Southern Illinois University Carbondale is celebrating Earth Month in April with a series of community events, including a free cookout, nature walks, a plant symposium, and an awards ceremony.
The university said the theme for this year’s activities is “Our Power, Our Planet,” focusing on community action and local solutions. Andrew Taylor, sustainability coordinator at SIU, said, “During Earth Month, SIU and its sustainability office are focusing on community action, innovation and local solutions rather than relying on political shifts. We want to emphasize that individual actions can create lasting change. We’re inviting everyone to be a part of that change, beginning by joining us in our Earth Month activities.”
A highlight of the month will be the Feeding Our Community event on April 15 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Carbondale Downtown Square Pavilion along Illinois Avenue. The event is open to all residents and aims to foster connections within the region while supporting unhoused people.
Earth Day will be marked with a celebration at 3 p.m. on April 22 in the Student Center Auditorium. During this event, SIU will announce recipients of its Green Fund grant awards as well as present Environmental Ambassador Awards recognizing student volunteers who contribute hours toward sustainability efforts. A reception will follow.
Since its inception in 2009 through a student-led initiative funded by a $10-per-semester Green Fee, SIU has awarded nearly $3.8 million for 357 projects focused on energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, transportation improvements, food initiatives, education outreach programs and social equity research.
Other planned activities include Saluki Cares Day on April 8 promoting mental health awareness; an Illinois Indigenous Plant Symposium on April 11; service-learning opportunities at Giant City State Park; Arbor Day tree planting; and special collection drives for household chemicals and medicines throughout the month.
The university encourages further participation by inviting additional event submissions for its online calendar and provides more information about programming through its Office of Sustainability.
