Permaculture design students hanging the Earth Day banner on the campus garden gate are, from left, Lukas Howe, Gabi Hunt, Abby Shamray, Rachel Evans, Colin Machat, Tammy Quach, Yasmine Vargas and Jinny McIlvaine.
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Join Seton Hall University’s celebration during the week of April 18 through 22, as the university brings the campus community together to inspire change and action, to address local and global environmental issues. There will be educational programs, contests, games and outdoor fun for everyone. Participants are invited to plant seeds in the campus garden, play games on the green, take a yoga class outside, eat healthy food and indulge in some free ice cream.
“This Earth Week celebration is in deep harmony with the Catholic mission of Seton Hall and it follows the call of Pope Francis for Catholic universities to promote environmental education,” Judith Stark, professor of philosophy and director of the Environmental Studies Program, said in a press release. “Seton Hall is in the perfect position to infuse vibrant spirituality and ethical principles into environmental awareness and action. We have the science and understand public policy. The challenge is to bring our ethical principles to bear on the tremendous environmental challenges we all face. Seton Hall is poised to play a vital role in this effort with initiatives like Earth Week 2016.”
Events will include the second Eco-Fest on the Green on Monday, April 18. Featured activities include outdoor yoga, gratitude circle, food trucks, student club tables with contests and prizes sponsored by Coca-Cola. On Wednesday, April 20, the Ecology Club will host a Rainforest Alliance coffee and chocolate tasting in the evening. On Earth Day, Friday, April 22, everyone is invited into the campus garden next to Xavier Hall to plant seeds and grapevines and learn about growing organic food. All events are open to the community and will take place on Seton Hall’s South Orange campus, located at 400 South Orange Ave.
“We know climate change is real. We are bringing together the campus community to highlight global and local environmental issues as well as solutions which we can all take part in. This is about students and the Seton Hall community taking action in whatever way they choose, to respect the earth and to say thank you for the beauty and abundance it provides,” Wanda Knapik, environmental studies professor and director of the campus garden, said in the release.
Ecology Club leader Andriana Fragola is one of the many students helping to grow a greener campus. “I joined the Ecology Club because I have always been an avid environmentalist. I have a deep passion for nature and being outside,” she said. “I hope to raise awareness for the environmental issues that exist today and help students realize that they can make a difference. I hope to turn students into stewards for the Earth.”
A complete list of events and activities done in collaboration with the Petersheim Academic Symposium can be found at https://www.shu.edu/news/celebrate-earth-week-with-the-ecology-club.cfm. For more information about Earth Week, contact Wanda Knapik at wanda.knapik@shu.edu or 973-761-9022.
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