The Daily Free Press

Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Ariana Alisjahbana CAS freshman Libby Glenn, a member of the BU Organic Gardening Club, waters a plant for a fellow BU student on Marsh Plaza yesterday.

Ruth Gerber said Earth Day might be an important annual reminder about environmentalism, but the date does not affect her everyday earth-saving behavior.

"I'm not going to do anything differently," Gerber, a College of Arts and Sciences senior, said. "I try to help the environment whatever day it is."

Various eco-friendly Boston University organizations kicked off an entire Earth Week yesterday afternoon, dividing time between Marsh Plaza and the School of Education lobby with information booths, music and fliers to help students make greener decisions.

"We're trying to promote awareness about environmental issues that are important right now," said Environmental Student Organization member Jaimie Orlosk, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman. "We are just getting the word around and celebrating the earth today."

Student recycling coordinators and the ESO are hosting the week of festivities, which included free coffee and pastry samples to entice passersby to learn about green movements yesterday.

"I just came out of class and saw what was going on in Marsh Plaza, so I took a seat," CAS senior Jayson Kramer said. "It feels good to be around people who appreciate the earth, and it is a great atmosphere with the music."

Booths promoted awareness for various causes, including WalkBoston, which encourages walking to destinations instead of public transport or cars. The group displayed T-shirts and walking maps at its information booth.

"All we are trying to do is show people that walking is fun, healthy and good for the environment," WalkBoston volunteer Rachel Heafield, a School of Public Health graduate student, said. "Walking is easy in Boston and everything is close. Little things like walking to closer places instead of driving helps a lot."

Clean Power Now was another nonprofit organization talking to students about renewable energy products. Clean Power Now advocates for renewable wind power on Cape Cod.

"We are asking people to sign our call to action that calls for a five-year moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, a big contributor to global warming," Clean Power Now volunteer Jen Filiault, a University of Vermont alumna, said.

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