Kansas State University

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University is celebrating Earth Day with a week of eco-friendly activities April 22-26.

First celebrated with a national proclamation from U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson on April 22, 1970, Earth Day has grown into a worldwide celebration to show support for environmental protection, particularly on college campuses.

"This year's Earth Week has activities to celebrate progress in K-State's sustainability efforts, as well as learn more about specific initiatives and ways everyone in the K-State family can do their part," said Ben Champion, the university's director of sustainability. "Taking steps to be mindful and responsible stewards of resources is what it's all about."

The week's activities beginning on Earth Day include:

• Tuesday, April 22: The Earth Day Fair will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Bosco Student Plaza. The K-State Biodiesel Initiative grand opening with Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz will start at 3:30 p.m. at the university's Recycling Center.

• Thursday, April 24: University Sustainability Celebration with Provost April Mason will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Justin Hall's Hoffman Lounge.

• Friday, April 25: Timothy Crews, director of research at The Land Institute in Salina, will present "Toward healing a world of wounds: Reflections on using models from native ecosystems to transform agriculture" from 9:30-10:20 a.m. in Durland Hall's Fiedler Auditorium. Valerie Carroll, assistant professor of women's studies, will present "What is Environmental Justice?" from 10:30-11:20 a.m. in Fiedler Auditorium. A lunch with Carroll; Crews; Walter Dodds, university distinguished professor of biology; Bonnie Lynn-Sherow, associate professor of history; and Jeffery Peterson, professor of political science, is scheduled from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in 142 Seaton Hall. This is open to students by registration only and each speaker will be at a separate table. To register, email Kathryn Douglass at kathry5@k-state.edu. Include in your email the order of speakers you would prefer to share a table. Lynn-Sherow will present "Environmental History" from 2:30-3:20 p.m. in Fiedler Auditorium. Dodds will present "Humanity's Footprint: Momentum, Impact, and our Global Environment" from 3:30-4:20 p.m. in Fiedler Auditorium. The EcoFest Browsing Fair will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Bosco Student Plaza.

• Saturday, April 26: A tour of the green roof on Seaton Hall and a meadow tour will start at noon. Family- and student-friendly games and activities will take place from 1-6 p.m. on the Bosco Plaza. The day also will include beverages, food and a drawling for more than $200 worth of gift cards.

The full schedule of events and additional details is available online at http://sustainability.k-state.edu.