Spring into Sustainability
WCU’s Spring Break is less than six weeks away. While you may be sustained by dreams of warmer weather, spring flowers, green grass, and forecasts that don’t involve the words “wind chill,” you might also check out what our Office of Sustainability has planned to help everyone “Think Spring.”
Free Film Fest Feb. 9
On Saturday, Feb. 9, come in out of the cold for a full day of free flicks, popcorn, and prizes at WCU’s Sustainability Film Festival. This free event is open to the public. The first films begin at 10 a.m.
Family-friendly movies WALL-E and Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax are among the 10 feature films and documentaries that will be shown in two venues in Sykes Student Union on West Rosedale Avenue. The films examine global environmental issues including changes to the Arctic’s glaciers, traffic and transportation troubles, plastics, pollution, food production, and more. Some of the films are narrated and/or produced by celebrities including Natalie Portman (Eating Animals) and Jeremy Irons (Trashed).
Representatives of both regional and WCU groups committed to furthering awareness of and practices in sustainability will be in attendance and are happy to answer questions and network with like-minded people.
Prizes include a Beeswrap pack of reusable, compostable food wraps, a bamboo utensil kit with a glass straw, insulated drink containers from Miir (Camp Mug) and Hydro Flask, and a $25 gift card to Roots Café (uptown on Gay Street), which specializes in affordable local, organic, farm-to-table food.
The event includes a panel discussion between films at 3:30 p.m.
Food and beverages are available for purchase upstairs on the first floor of Sykes. The manager of WCU’s Chick-Fil-A will permit attendees to use their reusable drink containers when purchasing fountain drinks during the festival – zero waste!
The Office of Sustainability’s homepage links these films to their trailers so you can choose which films to watch. Register by following this link.
Festival Film Schedule
Both venues are on the ground floor with easy access from the parking lot side.
Sykes Room 10a
- 10 a.m. Hoot
- 12 p.m. The Lorax
- 2 p.m. WALL-E
- 4 p.m. Erin Brockovich
- 6 p.m. Promised Land
Sykes Theater
- 10 a.m. Bikes vs Cars
- 12 p.m. Eating Animals
- 2 p.m. Chasing Ice
- 3:30 p.m. Panel Discussion
- 5 p.m. NOLS Exploration (National Outdoor Leadership School)
- 6 p.m. Trashed
Lunchtime Learning
The University’s commitment to renewable energy was highlighted Jan. 30 in the first of this semester’s Sustainability Research and Practice Seminar series. John Lattanze, manager of WCU’s Energy Project, opened a discussion about the University’s geothermal heating and cooling system by opening the doors to the geothermal pump house for a tour. Prior to the tour, he presented a brief overview of the system.
These noontime presentations by WCU experts take place every Wednesday in Sykes 255A. Here are the other Spring 2019 presenters, all of whom are faculty unless otherwise indicated:
- 2/6 Andrew Snyder, Art + Design. The Lowdown on Lowfire Porcelain
- 2/13 Dorothy Ives Dewey, Geography and Planning. Zoning for Climate Change: An Exploration of Suburban Practices
- 2/20 Jingqiu Hu, Chemistry. Using Backyard Waste to Harvest the Energy of the Sun
- 2/27 Peter Loedel, Political Science and WCU Director, Global Engagement Office. Creating a WCU Global Strategy: Teaching, Research, and Service
- 3/6 Cheryl Wanko, English. Academic Advising for Sustainability
- 3/13 No seminar (spring break)
- 3/20 Dikran Kassabian, WCU Vice President for Information Services & Technology. Sustainability in An Information Technology Context
- 3/27 Jasmin Tahmaseb McConatha, Psychology. Building Supportive and Sustainable Communities for People of All Ages: An Overview of the World Health Organization’s Consortium of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities
- 4/3 Lisa Calvano, Management, and Joan Welch, Geography. Meeting UN Sustainable Development Goals through Sustainable Management Education at WCU
- 4/10 Yong Hoon Kim, Earth and Space Sciences. Earth Climate Change and Ocean: Impacts and Mitigation
- 4/17 Whitney Katirai, Health. Teaching Sustainability in Public Health
- 4/24 Bradley Flamm, WCU Director, Office of Sustainability. WCU's Climate Action Plan: Five Years of Progress, Five Years of Challenges
- 5/1 Maria Urrutia, Constance Case, and Gretchen Studlien-Webb, Theatre and Dance. Carnival of Ruin: An Interactive Dance Theatre Performance Created to Raise Environmental Awareness
Get Involved
The Office of Sustainability is located at 703 South High Street (the building next to Saxbys): 610-436-2736. Stay in the know by subscribing to their email newsletter via the button on their homepage or email sustainability@wcupa.edu. Get involved in campus sustainability initiatives by connecting with WCU’s Sustainability Advisory Council (SAC), who will next meet on Friday, Feb. 8, at 1:30 p.m. in Sykes 210.
