Earth Week Educates and Inspires Students
Kean students took part in a cleanup of the Elizabeth River on East Campus, as part of the Earth Science Club's Earth Week activities.
Kean students passionate about protecting the environment shared their message on campus with a series of Earth Week events, including a cleanup of the Elizabeth River and an Earth Day Fair.
Kean’s Earth Science Club sponsored the week of events that kicked off with a screening of the environmental Dr. Seuss film, The Lorax.
“It is our mission to bring the Kean community together to learn about the environment,” said Maura De Palma, president of the Earth Science Club.
For the river cleanup, the club partnered with Groundwork Elizabeth, which provided tools and expertise. Students from many different majors, clubs and backgrounds joined together to clean the Elizabeth River located on East Campus near the soccer field.
“It all starts with one person picking up a piece of trash, and then everyone grabs ahold. It’s important to get involved, because if you don’t, no one will,” said Ashlyn Nest, an earth science major from Linden.
Throughout Earth Week, the message to the Kean community was to take action to protect the environment.
"You have to be conscious of the decisions you make because they have an impact on the environment and our future,” said Daniela Mendes, an earth science major from Garfield.
At the Earth Day Fair outside Miron Student Center, students painted reusable canvas bags; created “seed bombs” to grow wildflowers; customized flower pots and planted succulents to take home.
Kean’s Photography Club showed off nature photography and provided filters for selfies. Other organizations such as the Lesniak Institute for American Leadership participated, providing students with postcards to write to legislators about The Green Amendment. Goodwill New York and New Jersey shared insight on upcycling, providing students with Goodwill store coupons and “plantable” pencils.
Kean’s science departments displayed tables, informing students on the importance of topics from bugs to composting. Some faculty even encouraged bold students to try eating a cricket.
Other events throughout Earth Week included a discussion, entitled Bin There Done That, about recycling on campus and how to make Kean a zero-waste campus; and a presentation by the Raptor Trust, a non-profit organization that rehabilitates native wild birds of New Jersey.
