Earth Week 2024 at Skyline College involved a dynamic series of events aimed at raising our campus community’s awareness about environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices to make every day Earth Day. The Skyline College Earth Day Every Day Team, our student club S.A.G.E., the SMCCCD Sustainability Committee, the Skyline College Library and Phi Theta Kappa were excited to host these opportunities to engage our community in environmental activism and discussion.
The week kicked off on Earth Day, April 22, with a preview of the week’s activities and earth-friendly giveaways. On April 23, our 2nd annual Skyline College Earth Fest included:
· Amazing spokespeople and generous giveaways from Peninsula Precious Plastics, Cal State Parks Half Moon Bay, Pacific Beach Coalition, Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, Byrd’s Filling Station, Trashlantis, and Skyline College student club S.A.G.E. Students Advocating for Greener Environments
· An interactive showcase of the fun Instagram filter games and cool earth-engagement projects that are being launched by our SMCCCD Sustainability Interns. Check out their work here.
· A fun and eco-friendly Clothing Swap, where students could drop off a few items of clothing they wanted to donate and browse the racks for a few new items to take. One person’s donation became another’s fashion find! If you’re interested in clothing swaps on campus in the future, feel free to connect with us through our interest form.
· the Museum of Tomorrow’s fast fashion and clean energy exhibits, which discuss current issues and promote ethical and environmentally conscious consumer choices
· The opportunity to adopt a succulent baby or take home seeds and soil to start gardening
· A table where students could Name & Feed a Worm in our worm bin. Students enjoyed seeing our wiggly friends up close and seeing what a worm bin project is like.
· The chance to drop off e-waste and dead batteries for responsible disposal. Never throw your electronics or batteries in the trash! You can easily find local recycling and disposal methods that are much safer and more sustainable, or check us out at the next Skyline Earth Fest. 🌎
The activities did not stop after Earth Fest! We continued the week with a discussion and art engagement in the forms of:
· Dear Human on the Edge of Time: a poetry and art event hosted by the Library that focused on creative discussion about the environment and climate change in the United States
· The SEA Change: an award-winning artistic performance utilizing satirical environmental activism to provoke meaningful conversations about the myth of recycling and hazards of plastic in our environment, and what we can do to work toward a toxin and trash-free future
· A local hike through Sweeney Ridge, hosted by our student environmental club S.A.G.E and honor society Phi Theta Kappa, was a great opportunity to admire our local flora and fauna
Overall, Skyline College’s Earth Week 2024 was a wonderful event of activism, art, community engagement and conversation, inspiring individuals to take action and make a positive impact on the planet. With events like these, we strive to make Every Day Earth Day and reaffirm our commitments to building a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come. Happy Earth Day!
Article by Aria Frangos | Photos by Aria Frangos, Yesika Wong-Sanchez, Qimmah Tamu