Sustainability organizations commemorate Earth Month

Over the past few weeks, the Davidson community has come together for Earth Month. Organizations like the Sustainability Office, the student-run Davidson Sustainability Collective (TSC) and Patterson Court Council (PCC) have hosted events to appreciate nature, forge community and educate students about sustainability practices.

Though Earth Month is celebrated in April, TSC Co-President Abby True ‘25 emphasized that sustainability matters year-round. 

“We need more than even reform at this point to stop climate change from doing all the damage it’s going to do, and I think it’s important that people work towards that collectively,” True said.

While True believes environmental awareness and action are essential, she recognizes that the scale of the problem can feel intimidating for some students. 

“Davidson is not the most pernicious example of college campuses, but I still think our generation is pretty apathetic when it comes to [climate change],” True stated. “It’s hard not to feel like there’s nothing we can do. I think there’s a lot of rhetoric online and in general [saying things like,] ‘Why would I stop using plastic or stop eating meat […] when it’s corporations and nations that are doing all of the violence?’”

True hopes to change this attitude and spark productive dialogue surrounding sustainability through her work with TSC. 

“The Sustainability Collective is the place that I feel [we are most able] to really push for […] mindset re-shifting,” True said. “Some sort of consciousness raising […] [is] my biggest goal and priority at this point, just to keep [climate change] in the conversation.”

As Sustainability Coordinator for Student Programs Cameron Clark ‘15 pointed out, Earth Month is an excellent time for the Davidson community to start having these discussions and learning more about sustainability.

“We’re working on this stuff all year round,” Clark said. “[But for] people that don’t live this day in day out for their work, it’s an opportunity to be more mindful of [sustainability] and have some conversations that we don’t have year-round.”

Many groups around campus planned Earth Month events, including a Davidson Outdoors day hike, a plant hanger-making event sponsored by Fits for Change and a “Lunch and Learn” with Cherokee Nation member Clint Carroll. Director of Sustainability Yancey Fouché emphasized that the common goal of these events is to inspire the Davidson community to learn about sustainability in a way that suits them.

“Our hope is to throw a lot out there that we hope is appealing and interesting to different people and helps them see their way to connect [to sustainability] wherever they are,” Fouché explained.

Several Earth Month events focused on building community and making sustainability practices more accessible.

“One of [the Sustainability Office’s] team members led a ‘Think Global, Eat Local’ event,” Clark said. “They went with a few students to the farmer’s market [and the campus farm], got some food from there and […] cooked up a meal using local produce […] It’s not going to solve every problem that we face, but it’s […] a small positive way to get people’s foot in the door, welcome them into this work and make it a little more approachable than all the scary doom and gloom stuff that sort of comes to mind first and foremost for a lot of people.”

Likewise, TSC and the Phi Delta Gamma fraternity (FIJI) hosted “Power People Picnic” on April 11, an event where students could reflect on sustainability in a relaxed setting.

Featuring catered barbecue and live jazz from the Davidson Jazz Ensemble, the event served as a way for students to come together on a Friday afternoon. 

“It was a very calm way for people to talk about sustainability and reconnect and think about Earth Month,” TSC Co-President Trixie MacNeill ‘25 described.

MacNeill is also glad that many Earth Month activities have inspired students to spend time in nature.

“I think it’s super important for people to see the value of conserving natural spaces. One of the events that was most exciting to me was forest bathing,” MacNeill said. According to National Geographic, forest bathing is a Japanese practice where individuals immerse themselves in nature. “I think it’s awesome to see that we really care about conserving areas and preserving natural spaces […] Even beyond sustainability, I would just hope that this is fostering a continued appreciation of being in nature.”

Although April is almost over, PCC Sustainability Chair Zach Mordan ‘27 emphasized that some important Earth Month events are still to come.

“The biggest Earth Month event, in my opinion […] is Frolics,” Mordan said. “The Patterson Court Council, in collaboration with Union Board, is crafting a web of waste management and energy and resource management guidelines for Frolics which will be distributed to presidents, house chairs, kitchen chairs, sustainability chairs and the risk managers at Frolics, as well as the volunteers from Union Board who run Frolics.”

These resources will serve as a guide map with information on where to recycle and how to practice good recycling habits. They will also provide recommendations as to how to reduce waste on Patterson Court and prioritize “keeping the court green,” as Mordan put it.

Mordan hopes that learning about sustainability through Frolics, other Earth Month events and PCC sustainability initiatives will push students to practice green living.

“On the micro level, the everyday life of a student can be greatly influenced and altered by what they see in their community on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “A one-off event like Frolics […] is a prime opportunity for Patterson Court, Union Board and the student body to come together as a sort of nexus of green thinking and sustainability.”