Earth Month occurs during the month of April and aims to encourage sustainable practices and raise awareness about how we can protect the environment. Bellevue College is celebrating Earth Month all month long, with various activities and sustainability initiatives. Many of these events are hosted and planned by the BC Sustainability Office, which is a great resource for checking out ways to make a difference in our community.
On Monday, April 27, in the C building courtyard from 10:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m, fresh produce boxes will be available for purchase. All boxes will have locally grown produce and a variety of organic fruits and vegetables. Each box is $20, and boxes can be reserved and paid for online. There will also be some available for in-person purchase, but note that they are on a first-come first-serve basis.
On Tuesday, April 28, from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m in C130, students can attend a presentation by Neal Andersen of 350 Seattle, a Seattle group for climate advocacy, and the Sierra Club, a national environmental movement, to learn more about how data center construction in Washington affects our water and energy resources, as well as the actions legislators are taking to address this. Students interested in attending the talk can register through the link online.
Also on April 28, in C130 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m, students can participate in an eco-poetry workshop, where they will read poems portraying our environment, and then have the chance to draft their own and share with others. “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry will be one of the poems read during the workshop. Mary Oliver’s “When I Am Among The Trees” will also be read. Both poems prompt reflection on the environment and the images the poems provoke, and participants can use their own reflections to draft poems. Registration for the workshop is available online.
On April 29, in the C-building courtyard from 10 a.m to 1:30 p.m, BC Sustainability will be hosting its annual Earth Market. The event will feature various local vendors, from body soap businesses to honeybee farms. Several environment and community-focused organizations will also be involved, such as 350 Seattle and Beacon Food Forest. The BC XR lab, SKY club, Sustainable Creations Club, Black Student Union and Sewing and Textile Club will also be present. The event is free to check out, and visitors can buy from the local vendors as well.
Also on April 29, in room D106 from 1:30 p.m to 2:30 p.m, BC Global Wellness students who traveled to Costa Rica and experienced the environmental conditions there will be comparing it to how life is in the United States. They learned several lifestyle attributes while on the trip, and will be sharing with fellow BC students at this talk. Registration is available online.
On April 30, students can join the Sustainability Office to make a real difference right here on campus with the Habitat Restoration Session. Volunteers can help remove invasive plants on campus and protect the diverse ecosystem that spans 100 acres of urban forest, as well as learn more about stormwater filtration techniques. Before heading to the work-site, volunteers will meet in parking lot 5 at 9:30 a.m, and can sign up online.
Also on April 30, students can attend a free yoga session. The session will be led by Rachel Lowe, the leader of the Yoga Instructor Certificate Program at Bellevue College. The class will start with standing postures and focus on connecting movement and breath, and will end with deep stretching that helps with grounding. Yoga mats will be provided, and the class will run from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m in G110. Although some experience with yoga is recommended, the session is available to anyone, and the signup is online.
As Earth Month comes to an end, make sure to check out the different ways BC celebrates our environment and supports sustainability through these various events. Whether you want to take a hands-on approach and remove invasive plants or simply want to learn more about how to protect our environment, definitely consider attending these events!
