URI
celebrates Earth Month with lectures, festival, plogging
April is Earth Month
at the University of Rhode Island where events and activities are taking place
in recognition of Earth Day, celebrated internationally on Apr. 22.
The URI
Office of Sustainability, Student Action for Sustainability, and other
departments, offices and student groups are hosting a variety of events
designed to bring attention to the need to protect the environment.
All of the events are
free and open to the public.
Surfing for Change –
Professional surfer and activist Kyle Thiermann, who travels the world
examining this massive dilemma posed by marine debris, will discuss his ideas
for how to address the problem. Hosted by the URI Office of Sustainability.
Thursday, Apr. 18 at 4
p.m. – Center for
Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Room 10, 120 Flagg Rd.
URI journalism
professor and National Geographic photographer Jason Jaacks will share tales
and astounding images of his travels documenting nature and issues of
sustainability in a presentation entitled “Life on the Wild Side.” Hosted by
the URI Office of Sustainability.
Monday, April 22, 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. – URI Quadrangle
(in case of rain, in the Memorial Union).
The Quad will be the
place to go on Earth Day for information and inspiration. URI student groups
and area environmental organizations will be on-hand to share news, views and
activities on environmental sustainability topics. Hosted by Student Action for
Sustainability.
Also on the Quad on
Apr. 22 at noon, Plogging. Come for a jog or walk on campus while helping to
beautify the grounds in a campus clean-up. Hosted by URI Campus Recreation,
Public Safety and Club Sports.
Tuesday, Apr. 23 at 5
p.m. – Edwards
Auditorium, 64 Upper College Rd.
Author Richard Louv,
who won the Audubon Medal and whose book Last Child in the Woods was
a bestseller, will discuss the health benefits of including nature in our lives
in a lecture entitled “The Nature Principle: Nature-Deficit Disorder, Vitamin N
and the New Nature Movement.”
The program will be followed by a book signing
event. Sponsored by the URI Office of Sustainability with support from the URI
Office of the Provost, URI College of the Environment and Life Sciences, URI
Master Gardener Program, URI Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental
Reporting, and The Greene School in West Greenwich.
