The University of Memphis will commemorate Earth Day on Wednesday with activities and food in the TIGUrS Oasis Garden behind the Elma Roane Fieldhouse to help inform students and community members about how to protect the environment.
Laura Prince, the coordinator of the Earth Day celebrations, said the U of M would celebrate Earth Day on April 18 by hosting activities and vendors showing how to help the Earth, and anyone in the community is welcome to come.
“There will be several vendors that are excited to share how to be more sustainable,” Prince said. “Various entertainment, such as bounce houses, henna, a dunk tank, live music, yoga and Zumba will be provided to get people out and enjoying the outdoors.”
Prince said Earth Day is special to her and should be for the rest of campus because the Earth is significant in everyone’s lives.
“Not only do we throw a celebration, but we offer opportunities to learn, and students benefit from having gardens on campus,” Prince said. “This Earth is the only one we have, so we, as young people, should be well equipped with knowledge to become good stewards of our space on Earth.”
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, an organization created to help the environment, April 22 marks the annual celebration of Earth Day, dating back 48 years ago with Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin as the founder. About 20 million people observed Earth Day in 1970 by demonstrating for a sustainable environment.
Karyl Buddington, U of M director of animal care facilities and founder of the community garden, said she is excited to see people at the U of M working toward a better environment and bringing attention to our health.
“Earth Day tries to raise awareness that our actions have an impact on the environment,” Buddington said. “U of M especially is very lucky to have an Office of Sustainability that helps keep the campus clean, and we make sure to always invite young people from the campus school to help.”
Buddington said the U of M has multiple measures to help keep the campus and the Earth healthy. She also said the students will hopefully be active even after they graduate.
“Thankfully, the U of M has a very active recycling program that a lot of schools don’t,” Buddington said. “The students use the recycling, and I’d like to think when students graduate, they get their butterfly wings and go out to help the Earth.”
Art Johnson, coordinator of TIGUrS Urban Garden who helped organize the upcoming celebration. He said Earth Day expresses how important it is to take care of the Earth.
“Earth Day could be a vivid communal reminder of how delicate and precious and rare is our home world,” Johnson said. “When we come together as a community with a common goal and for the common good, we make the university a healthier and more humane environment in which to learn a trade, practice an art or grow a talent.”
Johnson said even outside of Earth Day, the U of M aims toward making sure everyone on campus helps keep the Earth clean.
“Our sustainability department, in conjunction with the TIGUrS Urban Garden, works diligently every semester, every day, to ensure that careful planning and thoughtful processes are employed that are Earth, nature or human-centric,” Johnson said. “If we set the right tone, teach the right lessons and share the girth of our knowledge about nature with love and consideration for the long-term future, we’ll have made a better world for all who dwell here.”
The TIGUrS garden has two large beds filled with hops and Jerusalem artichoke. The garden is hosting an Earth Day celebration this Wednesday from 10am till 2pm.
