“100 Acts of Green”: Gordon Students Celebrate Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary with Week of Events

For Immediate Release
April 12, 2010

Media Contact
Jo Kadlecek
Office of College Communication
978.867.4752
[email protected]

WENHAM, MA—Get out the shovels, gardening gloves, electric cars and recycle bins—it’s Earth Week at Gordon College with “100 Acts of Green” commemorating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and showcasing Gordon’s ongoing commitment to the environment.

Hosted by the student-led organization Advocates for a Sustainable Future (ASF), Earth Week, which takes place April 19–23, will feature a variety of unique and creative events including a film festival, poetry contest, a concert with recycled "instruments," panel discussions, planting stations, scavenger hunts and eco-art exhibits. The week-long celebration also includes hands-on activities, lectures and community-wide gatherings, including a clean-up on Grapevine Road.

Kate Kirby ’10, a Spanish major from Orono, Maine, and president of ASF, has helped organize many of the events for Earth Week. “Really, every day is Earth day, but this week helps us celebrate together the practical steps we can take as stewards,” Kirby said. “We’ve planned a lot of fun and interesting things. Everyone will find at least a couple of events they’ll connect with.”
 
Harvard graduate and professor emeritus of biology Richard T. Wright will give a lecture on “Crossing the Fault-Line: Creation Care and Climate Change,” Monday, April 19, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Jenks 406. The fault-line refers to the longstanding divide that has kept many evangelical Christians opposing environmental initiatives. Wright will also be addressing the recent “climate-gate” controversy and the growing Christian environmental movement, Creation Care.
 
An environmentally themed film festival will be held Tuesday, April 20, 8–9:30 p.m. in the Barrington Center for the Arts Cinema, and Wednesday, April 21, 4:30–6 p.m. in the Ken Olsen Science Center, MacDonald Auditorium. Each film or clip will be followed by a discussion and reception, and is free and open to the public.
 
Kirby said a poster of a green thermometer in Lane Student Center will also record “100 Acts of Green,” where students register the little "acts" they’ve performed, such as shutting off their lights when they leave the room, riding a bike, recycling, etc. There will also be a Green Career and Internship Table all week, highlighting Christian environmental organizations and career and internship opportunities.  
 
“The activities are meant to facilitate celebration of God’s earth, environmental education and inspiration for care of creation,” Kirby says. “Students are busy, so we wanted to present a variety of venues so they could learn about environmental issues over a week and not just on one day.”

Other featured events include:

• “The Changes You Can Make: An Environmental Discussion” with a question and answer time between Gordon students and several faculty members
• ECO-art show exhibition of student/faculty art placed around campus
• Green chemistry display
• Recycled Rhythms “Stomp-like” concert
• Planting station where students plant something to take it back to their dorms
• Composting display and bucket pick-up
• Farm day help at local farms
• Campus Poster Walk at various campus locations (i.e., recycling bins, garden, etc.) 

For information about ASF and Earth Week visit the Advocates for a Sustainable Future page.

Also see the Restore Creation blog to listen to podcasts throughout the week.

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