Earth Day 2015

Linn-Benton faculty and students come together to celebrate Mother Earth

Walking around on break between classes, students float through the courtyard like petals on a breeze.

On Wednesday, April 22, Linn-Benton staff and students celebrated Earth Day in the courtyard at the Albany campus. Festivities kicked off at 11 a.m. and continued until 1:30 p.m.

The Earth Day event was free and open to the public. Earth Day was sponsored by LBCC’s Sustainability Committee and the LBCC Horticulture Club, with support from the LBCC Science, Engineering and Math division and the local community.

McKenzie Hershfelt expressed her desire to start her own vegetable garden someday, and that is why, between classes, she visited the event. While passing through, she stumbled upon an azalea for her mother.

“Mother likes her flowers,” said Hershfelt.

There were numerous information tables present such as: the City of Albany Parks and Recreation, the City of Albany Water Conservation, the Pacific Power Blue Sky Energy Program, Albany Options School, Republic Services recycling and composting, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Ocean Blue Project. Information and activities on sustainability and stewardship were also made available.

Lined up along White Oak Hall were tables addressing recycling and composting, conserving water, alternatives to energy, and sustainable community resources.

Among the more interactive tables were the plant a flower in-a-pot donated by Peoria Gardens. Individuals could make a bee nest box from recycled materials too.

Albany Options School’s horticulture class was in attendance. AOS is an alternative school that allows students to participate in gardening activities and maintain a greenhouse. Service Learning Coordinator Anna Harryman meets with AOS students everyday at 10:15 a.m. During the Earth Day event, AOS was handing out “surprise” zinnias for free.

“It’s pretty cool,” said Jeremy Sease, AOS student.

During the festivities the poetry club read Earth Day inspired poems near the solar powered gazebo. Current LBCC Poet Laureate Dari Lawrie shared two poems from Pablo Neruda and one from Rainer Maria Rilke. Former LBCC Poet Laureate Kiera Eller read her poem called “Learning.” Other Poetry club members who read included Paige Kosa and Carolyn Sparling. English instructors, Robin Havenick, Chris Riseley, and Karelia Stetz-Waters also read poetry to the eager crowd.

A presentation was held in Forum Room-113, from noon to 1:50 p.m. Tom Kaye, associate professor, presented butterfly conservation talk on “Even Monarchs Get the Blues: Butterfly Conservation in Western Oregon.”

Tours of the organic garden and the new chicken farm projects were available for Earth Day goers in attendance. It gave attendees an opportunity to learn about sustainable farming practices.

“I would like to grown my own food,” said Eller.

There was an “Earth Day Cafe” lunch to support the LBCC Space Exploration Club and their journey to NASA. They served fish tacos with cabbage from LBCC’s organic garden. For students it was $4 and general cost was $5. Funds raised from lunch, ice cream and button sales totalled $250.

A pledge of sustainability, and a visit to the LBCC Sustainability Committee table, got  individuals entered into a drawing for a free t-shirt, reusable shopping bag, and coupons to use on campus. For those that didn’t win a t-shirt could purchase them for $10.

During the event volunteers held a rose garden cleanup project.

Earth Day is a time when humanity comes together and remembers how invaluable the planet really is. Reuse, reduce, and recycle.