Malone University Sustainability Week Recap

 

Malone University recently celebrated Sustainability Week the March 31-April 6, highlighted by the Sustainability Festival April 5th! As we all know, this is not auxiliary work for tree-huggers or those especially passionate about "nature;" rather, it is gospel work, and we want to commend Malone University and the Sustainability Committee for your faithfulness to this work. Though no single event had a remarkable turnout, besides Faithful Friday (around 60 students came out to volunteer!), we saturated campus with messages of God's care for creation and our responsibility to join God in that good work of shalom-making for ALL of creation. Some "wins" to be proud of during this week are:

• AVI (campus food service) has committed to Meatless Mondays indefinitely
• Students learned the value of reducing meat consumption
• Around 50-75 students tried Tofu on Tofu Thursday for the first time
• Students were presented with the environmental impact of the fashion industry
• Students engaged in energy conservation
• Approximately 60 students spent around 2 hours in nature pulling invasive garlic mustard from a local park. Students in nature (win), working together (win), for conservation (win).
• Sustainability Fest incorporated several new partners, received its first-ever sponsorships, gave away over $600 in prizes, included live music (w/ student participation), garnered media attention, and drew some of the general public.

This is important work that we want to celebrate!