UC Clermont Celebrates Earth Day!

Green shirts, green thumbs and green attitudes were everywhere on campus as UC Clermont College celebrated Earth Day today.

The college hosted 168 Batavia Elementary second grade students on campus and organized activities that showed them first-hand how the environment can be nurtured by everyone. Each child left with a book on recycling and a tree seedling to plant at home.

"We were excited to host an event for students that not only teaches them about their environment, but also empowers them to take that information home and make changes in their daily lives that can make a real difference, " said Krista L. Clark, assistant professor of biology and chair of the Earth Day committee.
 
For the second year, a community garden is being planted on Earth Day to benefit local food banks. Last year’s garden produced a total of 381 pounds of vegetables and fruits. The 2010 harvest included squash, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, corn, peppers, basil, cucumbers, pumpkins and watermelons. This year the plan for the garden has grown.

Thanks to a $4000 Duke Energy grant, the Community Garden size is being quadrupled in size this year. UC Clermont College biology students were key in planning the garden, building and raising the beds and germinating seeds in the green house for the planting in the garden.
 
“Being able to incorporate the Earth Day events into my biology classes here at Clermont College has also been an excellent teaching tool.  My students are learning about garden planting strategies, low impact gardening, and alternative watering systems to be used in our Community Garden. The idea that their research can impact the yield of the garden, and thus how much food will be donated has brought a new service element into my curriculum that has engaged the students in the classroom, and made them excited to work outside of class to enhance their own learning,” said Clark.

The Earth Day Events for elementary children were made possible by a grant from the American Association of Community Colleges. The grant director is Barbara Wallace. 

Earth Day celebrations included: Earth Day Fair with student booths, demonstrations and fun activities; a Cincinnati Zoo Reptile Show; tree seedling give-away and the planting of the 2011 Community Garden.
 
The college also donated about 900 tomato plants and about 650 pepper plants to many community food banks and agencies to grow their own gardens. Some of the groups receiving plants include: James Sauls Shelter, YWCA, Anderson Senior Support Commission, Thomaston Woods, YMCA, Felicity Food Pantry, Goshen Township and OSU Extension.
 
Special thanks to student clubs who organized and volunteered: Student Tribunal, Discovery Club, Education Club, Psychology Club, Biology Club, Foreign Language Club, SHOCK (service), UCCAN (social work) and UCCAPS (Paralegal). Community organizations that participated include: Clermont CAN and the Clermont Office of Environmental Quality.