2023 HSC Earth Day Event
Earth Day started in 1970 when people demanded we protect public health by protecting our resources (learn more here). HSC Sustainability has hosted an Earth Day Celebration since 2013 as we are working towards a healthy planet and healthy people. Join us on Thursday, April 20th from 11am-1:30pm as we celebrate. The event will include:
- HSC insulated bag (for all attendees while supplies last); made from recycled materials
- FREE food and ice cream
- Educational booths from both on and off campus
- Hands-on activities
- Short presentations on electric vehicles, food that’s good for us and the environment, upcycling, sprouting, and more
Click on the drop-down menus to learn more about the event as well as other ways to learn more and take action.
EARTH DAY EVENT (Details for April 20th)
FREE Food & Ice Cream
MET Lawn (Mattison Ave.)
- Food Trucks: Just a Little Bowl & El Changarro
- Melt Ice Cream
- Vegan and vegetarian options
Interactive Booths & Activities
MET Lawn
- Organizations and agencies from around the region
- FREE sprouting kit and demo
- Upcycle activity hosted by The Welman Project
Electric Vehicle 101
MET Lawn (Mattison Ave.)
- Buzz Smith (EVangelist) will share EV basics as well as EV myths and facts
- HSC EV drivers will be showcasing their cars
Food Demo with Mind Your Garden Urban Farm
MET Lawn
- Come hear their story towards plant-powered eating, learn a new recipe, and get some food!
- 11:30am and 12:30pm
HSC Community Garden Tour & Mocktails
Meet at MET Lawn then walk to the garden (less than a 5 min walk)
- See and learn about the garden while enjoying a refreshing beverage
- 11:45am and 1pm
FREE Electronic Recycling
MET Lawn
- Recycle general electronics, cables and cords, batteries and more
- Full list of accepted items
Clothing Swap & Professional Attire Resource Closet
MET Lawn
- Bring gently used clothing of all sizes to donate, and take what you need
- Professional clothing will be donated to the student closet (students can take that day)
- Items not taken will be donated to The Resale Shop (Center for Transforming Lives) that helps women and children in Fort Worth
Student Food Pantry Donation
MET Lawn (Information Tables)
- Bring a pantry item to donate
- Most needed items: toiletries, pasta and breakfast items, canned goods, and healthy snacks
Prizes
Be put in a drawing for one of the following:
- $100 gift card (sponsored by DeNovix)
- Under Armor backpacks (sponsored by BSI/NuAire)
- Stainless steel water bottles (sponsored by DeNovix)
- Sustainable kitchen goodie bags
VIDEOS (Learn more about sustainability)
“Sustainability is the continued protection of human health and the environment while fostering economic prosperity and societal well-being.” (Fiksel et al. 2012). All videos can be found on the HSC Sustainability Playlist.
Lifestyle, Health, & Kids
- Why Should Health Care Professionals Care About Climate Change? – Dr. Amy Collins, a practicing emergency medicine physician, health care sustainability professional, and senior clinical advisor for Health Care Without Harm shared spoke about why health care professionals should care about climate change. (56min)
- Practicing Sustainability with Kids – Learn easy ways you can practice sustainability with your kids in this quick video. (10min)
- Environmental, Cultural, Health, & Financial Impacts of Menstruation & Actions We Can Take – Learn about the cultural, health, and financial challenges women face as well as the environmental impacts of menstruation (60min).
- Caring for People & Planet Through Social Enterprises – Social enterprises are businesses that utilize market-based approaches to address social and/or environmental issues. Jenna Babbitt, Director of Social Enterprise for the Center for Transforming Lives, spoke about how social enterprises can improve both human and environmental health in various ways.
Food & Gardening
- Cooking 101: Basic Cooking Skills for a Healthier You and Healthier Planet – By learning basic cooking skills, you can decrease your consumption of processed food which has positive health and environmental impacts. Jeka Sisco, Blue Zones, performs a cooking demo to show you basic skills with a plant-based meal. (53min)
- Growing Food as Activism – Explore why food sovereignty is essential in addressing racial inequalities. (37 min)
- Sustainability in the Kitchen – What we eat and how we buy, eat, and store our food affects our own health and the health of the planet. Learn ways you can be more sustainable with your food. (10min)
- Food Waste & Composting: A Conversation with Cowboy Compost – Learn about why food waste matters, why composting is important, and opportunities available here in Fort Worth. (47min)
Sprouting Change: You, Food, & the Environment
A series of educational and how-to videos for the Sprouting Change: You, Food, and the Environment grant project.
- How to Grow Your Own Sprouts – Learn how to grow your own nutritious sprouts in an easy, convenient, inexpensive, and quick way. Kits will be available at the HSC Earth Day Event! (6min)
- Sprout Recipes – Learn a couple recipes using sprouts. (3min)
- Composting 101 – Composting is one of the best ways to reduce your impact on the environment. This video details how composting works and how to build a compost pile. (3min)
- Food Storage 101 – Learn how to properly store your food to extend the life of food and reduce waste. (5min)
- Container Gardening 101 – Learn how to grow edible plants in small spaces using 1, 2, and 5 gallon containers. (3min)
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle
- Recycling 101 and Putting the Other R’s Into Practice – Here we discuss the basics of recycling including what we recycle on campus and how you can practice the other R’s – Reducing and Reusing. (12min)
- Greening Your Closet & Helping Those In Need in Tarrant County – Learn how to make your wardrobe more sustainable as well as how to help women and children experiencing poverty here in Tarrant County (32min).
At HSC
- 10 Tips from YOUR Sustainability Committee – HSC’s Sustainability Committee was established in 2012. Here representatives from the committee give 10 tips on how to be more sustainable. (5min)
- Sustainability in Our Labs – The Lab Efficiency Action Program (LEAP) encourages labs to be more sustainable. Learn about the program and hear from researchers across campus. (4min)
- Coming Back to Campus the Sustainable Way – As HSC moves toward being more in person from the pandemic, why not come back in a better, more efficient and sustainable way? Learn 10 tips for coming back to campus the sustainable way. (8min)
ACTIVITIES ON YOUR OWN OR WITH OTHERS
Nature Walk
Spend some time outdoors this month. Here are some resources in our area:
- Fort Worth Botanic Garden – Close to campus, this place aims to be a “beacon of conservation”.
- Nature Trails – Use this site to find a trail near you.
Litter Cleanup
Litter on the ground eventually gets in our waterways causing issues for the environment, wildlife, and ourselves (ever heard of microplastics in tap water?). Here are some resources:
- Need supplies? Contact HSC Sustainability for bags and gloves.
- Keep Fort Worth Beautiful (or your local affiliate) has resources and events as well.
7 Days of Gratitude Journal: Celebrating Our Planet & Our Lives Here on It
Expressing gratitude may decrease stress, lead to better sleep, and increase feelings of happiness and compassion (learn more here).
Bike Ride
There are many places to ride a bike in our area. See resources below.
- Beginner’s Guide to Biking in DFW
- Fort Worth Bike Sharing – a city-wide network of bike stations. HSC students receive FREE annual memberships and employees receive $40 annual memberships. Register using your HSC email address (students use promo code “untstudent” and employees use “untemployee”.
- Bike DFW – Promotes cycling in our area and has many resources.
Eco-Activity with Kids
Get your kids involved with Earth Day activities and do them together.
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