Colin Kelty spent his Saturday afternoon at Easton Town Center, but he did not spend his time shopping. Instead, he informed people about the pressing environmental problems and the ways they can make a difference.
"(Ohio State) has the right age group and the right energy level to do this kind of work," said Kelty, a junior in anthropology and history, who works for Environment Ohio.
Easton Town Center hosted "Going, Going Green," an event where local businesses and environmental groups set up booths in the square to educate the public about environmental issues. The event was one of many around Columbus to kick off the week-long celebration and awareness campaign.
OSU was well represented as former and current students volunteered their time or worked at Easton Town Center to educate the public and promote their products.
Susan Folk, an OSU alumna and The Body Shop's manager, staffed the shop's booth and promoted the business' eco-friendly, canvas bags and biodegradable plastic bags.
Many of the ingredients for the products are hand or wild harvested, and the accessories are made from recycled plastic or wood, Folk said.
"We always try to support green initiatives, sustainable energy and community events," said Crystal Bevins, a worker staffing the Panera Bread booth at Easton.
Stephanie Kane, a geography major, was sitting at the booth for Clean Fuels Ohio, where she is an intern.
Clean Fuels Ohio is based at OSU's Center for Automotive Research and works to support cleaner fuels, improve air quality and health and support Ohio's economy, according to their Web site.
"We've got other booths set up at some of the other events. Hopefully, a lot of (students) will show up to Goodale Park," Kane said.
A number of OSU organizations have their own events planned to celebrate the growing green movement.
Mercy For Animals is hosting an eco-friendly vegan dinner April 21 with presentations about environmental problems, and Students for a Sustainable Campus will have a booth at the Goodale Park celebration, according to Hudson McFann, president of the group.
All the events this week will culminate in the Goodale Park celebration April 26, where there will be activities for children, music and booths for the public to browse, according to Green Columbus' Web site. Green Columbus is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable living in central Ohio and globally.
Tad Dritz, lead organizer of Green Columbus, said OSU students have supported programs put on by Green Drinks and Green Columbus in the past.
"OSU students are a noticeable component, especially of Green Drinks," Dritz said. "During the summer, our attendance goes down."
Green Columbus acts as a conduit for other businesses and organizations to promote any environmental programs they may be hosting this week, Dritz said.
The official Earth Day is April 22, but local businesses and environmental groups have extended their activities to educate the public throughout the week.
Visit
nowgetbusy.org for a list of Earth Day events.
Michelle Fehribach can be reached at fehribach.4@osu.edu.
2008 Woodie Awards
Be the first to comment on this story