Green Week begins Monday

Purdue Green Week kicks off Monday (Oct. 19), offering many events throughout the week to educate the campus community on sustainability.

"Green Week is an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to engage in a campus-wide conversation focused on issues of sustainability, to reflect on our sustainability achievements, and to look to future goals," says Michael Gulich, director of University Sustainability.

Events for the week are:

* Purdue Dining and Catering will be showcasing an "Indiana Harvest Party" in dining courts at lunch throughout the week. Produce and meats will be supplied by local farms. The schedule: Monday, Hillenbrand; Tuesday, Windsor; Wednesday, Earhart; Thursday, Ford; Friday, Wiley. On Thursday, all dining courts and the Sagamore Restaurant in Purdue Memorial Union will offer a special selection of sustainable seafood from Sea To Table, which partners with local fishermen from small-scale sustainable, wild fisheries.

* A documentary screening of “Silent River” and a student-led discussion hosted by the Purdue Air and Waste Management Association will begin the week at 6 p.m. Monday (Oct. 19) in the Boilermaker Room at the Córdova Recreational Sports Center, also known as the Co-Rec. This is open to the entire campus community, and food will be provided. For more information on the film, go to http://www.silentriverfilm.com/.

* The Office of University Sustainability will be collecting Halloween costumes Sept. 28-Oct.19. All students will be allowed to swap costumes 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 20) in the Co-Rec, Room 2336.

* A film screening and discussion featuring “Ola i ka Wai: Water is Life” will be hosted by Purdue Native American Educational and Cultural Center and Hui Na ‘Ōpio O Hawai’i for the entire campus community. The event will be 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday (Oct. 20) in Stewart Center, Room 279. Kenneth Ridgway, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences, will be the featured speaker. For more information on the film, go to http://www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org/ola-i-ka-wai-water-is-life/.

* The Alternative Transportation Expo is set for 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday (Oct. 21) on the north half of Memorial Mall. This event is open to the entire campus community and will welcome the Purdue Cycling Club, Virtuous Cycles, CityBus, Zipcar, Nissan Leaf and Coke Hybrid.

* Kim Pittel, vice president, sustainability, environment & safety engineering for Ford Motor Co., will give the keynote lecture on “The Future of Mobility: Sustainability and Innovation.” The lecture will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 21) in Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, Kurz Atrium, with a reception to follow at 7. Both events are free and open to the public.

* The Purdue Farmers Market will be from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 22) on Memorial Mall. This offers locally grown produce and other items, including prepared lunches.

* A Bike Share Membership Drive will be 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday in Memorial Mall. Students, faculty and staff can come learn about the Zagster Bike Share program.

* The 5th Annual Green Week Tree Planting will be 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday (Oct. 23) starting in the Purdue Armory parking lot. To register, go to https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4ZQtIPBQlXAVKOV.

* Friday Night Lights, an initiative on campus where student volunteers spend an hour turning off unused lights in classrooms across campus, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Those interested should sign up at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rv4KdXTeiv3b0__wMGvHx4aJOyKuboevtfRDV2NXW9Q/edit#gid=0.

* De-Trash the Wabash will be 8:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday (Oct. 24) at Tapawingo Park. Registration is required. To register, go to https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3m8LMjqgwawlVxH. 

For more information about Green Week, go to www.purdue.edu/sustainability/news/getinvolved/GreenWeek.

Writer: Aspen Deno, denoa@purdue.edu