Earth Day Celebration turns Lawrence green

Wild Firth plays during the celebration. Photos by Hitkarsh Chanana
Wild Firth plays during the celebration. Photos by Hitkarsh Chanana

Last Saturday, April 23, Lawrentians enjoyed the sunshine outside Main Hall green while participating in fun and earth-friendly activities during the annual Greenfire Earth Day Celebration. This is a part of Greenfire’s mission to educate the Lawrence community about a variety of environmental issues while taking steps to reduce the environmental impact of the campus through their co-op.

Senior and Greenfire President Liz Landes talked about the organization process. “We start brainstorming in Winter Term, and organizing at the beginning of Spring Term,” said Landes. “We aim to fill Earth Week with a variety of activities so that we can connect with as many students as possible.” Different booths run by other student organizations were set up to either engage participants in environmentally-friendly activities, or provide information about sustainability and conservation.

Students enjoy the beautiful weather on Main Hall green.
Students enjoy the beautiful weather on Main Hall green.

The event would not have been possible without the help of the Greenfire members and members of other clubs. “They’re the real MVPs here!” Landes exclaimed. “I was stoked that the weather cooperated and the celebration was the perfect excuse to lounge around on the green, climbing trees and eating hummus. I think a key part to celebrating Earth Day is just enjoying the outdoors. You don’t have to go out and plant a million trees, simply going on a walk or tossing a Frisbee [disc] would contribute to the mission of Earth Day.”

The Creative Writing Club (CWC) contributed to the event by setting up a space for participants to draw or write their own poetry to celebrate National Poetry Month. According to senior Jamie DeMotts, “the Creative Writing Club is using Earth Day to spread more words and poems around campus.” She echoed Greenfire’s mission, saying “[Earth Day] used to be the day that my childhood friend and I would explore the neighborhood woods and dig up all the empty beer bottles our teenage neighbors had buried. It’s a day to be excited about finding trash and spreading the joy of making the world just a little cleaner and more like the world we hope it’ll be.”

Earth Day Celebration in full swing.
Earth Day Celebration in full swing.

Representatives from the Sustainable Lawrence University Garden (SLUG) hosted a table where students could plant their own marigolds. Freshman Abby Simmons explained that planting marigolds is a “way of coming together to spread growth on campus.” Stopping to admire the weather, Simmons continued that Earth Day is about “celebrating the very essence of what life is about. It is about giving Mother Nature what she has given us.”

Sophomore Sophie Cohen agreed with this sentiment saying, that to her, Earth Day is about “appreciating the world we take for granted every day.” She was joined by freshmen Maggie Smith and Leah Reeves in making friendship bracelets. Smith celebrated Earth Day by “being outside and having fun with people she cares about and appreciating nature.” Reeves agreed.
Several other organizations contributed to the festivities such as People for Animal Welfare (PAW), which hosted a make-your-own dirt station, and the Environmental Responsibility Committee (ERC), which had a clothing drive.
Throughout the event, there was live music by a variety of campus bands. Everyone walked away with something they made and the spirit of Earth Day.

The Broken Mandolins plays at the Concert for Consent on Friday, April 22.
The Broken Mandolins plays at the Concert for Consent on Friday, April 22.
Photo by Hitkarsh Chanana