ETSU celebrates EarthFest

During Earth Month, departments, community members and student organizations of ETSU came together to celebrate the sustainability of the environment.

“It is honestly about the student organizations, departments and community coming together to support the environment and the sustainability we have to do locally,” said Erica Malpass, the sustainability coordinator.

The event occurred on April 21 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the University Commons area, celebrating the Earth Day Festival. This year focused on highlighting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the environment.

ETSU’s Department of Sustainability set up the event. They hosted an EarthFest t-shirt design contest, where ETSU students designed t-shirts for EarthFest; the winner was Rachel Scott and was announced on April 1 through social media. The ETSU Department of Sustainability also hosted buttons, tea and clothing swaps at EarthFest.

The department emphasized the importance of ETSU’s Sustainability Pledge. Local organizations could sign up to have a booth at EarthFest by April 1.

Many groups from ETSU attended and assisted with the event, including Campus Recreation, ETSU’s Honors College, ETSU Student Dietetics Association, ETSU American Society for Microbiology, ETSU Department of Geoscience, ETSU Arboretum, ETSU Farmer’s Market, Overlooked in Appalachia, Econuts and Clemmer College.

The ETSU Counseling Center invited students to spin a wheel and win prizes. They gave out mental health resources associated with nature. EcoNuts had shirts for tie-dying. ETSU’s Department of Geoscience showed fossils and let participants create their own gem necklaces. The ETSU Student Dietetics Association had a trail mix bar.

There were also outside organizations participating including Citizens Climate Lobby, Green Interfaith Network Inc., Bright Ridge, Boone Watershed Partnership, Appalachian Peace Center, Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association, Washington County Democratic Party and Green Llama.

Green Interfaith Network Inc. gave out ball caps, shirts, totes, drink koozies and coasters for every $10 donation. The Appalachian Peace Center had a postcard campaign to protest the nuclear fuel systems in Erwin and Unicoi County. They also gave out peace cranes, made by the residents and relatives of those affected by Hiroshima, after the bombing during World War II.

Linda Modica, a member of the Appalachian Peace Center, hopes to spread information on the impact nuclear weapons have on the community, especially locally. She wants to get the opinion of the residents of Erwin and Unicoi County on nuclear fuel systems. “There is a moral and ethical impact,” said Linda Modica. “There needs to be more development in information and the general public has discourse.”

At EarthFest, ETSU’s Department of Sustainability had sign-up sheets for volunteer work and their newsletter. The department’s next event is the Move Out Clean Out Extravaganza. For more information, visit @gogreenetsu on Instagram.