Earth Week has come to a close at Ashland University but the initiatives of “going green” are still felt around campus. Activities such as a poster contest for local elementary students, an eco-friendly fashion show and vehicular emissions testing occurred throughout the week and with impressive results.
Local students in kindergarten through sixth grade participated in a poster contest that encouraged future generations to begin thinking about going green. The students had their posters displayed during the fashion show that took place on April 6 at the Myers Convocation Center at Ashland University.
“We had over 50 posters submitted and it was really great to see the green initiative and creativity being expressed by our local students,” said Sarah Muse, recycling intern at Ashland University.
The second annual eco-friendly fashion show proved to be a success for Earth Week. An estimated 400 people attended this year’s show; the best turn out of any fashion show to date, according to Dr. Nancy Morris, associate professor of fashion merchandising.
The show was broken down in to two parts. The first part showed garments from local retailers to display this year’s spring fashions; the second part of the show consisted of clothing made of recycled and reused material created by students.
The Young Designer Award went to 7-year-old Lillian Grose who created and modeled her own design. Honorable Mention went to Junior Fashion Merchandising major Craig Hadsell. Senior Erin Alleman took third place and Senior Hannah Brown placed second. Junior Meredith Parker won first place for her design “Nature’s Awakening.”
The Emissions Testing took place on April 7 in the Kem/Amstutz halls parking lot at Ashland University. Muse undertook the project by testing the numerous cars that came to have their car’s emissions tested. She used a Carbon Monoxide Detector to test the amount of CO emitted from the vehicles. According to Muse, carbon monoxide is the main gas produced by cars and is the most harmful as well.
Senior Karie Charlton won the testing with the smallest amount of CO produced by her 2005 Pontiac Vibe. Sophomore Jake Ewing lost with his 1995 Ford Taurus. Both Charlton and Ewing received gas cards.
Charlton is an Environmental Science major and understands the importance of the green movement. “I got this car because I knew it would be good on gas,” Charlton said, “I’m just trying to make better choices when it comes to the environment.”
Earth Week events could not have happened without the help of the numerous organizations involved. Through them, Earth Week can be considered a success, Muse said.
“The Green Team and the Recycling Department were thrilled to have so many other events hosted and cosponsored by other clubs and organizations such as Tri-Beta , The Percussion Ensemble and Family and Consumer Sciences,” Muse said.
Muse sends a special thanks to everyone that participated and volunteered for the week. Though Earth Week at Ashland University is now over, the importance of caring for the environment remains a daily job. Even though this week comes once a year, the green movement affects us all for a lifetime.
Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.
