The ecology club held Ecofest on April 23, an annual event in celebration of Earth Day that advocates for the environment.
With activities sprawled across the classroom and nature music playing in the background, students enjoyed arts and crafts as they listened to relaxing music. Students could take part in various activities, including tote bag painting, seed planting, birdhouse making, bracelet making and blanket crafting.
Heather Carlson, a senior biology major and president of the club, discussed the importance of celebrating Earth Day.
“We only have one planet, so it’s important to remember to take good care of it,” Carlson said.
Carlson, who dedicates her time and effort to educating students about sustainability, said she tries to make events educational yet fun and engaging.
Ritika Patel, a junior psychology major, said joining the club grew her awareness of the environment.
“During each club meeting, we would watch videos about how to be aware of the environment, and it really helped me personally,” Patel said.
When attending Ecofest last year, Patel said she enjoyed the variety of projects that students could participate in. She said this allowed everyone to come together and spend time with friends.
Patel said one of her favorite projects from the event was making birdhouses.
“A few weeks ago, we made a birdhouse out of reusable materials, and it has been sitting on my deck ever since,” she said.
Katie Honegger, a senior sports management major, said she attended Ecofest to spend more time with friends. As a result, she said she encountered “eco-friendly activities [she] wasn’t aware of.”
Honegger said she learned to “appreciate what earth has to offer” and that people need to come together to preserve the planet’s limited resources.
As the semester comes to an end, Carlson said this may be the end for ecology club and Ecofest. She said the event is their last because of the lack of engagement and “no one being able to take over.”
Carlson said due to the club’s smaller size, it can be difficult to gather participants. However, she said she hopes the tradition will be restarted by another club.
Carlson said Ecofest and the club promote an environmental friendliness that generations of students should be able to experience.
“Every day should be Earth Day, and people should practice conservation in their daily lives,” Carlson said.
Samantha Rueda writes for the Campus Life section. She can be reached at samantha.rueda@student.shu.edu
