Earth Day event is set for April 15

The University of North Georgia (UNG) will host its ninth annual Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 15 at UNG's Gainesville Campus. This event will be held at the outdoor Quad, volleyball court area and Student Center.

Opportunities to assist with the event are still available on the UNG Earth Day volunteer webpage.

UNG's Earth Day event aims to bring together the university, local community and various organizations to celebrate environmental diversity, foster education and awareness, empower student involvement, and drive collaborative action toward a more sustainable future. Dr. Natalie Hyslop, professor of biology, leads the team that plans and executes the event.

"What began many years ago as a passion project of a few faculty members has turned into a fun spring celebration for the UNG community of the intersection of STEM with all the academic disciplines and its importance to us all," Dr. Chaudron Gille, UNG provost, said.

The event includes free vegetarian lunch, tree and wall climbing, live animals, and Earth-themed crafts.

Albany Zavarce, a senior from Dacula, Georgia, pursuing a degree in environmental spatial analysis, serves as president of Students for Environmental Awareness (SEA), which provides volunteers for the event.

"I enjoy seeing everyone come together for a major event to focus on the environment," Zavarce said. "It helps people rethink the things they're doing."

Nonprofit environmental organizations from the community attend the event both to share about their efforts and to offer networking and internship opportunities for students.

Multiple UNG music groups will perform at the Earth Day celebration.

The UNG Earth Day celebration is one of the oldest co-curricular activities at the Gainesville Campus. It was originated over 20 years ago with help from several professors, including Margi Flood, Dr. John O'Sullivan and later by Hyslop, and was included as part of Gainesville State College's Spring festival. In 2017, Earth Day was made a stand-alone event, with SEA key in helping with the event.

Music groups performing at the Earth Day event will be the brass quintet and tuba euphonium quartet.

"We want to give our students another avenue to practice what they're working on. Sharing their music with the community makes their practice feel less isolating," said Michael Brown Jr., lecturer of music and director of UNG's pep band. "It helps them feel appreciation and that they're able to share something with others."

UNG's Earth Day festivities will also include a pair of arts shows: one focusing on 2-D submissions ranging from painting and drawing to photography and another show made up of 3-D sculptures crafted from recycled materials.

"Giving our students an opportunity to showcase their work is important. It's not just making art for themselves. It's making something for publication," Cindy Torgesen, lecturer of visual arts, said. "They can show their own style and communicate a message on the theme of sustainability. The students also get to see how their audience is approaching these topics."