The University’s Environmental Action Group feels that the environment should be always be a concern for University students. However, the group is working especially hard this week to bring environmental concerns to the students.
EAG is holding its annual Earth Week this week with activities planned through Friday in an effort to inform members of the University about what they can do to help the environment.
“We need to raise awareness of environmental issues, and Earth Week is a good way to do that,” said Sarah Cech, president of EAG. “A lot of people don’t take environmental issues beyond recycling, so this is a great way to see that there are more things they can do.”
One of those ways that students may not be aware of is controlled birth, which will be the focus of a speech on campus this week. “We want to make them aware of population issues and let them know what steps we can take,” Cech said.
Other events that are being held include an Earth Day Fair today at the Union Oval, where organizations such as the Wood County Solid Waste District will have tables to inform the public about environmental issues.
Tomorrow, what’s called a critical mass will be held. Members of EAG and anyone else who is interested will meet in front of the Union to ride bikes down Wooster and Main Streets.
According to Rebecca Smith, member of EAG and one of the Earth Week organizers, the bike ride is intended to show that there are other forms of transportation besides automobiles.
“In general, the most important issue (during Earth Week) is climate change,” she said. “Driving individual cars is putting emissions into our air that is deterring our general climate.”
More important to EAG than holding the week-long events is that University students take part in them. According to Cech, last year’s Earth Week events were well attended, and she does not expect this year to be any different.
“I expect it to go pretty well,” she said. “Everything that’s taken place so far has gone really well, and I expect everything else to go just as well.”
While EAG is holding events all week, the groups members realize that not everyone on campus will take notice.
“If one person notices, we’ve made a difference,” Cech said.
However, Smith said she hopes more than one person notices and that all students will begin being more environmentally conscious.
“I would hope they understand that their everyday lives have a major impact around the world and that they can change what they do,” she said, “and those changes can make a difference.”
