California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Celebrating earth with succulents and eco straws

    Individuals joined hands nationwide to celebrate Earth Day, “a day of political action and civic participation,” on April 22 according to the Earth Day Network. The Network wrote that more than one billion people in 192 countries participated in numerous Earth Day activities. 

    On April 23, California Lutheran University celebrated Earth Day with a Potted Plant Party, sponsored by the Student Union and Green Club. The event began at 4 p.m. and students gathered on the Student Union patio to enjoy the sunshine and exercise their green thumbs.

    The first 60 students to attend received free full-size succulents to place in personally decorated pots. The succulents were given out so that students would have a little touch of green in their rooms. Additionally, students at the event had the opportunity to enter a raffle for the chance to win a Hydroflask, a reusable utensil set and more.  

    First-years Julia Wright, Brandon Link and Inger Smuts all attended the party to pot their own succulents and join in on Green Week. All three shared their excitement about getting to choose their succulents, decorating the pots and entering the raffle. Both Link and Smuts said they thought the event was a fun and light-hearted way to get involved with Earth Day. 

    Wright said she especially enjoyed the simple reminder the Potted Plant Party gave about caring for the earth. 

    “I feel like we get caught up in the college life of doing homework and focusing on getting through the work week that we kind of forget that we are becoming adults and we need to start actually taking care of the earth. This is our future we’re messing with,” Wright said.

    Green Club Co-President Amanda Oyao helped facilitate the Potted Plant Party. Oyao said her excitement on the event and her opinion on why holding Green Week activities was necessary.

    “Especially at Cal Lutheran, I think we really prioritize service and giving back to other people as well as the planet. This is one way we’re showing that we care about the place we call home,” Oyao said.

    She said that Cal Lutheran wanted to celebrate Earth Day by doing little events to get people excited about helping the earth and living a sustainable lifestyle. Along with the Potted Plant Party, Cal Lutheran hosted events all week to celebrate Green Week. There were tips on how to “greenify” a room, a distribution of reusable straws, tricks for recycling and an “eat local, buy local” farmers’ market throughout the week.

    As Cal Lutheran did their part to celebrate, so did individuals across the world. The Earth Day Network shares more about the importance of Earth Day and the action taken worldwide.

    According to the EDW’s website, “People march, sign petitions, meet with their elected officials, plant trees, clean up their towns and roads. Corporations and governments use it to make pledges and announce sustainability measures. Faith leaders, including Pope Francis, connect Earth Day with protecting God’s greatest creations, humans, biodiversity and the planet that we all live on.” 

    Cal Lutheran has taken strides towards becoming a more sustainable university over the years. According to the Cal Lutheran website, initiatives such as the SEEd Garden (Sustainable Edible Education), planting drought tolerant and local species of plants and using electric vehicles on campus are actions that have been implemented in recent years.

    According to Cal Lutheran’s sustainability statement, “At California Lutheran University, we make a commitment to continue to learn how to live responsibly and justly on our campus and in our communities. Sustainability must be a campus-wide effort rooted in awareness that our immediate, local practices often have global implications.”

    To learn more about how you can treat every day like Earth Day, check out Cal Lutheran’s Sustainability Initiatives online. 

    Catherine Slabaugh
    Reporter