“font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;”>Some schools across the United

States charge more to attend a ‘green’ school, Simpson College’s

Environmental Awareness Club (EAC) works to promote sustainability

and raise awareness to students instead.

“The club strives to spread

awareness of ways students can contribute to green efforts and

lower our campus-wide carbon footprint,” junior Dianna

Krejsa

“msoIns”>

“mailto:Chandra%20Henrichs”>said.

Junior Zach Huebener stresses the

importance of the bigger picture of how things are affecting the

world.

“font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;”>“The

environment is being destroyed and polluted at an alarming rate

worldwide, and the United States plays a major role in that,”

Huebener

“msoIns”>

“mailto:Chandra%20Henrichs”>said.

“This is a big deal because we live on the earth in this

environment so we are destroying our home and everything that makes

our lives possible.”

The group looks to educate students on the

environmental issues that are occurring around us.

“font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;”>“Many

people do not realize the destruction that is happening to the

earth,” junior Heidi Scott

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“mailto:Chandra%20Henrichs”>said.

“By showing students ways to be sustainable and helping to promote

different ‘green’ initiatives from around the world, hopefully the

students at Simpson can make changes in their

future.”

There is a variety of ways to get

involved through EAC, giving students many opportunities to help

save the environment.

“The state of the environment

isn’t going to get any better unless somebody does something about

it,” Huebener said. “EAC at Simpson

College is a small part of the global force for a healthier global

ecosystem.”

EAC hosts many events throughout

the year to help raise awareness. The Locovore Dinner, coming up

this fall, is something that they have hosted annually for the past

two years. EAC partners with Iowa Food Co-op in hosting a cookout

where they use food items they have ordered from local

farms.

“It’s kind of way to

get people to try some food and maybe see the difference between

locally grown food, and also let them know those options are out

there,” senior Kevin Rice said.

   

Another one of the major events

that EAC hosts to raise awareness on Simpson’s campus is Green

Week.

During Green Week, EAC puts up multiple

displays campus-wide about sustainability and environmentalism. The

week gives students opportunities to educate themselves through

activities like Green Bingo and the recycled art

show.

“I really enjoy Green Week in the

spring because it’s a whole week of green events and lots of

opportunities to educate people about environmental issues and what

they can do to make a

difference,”Huebener

cite=

“mailto:Chandra%20Henrichs”>said.

On program EAC has helped

implement on campus in the last five years is Simpson’s recycling

program.

“We literally

collected all the recycling ourselves before it became an

institutional policy of the campus to implement recycling

programs,” Rice

“2011-10-08T09:27” cite=

“mailto:Chandra%20Henrichs”>said.

The group also was a part of eliminating

the use of trays Pfeiffer Dining

Hall to cut down on water waste

and by starting a compost program.

EAC keeps looking for ways to make

a better campus environment.

“We are trying to create a new lifestyle or

culture on campus, where people are concerned with environmentalism

and are aware of how their actions are contributing to our carbon

footprint,” Rice

“2011-10-08T09:27” cite=

“mailto:Chandra%20Henrichs”>said.

Huebener sees value in being a

part of the group besides helping the

environment.

“I can participate in projects

that benefit the environment,” Huebener said.

“I can help others become more aware of environmental

issues, and I can spend time with other people who share my love

for nature and its

preservation.”

If students are looking to join EAC they can

stop by the meetings that are held every other Monday at 7 p.m. in

Carver Science Hall, or contact Kevin Rice for more

information.