GreeND will be hosting their biannual Sustainability Festival on Friday from 4 – 6:30 p.m on South Quad. Attendees will find a number of games, raffles and activities focused on educating students about the sustainable food industry.
“The Fall Sustainability Festival is a celebration and also an introduction to all things sustainable on campus and in the Notre Dame community as well,” GreeND president Tessa Clarizio said. “We try to get a well-rounded grasp on sustainability and each semester, we have a different theme for our festival, so this semester focuses on food.”
Students can play games like “compost cornhole” and “methane tug-of-war,” make a bike-powered smoothie and shop at a farmers market that features local vendors.
“The big focus of this is trying to teach people to eat sustainably, buy sustainable foods and just be conscious of what they’re eating,” GreeND co-director of events Sharlo Bayless said.
Along with other University organizations — including the Center for Social Concerns, NDEnergy and Student Government — members of GreeND have been working diligently to prepare for the event.
“I don’t think people realize how widespread this event is and how many people play a role in it and so, trying to organize that and trying to get everyone in contact with us is probably the most difficult but the most rewarding in the end,” Bayless said.
The clubs involved in the Sustainability Festival are working with GreeND to help students learn more about opportunities to help with the sustainability mission on campus as part of NDEnergy's Energy Week.
“A lot of these organizations will have tables there and will get to advertise their programming to all the students that come ... That way, students will be able to learn more about sustainability on campus,” Clarizio said.
With this being GreeND’s third Sustainability Festival, the club’s officers are trying to improve upon the event each semester.
“It’s become so much of a better process with each time,” GreeND vice president Erin Lenke said. “We’re mixing it up this time by doing it on South Quad ... hopefully, that will get a different turnout and get a wider audience.”
Clarizio accounts the success of the event to club members’ active participation.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without such a great group of officers,” she said.“We are able to delegate the task really well so that no one person is overwhelmed.”
The club hopes to educate students on sustainability and encourage them to participate
“The purpose of the event is in celebration and exposure to all things sustainable and also just making our mark on campus once every semester to really remind students this is why we’re here, this is what our club and what our purpose is about and that’s kind of extended to include now Student Government, Center for Social Concerns and NDEnergy,” Lenke said. “We’re really welcoming to people asking questions, finding more out about sustainability and just spreading the word and enjoying it while we doing it. Learning about sustainability can be really fun.”
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