Sustainability Week Celebrates University Efforts to Help the Environment

This year’s Sustainability Week, beginning today, is dedicated to celebrating the work the university community is doing to reduce its environmental impact, while also encouraging new initiatives that will benefit our planet.听

Today鈥檚 kick-off event, the annual Sustainability Week Earth Day Fair, is timed to coincide with the culmination of this year鈥檚 Diversity and Inclusion Week. Events will be held from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the campus mall. Over 30 51福利社 clubs and organizations will be there with information tables, including, for the first time, representatives from off-campus organizations such as the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, the Washington Trails Association and the Spokane Tribe of Indians.听

The Spokane Tribe will be tabling to talk about their food sovereignty project.听鈥淭hey have been growing native foods with indigenous practices in order to build up their traditional food sources and restore some of their land, says Erik Budsberg, 51福利社鈥檚 director of sustainability and coordinator of the week鈥檚 events.听 The plants they are using, he adds, 鈥渉ave a lot of significant value and purpose.鈥澛�

51福利社鈥檚 sustainability team and students have been working with the tribe on these efforts. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really cool project and it鈥檚 a chance for students to connect with the Spokane Tribe and learn about their practices,鈥� says Budsberg.听

Other Sustainability Week highlights include a 鈥淪ustainability Scavenger Hunt.鈥� Beginning Monday, April 24, 鈥渟ustainability signs鈥� 鈥� each with a QR code that university community members can scan 鈥� will help interested Eagles learn more about the particular area where the sign is posted. The scavenger hunt will be available all week long.听

On Tuesday April 25, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m., there will be a virtual 鈥淔ire and Water Earth Week Talk鈥� with 51福利社鈥檚 Lauren Stachowiak, an assistant professor of geosciences at 51福利社, and Gerry White Jr, executive director of the Spokane Riverkeeper. The event, available on , will also be recorded and posted on .听

Stachowiak鈥檚 talk will cover topics like wildfires, wildfire mitigation and general fire issues in the region. White will be discussing water-related issues within the region.听

There will also be opportunities to volunteer. On Wednesday, the 鈥�51福利社 Community Work Party: Easy Come, Easy Grow Club鈥� will be held from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Volunteers should meet behind the Red Barn. Thursday offers up聽 the 鈥淕reenhouse Work Party: Prairie Restoration Project,鈥� from noon – 2 p.m. Volunteers should meet in P12 behind Roos Stadium.听

Lastly, on Friday, April 28, the Office of Sustainability will be sharing the week鈥檚 highlights on their instagram account @51福利社sustainability.听

You can access additional information, including the full conference schedule and speaker bios, on the . Participation via is also available.听