Earth Day Network and Universities
"I have learned
To look on nature, not as in the hour
Of thoughtless youth; but hearing oftentimes
The still, sad music of humanity,
Nor harsh nor grating, though of ample power
To chasten and subdue. And I have felt
A presence that disturbs me with the joy
Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime
Of something far more deeply interfused,
Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,
And the round ocean and the living air,
And the blue sky, and in the mind of man;
A motion and a spirit, that impels
All thinking things, all objects of all thought,
And rolls through all things."
-- William Wordsworth, "Tintern Abbey"
What do we picture when we think of the environment? Is it merely the forests we visit and the oceans on which we sail; the threatened animals we see on television and the mountains that dominate a landscape? At Earth Day Network we like to think of the environment as more inclusive -- as something that "rolls through all things." It is the concrete structures we live in, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. The environment is what surrounds us, and it is up to us to ensure its (and our own) preservation.
Since the first Earth Day, student activism has been vital to the successes of the environmental movement in the U.S. Some of the most creative and vibrant work for social change happens on campus. It’s up to us to keep the momentum going! Below are some websites that can help you begin to get involved in your community and in the increasingly important tasks of environmental awareness and preservation. Use your education to make a difference in our world.
Take Action
Our organizing tips can help you carry out events and projects that will make your campus and the rest of the world cleaner and greener.
Planning something at your university for Earth Day? Let the world know about it - create a listing for your event at the on-line calendar of worldwide Earth Day 2005 events.
Campaigns and Action Ideas
Join EDN's partners in the Campus Climate Challenge and convert your college, university, or K-12 school to renewable energy now! More than 400 schools across the U.S. and Canada have risen to the challenge, so join us!
Learn how to help reduce your campus' emissions and energy use through the clean air-cool planet initiative.
Take Earth Day Network's ecological footprint quiz to find out how much of an impact you have on the environment and what you can do to minimize it.
University Leaders for a Sustainable Future has great information for college students about sustainability as well as information about the roles of the UN and the United States in helping us move toward a sustainable world.
Check out the University of Wisconsin, Steven's Point to get more ideas on what you can do as a student and how your university can participate in environmental awareness campaigns.
Share Your Wisdom
Do you have any ideas for organizing environmental projects and making great stuff happen at universities for Earth Day? If so, e-mail us your tips.
