Students promote protecting the environment with Environmental Week and Earth Day celebrations. 

The Student Government Association hosted Environmental Week from April 18 to 22, including various events to bring awareness to issues in the environment. Other clubs and groups, such as Vegetarian Club and Hispanic Student Union, had their own events and stations to encourage students to help the environment.

Environmental Week is held annually by the SGA environmental protection committee. Chase DeBruyn, SGA administrative vice president of environmental protection, chaired the committee. 

“The more people who appreciate the environment, the more people who will want to protect the environment,” DeBruyn said. “I hope students get from Environmental Week an increased awareness and knowledge about the environment both as students and citizens.”

Environmental Week consisted of various events to increase awareness about the environment. Throughout the week, students were encouraged to come together and give away various items, such as food and plant succulents.

The Hispanic Student Union participated in Environmental Week by giving away free plants to students as well as hosting other activities to bring people together at Rice Plaza on Thursday. 

“We wanted to celebrate Earth Day, and we are giving out some free succulent plants as well as having free food and some canvas painting just to have the students come together,” said Franchesca Laurencio, president of the Hispanic Student Union.

Alexandria Allison, sophomore nursing major, and Madison Williams, freshman biology major, sold succulent plants at the Breezeway all week for Alpha Sigma Tau. 

“Each succulent is $5, and all of the proceeds go to keep Evansville beautiful,” Allison said.  “It’s just something we can do to help make the Earth a little bit better.” 

Mary Stoll, advisor to the Vegetarian Club, Philosophy Club and SustainAbility, said the clubs held a few events in collaboration with each other. Some of those included a picnic and a showing of a documentary called Reinventing Power, which showcased jobs in renewable energy. 

“Veg Club hopes that people look at the impacts of their diet on the planet,” Stoll said. “One of the biggest things, according to the United Nations, that an individual can do to reduce their greenhouse gas emission impacts is to change your diet. The lower you eat down on the food chain, the less resources get used.”

Lauren Pilkington, senior radio and television major, who attended most of the events said she enjoyed Environmental Week overall.

“I think that USI and each club involved did a great job bringing the community together to celebrate Earth Day and the end of the year,” Pilkington said.

DeBruyn said, “It’s going to be important that our generation has an increased vigor for environmental protection and activism as climate change gets worse.”