Earth Week

The amount of paper used in the U.S. every year could build a 12 foot wall around the entire country.

This random fact, among many others, may be found for any who walk down Utah State University’s sidewalks this week. These statements across campus attest that this week has been Earth Week.

The week featured many events to try to raise awareness of the issues that the planet faces today.

These events and activities for the week included a free store where anyone could drop off or take items they like, as well as a rock concert on Monday. A showing of the documentary Tapped was held Tuesday, and a display about USU’s Powder Wagon was featured on Wednesday as well as a bike parade. Thursday morning there was a farmer’s market and later that day a presentation on cooking with local food. The week concluded on Friday with the sustainability fair and the giving away of an iPad 3.

This is the first Earth Week that has taken place at USU. The week arose from a sustainable living course offered on campus and taught by Rosalynn Brain, an assistant professor at USU.

“It just kind of emerged from a conversation I had with the students and it blew up into what it is now. I teach community based social marketing. I figure that it’s better for students to learn about the basics of sustainability and then have them foster sustainable behaviors across campus and actually try to make a difference,” Brain said. “We didn’t think we were going to do a whole week dedicated to sustainability. It actually just blossomed out of the first week of class where I joked about doing an earth week and then here we are and it’s actually happening.”

“Basically everyone split into group projects,” said Evan Millsap, a student of the class and member of the recycling group for the week. “We’ve been working on our projects for the whole semester, all these sustainable initiatives.”

The class hopes to raise enough awareness that people will make a change in their daily lives.

“We hope with all our efforts, people will walk away with at least one thing that they are going to change,” Brain said.

“All of this was planned by the students,” Brain said. “They coordinated all of this by themselves. I gave them the foundation and they have just run with it.”