Although Maine may be littered with trees and shrubbery, there are always ways to make the environment more appealing and more beautiful. In an effort to push forward the Earth Day movement, the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine has put together a series of forums and activities that will take place on April 18 for Earth Day.
These activities include lectures, discussion groups, and even a bike ride to support “greening” the campus.
“Earth Day should be about making connections with people who are excited about this work,” said Joline Blais, an assistant professor in the new media department. “It should be about bringing people together.”
“Earth day is a way of galvanizing the energy to cover the issues talked about on Earth Day,” Blais added. “The work has really exploded.”
Leigh Stearns, a graduate student in the Climate Change Institute, said, “A few years ago [we] started this group because we were frustrated at the lack of national policy aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In an effort to think globally and act locally, we formed the University of Maine Sustainability Alliance.”
“I believe that it is important for us, as the largest campus in the University of Maine System, to lead the way in sustainable education, science and technology,” Stearns said.
As a whole, the Climate Change Institute is very excited for people to get interested in the Earth Day projects.
“Earth Day is an opportunity to get people interested in, and motivated about, protecting the environment. In particular, we want to raise awareness about the environmental issues on campus, the progress we have made in the past few years, and the importance of every individual to do their part,” Stearns said.
As part of the activities on Earth Day, the Climate Change Institute has set aside time for a screening of “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Blais said, “We’re on a suicide course in our society right now. The question has become how do we survive and how do we enjoy that whole process? The whole thing has become a national movement.” Blais explained that the film helps to cover a lot of the most important issues that not only the campus faces, but society as a whole.
“In my opinion, University of Maine students should graduate with an understanding of the environmental impacts of their actions, resulting in more responsible citizens and improved environmental leadership in Maine,” Stearns said
According to Blais and Stearns, there are currently a number of projects going on around campus to help with the greening process of the University and the local community.
“If we really want models of what the community needs to be, we need to look at our Wabanaki neighbors. This would provide information on local sustainability and resources,” Blais said.
Not only would looking at the way the Wabanaki have sustained themselves help with greening the campus and community, but it would also open up the importance and excitement of working with these communities.
The Climate Change Institute “aims to raise awareness about the importance of climate change through education, outreach and science, and to address options to reduce our impact.” For more information on the Climate Change Institute, visit http://www.sustainability.umaine.edu/.
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