On April 22, different campus organizations got together in Strebel Lounge to celebrate Earth Day.

With a goal of promoting sustainability and an environmentally friendly lifestyle, the event featured different booths where people could plant their own basil, cilantro and parsley, turn old shirts into handbags and bedazzle old denim.  

The event also offered information on recycling. One of the tables had visitors put waste into the correct bins that were labeled “Recycle,” “Compost” and “Trash.” Items such as plastics, glass and metal belonged in the recycling bin and items that were paper, cardboard and food, such as banana peels, apple cores and other organic material, belonged to the compost bin. Visitors soon found out that nothing belonged in the trash bin, as everything can be reused or composted.

A member of the Oneida-Herkimer Waste Authority was present to discuss ways in which the organization could help individuals with recycling. Recyclables can fit into one bin, with no bags needed. An EcoDrop is also available in the Utica and Rome area for those who are not sure what can be recycled.

The organizer of the event, Peter Gaughan, said it took hours of work and a lot of stress to put the event together, but he felt it was worth it. He started off by reaching out to community members and organizations. They coordinated their interest and suggested events and Gaughan had done all of the logistics.

“I wanted the UC community to have fun and realize that loving the Earth and keeping it safe can make your life better, more convenient and make you feel good,” he said.

The event had good-tasting vegan food to encourage people to eat less meat and to limit their water consumption and carbon footprint. Gaughan also mentioned there were free giveaways of reusable bags and plants. The games and crafts focused on making environmentalism fun and easy.

Gaughan said that they had a lot of people show up for the event and that they were running out of supplies.

“This event marks the start of a greater sustainability movement at UC to better ourselves as individuals and to better our institution,” Gaughan said. “Hopefully, this turns into an organized and official group of students, faculty, staff and administrators who collectively work to make more events like this, to expand the Earth Day Festival and to create a more sustainable campus through programs, policy and infrastructure.”