Since 1970, April 22nd marks the official celebration of Earth Day, a day to commemorate and reflect on the movement towards a greener, more sustainable future. Here at EC Students' Association, one of our main strategic aims is to Help the Planet, so this year, we've decided to turn Earth Day into Earth Week!
We have a wide range of activities taking place across the week, starting on Wednesday 22nd April (Earth Day) and finishing on Wednesday 29th April. So, whether you like to get out and about in nature, or if you prefer crafting and want to chat about how to be more eco-friendly, we have something for you to participate in. Click on the links below to find out more. All activities are free and drop-in, no need to book.
| Wednesday 22nd April | Granton Litter Pick, 11am-12pm. Get hands on with a litter pick close to campus! Granton Zine Workshop, 12-1.30pm. Come and make some spectacular Zines inspired by Earth Week. |
| Thursday 23rd April | Sighthill Litter Pick, 11am-12pm. Get hands on with a litter pick close to campus! Dr Bike Session at Sighthill Campus, 12-2pm. Come and get your bike repaired for free, so you can keep travelling green and clean this spring. Knitting & Crochet Society Stitch N Chat: Earth Week Edition, Online at 2-3pm. To join this session you will need to sign up to the society Teams page here. |
| Friday 24th April | Bioblitz Session at Milton Road, 11am-1.30pm. Join us for a Bioblitz at our Milton Road Campus! We will be looking at the biodiversity of our green spaces ahead of No Mow May. |
| Monday 27th April | Sighthill Zine Workshop, 12-1.30pm. Come and make some spectacular Zines inspired by Earth Week. |
| Tuesday 28th April | Bioblitz Session at Sighthill, 11am-1.30pm. Join us for a Bioblitz at our Sighthill Campus! We will be looking at the biodiversity of our green spaces ahead of No Mow May. |
| Wednesday 29th April | Dr Bike Session at Granton Campus, 12-2pm. Come and get your bike repaired for free, so you can keep travelling green and clean this spring. |
We asked Mary O'Driscoll, our Vice-President Activities, to share some thoughts about Earth Day and why it's important...
"Earth Day is a celebration of the Earth we have but also a reminder to take action where we can to combat the climate emergency, it impacts all of us, we're just lucky in Scotland to not be experiencing the more devastating affects of it at the moment.
There are loads of ways we can get involved this Earth Day, whether that is noticing our own reliance on fossil fuels and trying to find ways to move away from that e.g. cycling instead of driving if we can. Or paying attention to where our food has come from and investigating how much water, land, human and animal resource, and chemicals may have gone into it - maybe you could use the Student Fridge to help divert waste from landfill and save some money.
You could also engage in politics! If you register to vote before 20th April, you will be able to vote for political parties that prioritise policies that tackle climate change, your voice has an impact and it's your democratic right to engage in these things. You can also contact your local counsellors and MSPs to see what they are doing to tackle the climate emergency, investigate what grassroots community events or volunteering opportunities there are in your area that divert waste from landfill, or divert power and money from billionaires upholding environmentally destructive systems that oppress people and the planet.
You can learn more about Earth Day and issues like fast fashion, industrial farming, microplastics impact on human health, and fossil fuels here."
Please join us for as many Earth Week activities as you can, and keep an eye out on our website and our socials for more information about how you can make greener, healthy choices that are good for you and for the planet.
