At its annual celebration of Earth Day on Friday, April 22, the sustainability office's Live Green initiative will sponsor a variety of activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn south of Parks Library.
At this year's celebration (theme: "I'm With Her: Our Planet. Our Home. Everyone Needed"), enjoy yard games, music by ISU's student radio station, games, greener-living prizes, fruit-infused water and cookies. Bring a bicycle for a mini check-up or make a nonperishable donation to SHOP, the student food pantry. Campus and local organizations will be on hand to talk about their commitments to environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Earth Day is just one day in Earth Month, which is celebrated throughout April. Keep the momentum going by participating in an upcoming activity from the Live Green team's Earth Month events calendar, including:
April 22
Earth Day poetry slam, Alluvial Brewing Company, 3715 W. 190th St. (6 p.m.)
Water Rocks, Iowa State's youth water education campaign, is hosting a family-friendly event with spoken word artists competing for a top prize of $400. The event also features free food and nonalcoholic drinks, live music and the Conservation Station Marsh Madness environmental education trailer.
April 23
Campus Service Day, locations vary (10 a.m.-4 p.m.)
Sign up for one of 10 different volunteer activities during the service day organized by the student-run Campus Service Council. Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to clean College Creek, write letters to children's hospital patients, pack supplies for emergency assistance programs and more. See all the options at the online registration site.
April 24
Ames Reads Leopold, Hickory Shelter, Brookside Park, 1325 6th St. (1:30-3:30 p.m.)
ISU's Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture holds its annual reading of essays by its namesake conservationist and native Iowan Aldo Leopold, along with a nature walk in Brookside Park, a story walk for children and a writing exercise with Distinguished Professor of English and Iowa poet laureate Deb Marquart.
April 26
Electronic waste recycling, Department of Transportation, 800 Lincoln Way (7 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
Recycle electronics responsibly at this one-day opportunity for federal, state and local government employees. Many items will be accepted for free, including computers, wires, DVD players, keyboards and mouses. Fees are $5 for most other items, with TV and monitor fees ranging by size ($20-$60).
April 30
Stash the Trash, locations and times vary
The annual volunteer clean-up effort brings students and community members together to pick up litter and assist homeowners with yard work. Trash bags are available any time before the event at the Resource Recovery Plan (110 Center Ave.) or the east lobby of City Hall (515 Clark Ave.), or on April 30 in the Reiman Gardens parking lot, where a dumpster for disposing Stash the Trash collections will be available April 29-May 1.
Ioway Creek trash clean-up, Brookside Park (9 a.m.- 1 p.m.)
Meet near the 6th Street bridge to help pick up garbage along and in Ioway Creek. Bring a water bottle, gloves and appropriate clothes, including closed-toe shoes that can get muddy. Lunch will be provided. Register online by April 25.
