SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Penn State Schuylkill kicked off a project Monday that will take place over the next year to turn the campus into a living laboratory for sustainability.
The event began with events for children in the community, including coloring, mask making and other activities.
Stephen R. Couch, director of academic affairs at the campus, then addressed the crowd about how Penn State Schuylkill was recently one of four Penn State satellite campuses, along with University Park, to be awarded a $52,000 grant for the project, known as Envision, Plan, Implement, Change, Sustain - EPICS.
It will ensure that all Penn State Schuylkill students will have the opportunity to learn about and practice sustainability.
Couch said that Penn State's definition of sustainability is the simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality and economic well-being for current and future generations.
"The project will involve all sectors of the Penn State Schuylkill campus in all of its aspects and local community partners," Couch said. "Once fully instituted, EPICS will ensure that all Penn State Schuylkill students will have had an opportunity to learn about and practice sustainablilty."
Darcy Medica, associate professor of biology, adviser of the campus's biology and environmental club and program coordinator for EPICS, followed Couch at the podium.
"It's great to see such a large group of people that came and we're very excited about this project," Medica said.
She went on to say that the campus will implement a number of things into courses next year and a big event will be held in the fall and the campus will hopefully work with the community over the summer.
According to a previous story, during the project, faculty will have the opportunity to participate in two workshops related to the inclusion of sustainability into coursework, while students will have the opportunity to participate in several field trips related to sustainability.
Among the field trips will be a day helping the Schuylkill Headwaters Association plant seedlings as part of its reclamation efforts and a trip to Eckley Miners' Village, Weatherly, a living history museum under the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
There will also be several campus- and community-related initiatives such as a one-day symposium to explore the county's social, environmental and economic concerns in a bid to seek collaborative approaches to sustainability.
"I wanted to thank Dr. Couch for making this project possible," Medica said. "I also want to thank the members of the sustainablity club that are here tonight. There are a lot of them here that are helping out. I hope that if you have any questions or ideas of things you would like to see us work on, just get in touch with me."
The last person to speak was Stacy Koperna, Tower City, a freshman biology student at the campus.
"How many people actually know what sustainability mean?" she asked the approximately 50 on hand for the presentation.
She said there are many ways that people can help such as recycling or using reusable cups, water bottles and shopping bags.
"There's so much in our environment that depends on us," Koperna said.
She also spoke about how a large part of the Pacific Ocean is filled with trash and many of the animals are eating plastic that's not being recycled.
"They found beached whales filled with plastic inside their stomachs," she said. "I hope you guys think about using reusable bottles and cups."
Following the talks, there was a free movie for the community, "The Lorax," to teach children about trees and taking care of the environment. It was the first event held in celebration of Earth Day.