OK Kermit, maybe it's not easy being green, but some Auburn students are willing to try. Earth Day is next Wednesday, April 22.
According to EarthDayNetwork, it is a day of action and participation to help make society more knowledgeable and sustainable.
William Warren, a junior in chemical engineering and president of Environmental Awareness Organization, said the group is committed to raising sustainability awareness and bringing knowledge to students and faculty.
"We have events going on about once a month in addition to our meetings," Warren said. "This year we hosted a green living workshop, a recycled art exhibit and a camping workshop, among other events."
The organization's latest event was Earthfest.
"Earthfest is an all-day concert open to everyone, featuring local bands to raise money and promote environmental awareness," said Scott Russell, vice president of EAO and sophomore in environmental science. "It's been around for about 20 or 25 years."
Local bands such as Noisy Diedre, Miles and Friends, Hermatavore, Roof Rabbit and the Suex Effect performed. EAO's mascot also made an appearance.
"Berry, our mascot, is a polar bear because they have become symbols of global warming," Russell said. "Berry is really popular."
This weekend, the EAO has a camping trip.
"I feel like we are constantly having events such as the upcoming camping trip, river clean ups, meetings and such," Russel said.
To celebrate Earth Day, there will be a screening of "The Unforeseen" Tuesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. in Haley Center room 2370. According to imdb.com, the movie is about a development near Austin, Texas that provokes an unexpected response from nature.
"It's mainly about development and urban sprawl," Warren said.
The event will be hosted by EAO and Auburn Sustainability Action Program. Alexander Pfeiffenberger, president of ASAP and junior in computer engineering, explained the two organizations are very close, but not competitive.
"People wonder how we are different from the EAO, and the truth is, we have a lot of the same members, but we tend to be a little more political," Pfeiffenberger said. "We focus more on lobbying, collecting resources, and reaching out to communicate our desires to them."
Warren agreed that the two groups work together and occasionally partner on events.
"We both want to reach out to Auburn students and promote environmental awareness, and in this we have created a symbiotic relationship," Pfeiffenberger said.
ASAP addressed the difficulties for busy students living on campus to be more sustainable.
"It's really all about thinking about what you need," Pfeiffenberger said. "Do you need the light on when you aren't in the room? Do you need to run water for a long time? It's about how to stay comfortable without being wasteful. Think about how to live your life more effectively."
For more infomation regarding upcoming Earth Day and a schedule of events visit http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html.
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