Earth Day is Sunday, April 22, but Drury’s Think Green! will celebrate a week early with a multitude of events to raise awareness about the impact humans have on our planet.

For some individuals, like Olivia Biles, Earth Day is both a celebration and a reminder. Besides being a Think Green! member, Biles is also an Environmental Biology major.

“Earth Day is important to me because it is the one day a year I get to celebrate my core values. Celebrating Earth Day allows anyone and everyone to take a step back from their fast-paced lives to reflect on how their actions are impacting our planet and what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Biles.

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. According to the Earth Day Network, 20 million Americans protested the United States government’s lack of environmental protections that day.

Earth Day 1970 started a chain reaction. By the end of the year, the United States had formed the Environmental Protection Agency and passed the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. Earth Day became a global event in 1990, and today it is observed by more than 192 countries.

Think Green! has turned Earth Day into Earth Week on Drury’s campus. The group will kick off their observance of Earth Day by picking up litter along Commercial Street. This cleanup will be on Sunday, April 15. Anyone interested in attending can meet members of Think Green! in the Drury Lane circle by the Findlay Student Center at 3 p.m.

Students can learn about the impacts of local waste on Monday, April 16 at 12:00 p.m. in Lay Hall Auditorium. Laurie Duncan, the Education Outreach Coordinator for the City of Springfield Environmental Services, will give a presentation titled “The Future of the Springfield Landfill.” At the event, Duncan will discuss the current and future states of Springfield’s waste and recycling systems.

“When I met with [Duncan],” said Biles, “she adamantly expressed that, while recycling is important, reducing waste in general is much more important. In the foreseeable future, Springfield’s landfill will be full and not much conversation is being had about what will be done when it is full.”

On Wednesday, April 18, Think Green! will host its annual planting station. Starter plants will be available for purchase at the event. These plants are grown by Dr. Popescu and members of Think Green! in the greenhouse of the Trustee Science Center. They will cost anywhere from $2 to $10. While students will have to purchase the starter plants, Think Green! will provide free soil and pots, which students can decorate at the event.

“Half of the proceeds go back to the campus greenhouse, while the other half goes towards Think Green’s effort to become a nationally recognized bee campus,” said Biles.

The final event of Earth Week will be a screening “A Plastic Ocean.” Bring a blanket and a friend to the Kellogg Green Space at 7:00 p.m. on April 19 for a free movie and popcorn.

Whether it’s through participating in cleanups, changing individual habits or educating others, Biles believes her generation is making a difference in the way people view our effects on the environment.

“As humans, we are taking a toll on our environment that has become too much for the Earth to withstand,” said Biles. “However, I believe that my generation is the one to recognize the importance of taking care of the environment AND do something to reverse the effects of previous generations that were unaware of their impact.”

Article written by Taylor Stanton