Everyone’s favorite time of year is now upon us. 13 Days of Green begins this Wednesday April, 10th and we are excited! This year marks Colgate University’s 10th annual 13th Days of Green, a tradition where the Office of Sustainability hosts programming throughout the 13 days leading up to and including Earth Day.
The first Earth Day in 1970 grew out of the counterculture energy that pervaded America and served as a response to physical environmental harms such as air and water pollution. On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets to demonstrate for a healthy and sustainable environment in coast to coast rallies. This was an important moment in the environmental movement because it represented groups coming together to fight for shared values. In 1990, Earth Day went global, and activists mobilized to lift environmental issues onto the world stage.
Today, Earth Day is now the largest secular observance in the world, as it is celebrated by more than a billion people every year. The day represents decades of activists fighting for change, transboundary solidarity, collective demand for action, and hope for the future. University and college students have always been at the forefront of the environmental movement, so it was only fitting that 10 years ago, Colgate University launched 13 Days of Green in an attempt to do its part and be part of national and global action.
This year, there are many exciting events planned for the 13 Days of Green. Highlights include the Kickoff Celebration on April 10th, the Green Summit and Oak Awards on April 11th, the Day of Service on April 20th, and the Carbon Neutrality Celebration on April 22nd. All of these events are geared towards engaging the student body in environmental action and awareness, as well as bringing a sense of excitement about sustainably to the campus climate. The full 13 Days of Green Calendar can be found here.
