Plastic, plastic and more plastic. In celebration of Earth Day, students had the opportunity to receive reusable straws, tote bags and pots to go green.
The BU CleanUp Crew teamed up with the Wellness Office to introduce a variety of healthy habits to students, who could then develop these habits.
“The hope is to get students thinking about how much waste they are generating, specifically in the form of single-use plastic,” said Malini Wijesinghe, president of BU CleanUp Crew and senior biochemistry, philosophy and Spanish triple major.
On Monday, reusable silicone straws were given out on the Olin Quad and the Michel Student Center. A banner was hung on the side of Olin Hall where students wrote a pledge that would help them reduce their footprint on the Earth. Straw cleaners and stickers were also provided.
“My pledge was to recycle more plastic water bottles, just because I use a lot of them,” said Keelan Rodgers, freshman animation major. “I want more initiatives like this on campus as they help us protect our environment and the more free stuff, the better.”
Approximately 200 people to stop by to pick their straw and many students posted pictures with their reusable straws on their social media accounts.
On Wednesday, reusable tote bags were given out to students after they played a game called “Sort It Out.” The game involved students sorting items into recycling and trash bins, based on their knowledge of which materials are recyclable and which are not.
“We hope that, by giving students these reusable options, it serves as a symbolic reminder to them to think about their plastic consumption and to hopefully make choices that reduce the amount of plastic they use on a day-to-day basis,” said Michael Cortese, physical therapy graduate student and graduate assistant at the Wellness Office at Bradley.
On Friday, students were given biodegradable pots to plant their own basil or flower seeds.
“I love plants and anything to do with the Earth,” said Sarah Samuel, junior accounting major. “Especially while being in college and it being almost finals week, studying in a room with plants really helps with stress and anxiety levels.”
The Clean Water Celebration and the Sun Foundation in Peoria inspired president of the BU CleanUp Crew to bring these initiatives to Bradley.
“Plastic is a relatively easy thing to cut out of one’s daily life with a little preparedness,” Wijesinghe said. “I am fortunate to know these foundations who have helped me make my dream a reality and help so many students protect the environment.”
To join or find out more about the BU CleanUp Crew contact mwijesinghe@mail.bradley.edu or bradleycleanupcrew@gmail.com.
