Earth Month Events
March 24, 2008
Come celebrate Earth Month this April and learn about how UT Knoxville is helping the environment and what you can do.
Mount Trashmore Kick-Off Event
Mount Trashmore
UT Recycles will host a visual representation of the actual amount of waste generated on campus (aka Mount Trashmore). Did you know that each day UT generates 46,640 pounds of waste? On average 60-70% of this material can be recycled on campus. In fact, it’s mostly paper! Free desk side paper recycling bins are available to faculty and staff upon request. For more information email recycle@utk.edu or call 4-3480.
Kick the Bottled Water Habit
Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville (SPEAK) will host an informational table about the environmental impacts of drinking bottled water. For more information about the anti-bottled water campaign visit http://www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org/. For more information about SPEAK visit http://web.utk.edu/~speak or email speak@utk.edu
March 31, 10 am–2 pm, Pedestrian Mall
Lunch and Learn Series
The annual spring Lunch and Learn series will take place each Wednesday in April from 12:15-12:45pm in UC 221. The goal of the Lunch and Learn series is to showcase environmentally focused faculty and student research. Find out how faculty and students are exploring relevant environmental topics. Bring a bag lunch; cookies and punch provided! For more information email environment@utk.edu
April 2: “Do Pay-As-You-Throw Pricing Systems Increase Recycling?”
April 9: “Environmental Racism in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina”
April 16: “Alternative Energy Development at the Federal Level”
April 23: “Challenge X: Crossover to Sustainable Mobility”
12:15–12:45 pm University Center, Room 221
Environmental Film Series
The Environmental Film Series will take place each Wednesday at 7pm in Alumni Memorial Building Room 27. The series, hosted by the Film Committee and SPEAK will present four environmental films. For more information email hernest@utk.edu or clintdarrah@gmail.com.
April 2: Who Killed the Electric Car?
So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert? Who Killed the Electric Car? chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1.For more information on this highly-acclaimed film visit http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/trailer.
April 9: Black Diamond
"A riveting and ultimately energizing documentary.... provides a thumbnail economic and political history of coal mining in the state, a textured portrait of Appalachian life and a convincing case for ending the environmental scourge of decapitating mountains...." Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post. A have a member of Mountain Justice campaign speak after this film as well.
www.blackdiamondsmovie.com.
April 16: King Corn (with speaker)
"King Corn" -a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. Genetically modified seeds, powerful herbicides, and America's most-productive, most-subsidized grain raises troubling questions about how we eat-and how we farm. The film’s director will speak after the showing. For more information visit www.kingcorn.net & http://www.apple.com/trailers.
April 23: The 11th Hour (with speaker, in UC Auditorium)
Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, the 11th Hour describes the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how humanity has arrived at this moment; how we live, how we impact the earth's ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course. The film features dialogues with experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA. And sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Mau in addition to over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders who present the facts and discuss the most important issues that face our planet. A representative from the director's office will be speaking after the film. For more information visit http://wip.warnerbros.com/11thhour/.
7 pm, Alumni Memorial Bldg., Room 27
Trash-to-Treasure Recycled Fashion Show
The annual Trash-to-Treasure Fashion Show gives students living in residence halls the opportunity to take their recycled outfits to the catwalk. Prizes will be awarded for the best design! Contestants should meet in the South Carrick lobby by 3:45pm on April 9th. For more information email jdichiar@utk.edu.
April 9, 4 pm, Presidential Courtyard
Tennessee Sustainability in Higher Education Conference
The third annual conference on higher education and sustainability will be held at Lipscomb University, Nashville. The conference intends to continue the dialog from previous conferences, looking to advance environmental stewardship within the state's institutions of higher education. Last year's conference at Belmont University drew over 170 attendees, representing 22 higher education institutions in Tennessee, and this year's conference intends to build on last year's results.
Registration is only $50 (pre-registration) for faculty and staff. Students must pre-register (if possible) but may attend the conference for FREE! For more information visit http://sustainability.lipscomb.edu/page.asp?SID=193&Page=5672 or email environment@utk.edu
April 1 and 2 at Lipscomb University, Nashville Tennessee
Panel Discussion: Faith and the Environment
In the third annual Faith and the Environment panel discussion leaders from local faith communities discuss environmental will stewardship. Panel members include Abdelkarim Abushaqra, Amanda Womac, Rabbi Louis Zivic, and Lisa Williams. XXX. For more information email recycle@utk.edu.
April 22, 7 pm Alumni Memorial Building, Room 27
Campus Clean-Up Day
Show your Orange and White spirit by helping Make Orange Green on campus. During the 6th Annual Campus Clean Up Day volunteers will pick up litter on campus, in the Fort, and on the Strip. Groups that are participating in the SGA’s Adopt-A-Spot program will clean their areas.
