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According to the United Nations, approximately 13 million people die each year from unavoidable environmental consequences due to climate change.
“Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity,” according to the UN’s website. “The impacts are already harming health through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, food insecurity and pressures on mental health.”
During the month of April, UW Oshkosh’s Sustainability Institute will be hosting a series of events to celebrate Earth Day in order to combat misinformation and increase awareness about climate change and sustainability. These events will include talks and discussions about social and climate justice, classes and activities like tree planting and campus-wide cleanups.
April 22 will also be the 52nd Anniversary of Earth Day.
Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin senator who was an environmentalist, created the first Earth Day. He felt it was important to raise public awareness on critical environmental issues at a nationwide level.
“I think it is important for the university to hold Earth Month because of our commitment to sustainability,” said Brad Spanbauer, the campus sustainability coordinator. “We made a commitment to being a sustainable campus a long time ago, around 2000, and part of that commitment is sharing our knowledge with our campus community through events.”
Earth Month began with an introduction to Zen Buddhism, meditation, and then an event for electronic waste recycling, a discussion about the current climate crisis, and a community networking event. The 7th annual Free School was held within the first week.
Throughout the month, the Women’s Center will also be hosting Go Green for Menstrual Hygiene classes, which educate students on sustainable alternatives for menstrual products.
Other activities include Asylum Bay bird watching, tree planting for Arbor Day, and a bike tour to highlight sustainability efforts in the local community.
The bike tour will stop at Oshkosh Food Company-Op, Menominee Park, and the campus ephemeral garden. It takes place on April 26th. Two days prior to the tour, a bike safety and repair event will be held. Winnebago Bicycles will have bike experts available to do minor tune-ups, and to discuss safety issues for cyclists.
This year’s keynote on April 20 will feature Venice R. Williams, the executive director of Alice’s Garden Urban Farm in Milwaukee. The discussion will discuss the relationship between humans with the Earth, the importance to sustain the health of the planet and how we can do our part to preserve and preserve the environment.
“Holding these Earth Month events also helps engender a culture of sustainability on our campuses, which hopefully people extend into their life beyond the institutional boundaries,” Spanbauer said.
