On Tuesday, April 22, Auburn UPC hosted their Earth Day Extravaganza. Over 20 on-campus and community organizations showcased their causes through informational graphics and fun activities. The event, which ran from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., consisted of activities like flower bouquet making, free food, t-shirt stamping and other crafts.
According to Ellie Morgan, senior in biomedical sciences, lineup for the event began right after classes ended at 10:45 a.m., with the line quickly extending to the bus loop.
Montana Maslonka, freshman in history and political science, is a director of live entertainment for UPC, shares the purpose behind the event.
“This is a great way to get students excited and celebrate our beautiful earth. It’s not only a way to get students excited about Earth Day and aware about conversation, but to engage the community through this cause,” Maslonka said.
Maslonka is also a member of the event committee, and shares that the planning behind this event began earlier than many would expect. She also explains that those responsible for set-up began at 7 a.m., preparing equipment like chairs, tents and tables.
“Although this event is only four hours, it represents at least four months of work, I would say more than that,” Maslonka said. “A lot goes into it, but we love the events we host, and seeing students enjoy them is all we can ask for.”
Among the organizations at the event is the Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences Department. The department is responsible for stream cleanup, community events and panels with alumni and faculty.
Liz Koifman, junior in environmental science, shares what activities they are offering at the event and what their goals are.
“Today we are doing soil painting to help engage soil science interests in a casual way," Koifman said. “We want to share a bit about our club and the different things you can do with soil.”
Food was a favorite among students, with treats like cookies and wraps available for free. Katheranne Ruaz, graduate student in world languages in Spanish literature and linguistics, shares her favorite part of the event.
“It feels like springtime. I really like to be in the sun, and the food is amazing. I love that Auburn events feel like they're trying to involve every student,” Ruaz said. “It feels nice to see everybody with flowers and everything.”
When it comes to the importance of Earth Day, Emma Chumley, senior in nursing, shares her opinion.
“I think Auburn is a beautiful place and we get to see the work of our agriculture department a lot. I know for me personally, seeing Auburn change through the seasons is really special, so I think celebrating this as a university is special to appreciate the beauty we have in Auburn,” Chumley said. “We go to school in a very beautiful place.
Another organization at the event was the Native Bee Lab, a group that conducts research on the various species of bees in Alabama, and uses that research to better preserve wild bees. Ashley Prishutova-Spencer, senior in environmental science, is a member of the lab and shares information about their work.
“We are trying to spread awareness about native bees and native insects, and how beneficial they are,” Prishutova-Spencer said. “Many people, even me before working here, did not have an appreciation of them.”
The tent is one of two for the lab, with Prishutova-Spencer’s focusing on wild bees while the other focuses on wildflowers, even offering seeds to help people learn more about plants native to Alabama and how to protect pollinators.
The sustainability capstone class from the sustainability minor showcased their research and insight into the consequences that fast fashion has on the environment. The group worked with the AU Thrift Club to spread awareness and educate students on the fast fashion industry and how to get involved with thrifting.
Members Alexis Haynes, senior in apparel design and Caroline Scalora, senior in architecture, provided a summary of their project and some goals they hope to achieve during the event.
“We started investigating fast fashion practices, the history of fast fashion and why some of the practices across the world are coming here to Auburn University. We did polls and research and found that 14% of people on Auburn campus are throwing away their clothes,” said Scalora. “Today we’re trying to promote the use of repurposing clothing and donating them to the right place.”
Auburn UPC’s next event, inflatable night, will take place on Thursday, April 24, at 7 p.m. on the campus green.
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