Solano celebrates first official Earth Day on campus
Children from the daycare center take a look at the Nissan Leaf.
Sharman Bruni, Editor-in-Chief
April 25, 2012
Filed under On campus, Top Stories
Green is the name of the game. On April 18, Solano Community College hosted the first official Earth Day on campus, bringing in organizations such as the Solano County Land Trust, Shooting Star farm and Potrero Hills Landfill.
The Japanese Art and Culture Club held a “garage” sale in which members of the club brought in miscellaneous items to sell as fundraising for the club.
“A garage sale is a good way to reuse and recycle stuff that might end up in a landfill,” said club treasurer Angelica Cabanlit.
The Master Gardeners of Solano County had a booth in which members spoke to the public about gardening concerns, everything from growing plants to pest control.
“The emphasis is on educating and passing on information,” said member Teresa Lavell.
When asked about what one should do when faced with a barrage of bugs in the garden Lavell was ready with an answer.
“The majority of bugs in the yard are either benign or beneficial,” Lavell said.
Lavell relayed that before individuals go pesticide happy and spray down their garden, they should consult the local Master Gardeners hotline at (707) 784-1322 or email mgsolano@ucdavis.edu.
Sandra Diehl from the adaptive horticulture department handed out free sunflower plants to attendees. The sunflowers were grown in biodegradable containers made out of newspaper.
The Solano County Parks and Recreation department had ranger Chris Drake on hand to inform inquisitive visitors of opportunities available at local parks like Lynch Canyon and Rockville Park. Drake spoke of his life as a ranger and the enjoyment he finds in his career.
Inside the 1400 building volunteers provided a taste test where individuals were presented with four unmarked cups of water and choose their favorite one. After making a choice it was revealed that Arrowhead, Crystal Geyser, Brita, and tap water were in the cups. The taste test provided the public a chance to clearly define the differences between spring water, filtered water, and water straight from the tap.
Professor Marc Lancet brought his “found art” project to the event with student displays made from scraps of metal, wood, and other found objects. One mannequin sported a bikini made entirely out of safety pins and another display showed an animal figurine holding a hand of burnt cards with melted candle wax dripped over them.
Betsy Julian, the dean of sciences, brought laptops inside for individuals to check their carbon footprint and discover ways to reduce emissions in the environment.
The recycling club on campus brought bins for individuals to spray paint and co-founders Joseph Zapantis and Alexander Miller manned an information table while Zapantis prepared all natural Greek doughnuts, known as loukoumades.
“We are planning to continue and make this a tradition” said Diehl, when asked about the possibilty of the event returning to campus next year.