Volunteer from 1am–3 pm and get a free meal! Sponsored by the Campus Beautification Committee (SGA) and SPEAK. For more information email kvicker1@gmail.com .
April 20, 1pm-3pm, UC Plaza
Run for Clean Air Registration
The Run for Clean Air celebrates the wonderful outdoor environment and raises awareness for work that is on-going to keep our air clean and clear! There will be an information table on the Pedestrian Mall on April 2 from 9:00 am-12:00 pm for individuals or teams to pre-register for the run and visit the Challenge X biodiesel hybrid vehicle. For more information visit http://RunForCleanAir.org For more information email sjc@utk.edu.
April 2, 9am–12:00 pm on the Pedestrian Mall
Run for Clean Air
The Run for Clean Air is a community event centered around a 5k (3.1 mile) run/walk (walkers are welcome!). Registration begins onsite at 8am with the run starting at 9am. The event will take place at beautiful Cherokee Boulevard in Knoxville, TN. The Run for Clean Air celebrates the wonderful outdoor environment and raises awareness for work that is on-going to keep our air clean and clear! Anyone is invited to attend! You can even put together your own team to participate. For more information visit http://RunForCleanAir.org.
April 12, Registration begins at 8am, Cherokee Blvd
Bike-to-School Days
The UT Outdoor Program and SPEAK will provide free bike tune-ups and snacks on the Pedestrian Mall. Kelley Segars with the Knoxville Regional Transportation and Parking Organization will be onsite to answer alternative transportation questions. UT is a participant in the Knoxville Smart Trips program. For more information about alternatives to driving alone visit http://smarttrips.knoxtrans.org/. For additional event information email Sam Jordan at sjorda10@utk.edu.
April 21 and 25, 9:30 am–4 pm, Pedestrian Mall
Beehive Design Collective
A swarm is coming! The Beehive Design Collective- a non-profit, volunteer driven, political arts organization based in eastern Maine is headed this way. The group’s mission is to “cross pollinate the grassroots” through the creation of images as an effective medium for deconstructing and educating the public about complex geopolitical issues.
The bees create collaborative, hand-illustrated posters of dizzying intricacy which arepatchwork “quilts” of personal stories related to them in their travels by communities in the global south. In their incendiary “Plan Colombia” presentation, the bees take participants on a “tour” through a larger than life graphic narrative of the multifold effects of globalization and “drug war” policies in Andean region of Colombia. Interweaving anecdotes and statistics, they perforate dubious “drug war” rhetoric and expose broad connections between militarism and resource extraction. For additional event information email Alix Pfennigwerth at apfennig@utk.edu.
April 8, 7pm, UT Humanities Amphitheatre (HSS 123 in case of rain)
Energy & Responsibility Conference
Conflicts and controversies about energy have become familiar features of the political and economic landscape around the globe. The environmental consequences of energy production, distribution and consumption and energy policy invite consideration of the ethical implications of both practice and policy. What are our ethical obligations to manage the earth’s resources and natural environment in a ‘sustainable’ manner? How should these obligations be enacted, institutionalized and implemented?
This conference invites ethicists, legal theorists, energy policy makers, energy enterprises and environmental activists to engage in a conversation about ethics and responsibility in the contested terrain of energy and the environment.
Speakers include
- Henry Shue, Merton College, Oxford
- Robert H. Socolow, Princeton University
- Dale Jamieson, New York University
- Richard Morgenstern, Resources for the Future
- Dale Bryk, Natural Resources Defense Council and Yale University
Free to students! Find out more at utk.edu/energy_and_responsibility.
April 10–12, Downtown Hilton Hotel
Environmental Timeline
Walk the UT timeline on the Pedestrian Mall and find out more about the history of the environmental movement. Timeline will be displayed the week of Earth Day (April 22nd). For more information email environment@utk.edu.
April 21–25, Pedestrian Mall
SPEAK'S Earth Day Festival
SPEAK’s annual Earth Day Festival on April 22nd. Stay tuned for more details! For additional information contact cbrown59@utk.edu.
April 22, Pedestrian Mall
UT Science Forum
The UT Science Forum presents Dr. Henry Fribourg, Professor Emeritus of Crop Ecology. Enjoy your lunch while learning about “Biofuel – or Is It Biofuelishness?” For more information contact Mark Littmann at 4-8156 or littmann@utk.edu.
April 25, 12-1pm, Thompson-Boling Arena, Dining Room C-D 12-1
Knoxville Earthfest
Celebrate Earth Day with the annual EarthFest event! Admission is free! Enjoy music, learn more about regional environmental activities, and more. The children's area for EarthFest 2008 will be loaded with fun games and educational opportunities. Home compost bins will be for sale and a silent auction will raise money for local environmental organizations. For more information visit http://www.knox-earthfest.org/index.html.
April 26, 11am-7pm, Pellissippi State Community College