enough CO2-equivalent emissions to fill two and a half 2-liter bottles every MINUTE.
How does the Energy Pledge work?
Three easy steps:
1. Click on the "Take Pledge Here" box to the left
2. Fill out the survey by checking all actions you pledge to take.
3. Click "Submit" when finished.
What else can I do?
To reduce energy use in other ways both on and off campus, consider these easy options:
· Use cold water whenever possible, especially when doing laundry
· Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes
· Print on both sides of the paper
· Use reusable bags and water bottles
· Reduce fuel use in your vehicle by driving sensibly, keeping your tires properly inflated, and combining errands
