2008 Woodie Awards
Earth Day events help raise
Campus Life
Autumn McReynolds
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Features
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Throughout the day students could explore various tents full of display materials about the environment. There was a climbing wall from Upper Limits and musical performances on stage. At noon, President Bowman gave his annual Earth Day address.
According to Tom Bierma, professor of environmental health and faculty adviser for the Student Environmental Health Association, Bowman signed ISU on to a pledge that was developed by the Lt. Gov. in Illinois and his speech was addressing that.
"It's a pledge to improve the environmental performance of the university in certain ways," Bierma said. "One of the things he talked about is the progress that the university is making and what the plans are for the next year."
At 1:30 p.m. the Metcalf Kids gave an onstage performance and there was an Earth Day auto show lasting until about 3 p.m.
"We have flex-fuel vehicles, hybrid vehicles and diesel vehicles displayed from local dealerships," Bierma said.
"In the evening, there was an update on Twin Groves Wind Farm in McLean County. This is planned to be the largest land-based wind farm in the nation when it's done. Horizon Wind Energy discussed what the progress is on that."
On Wednesday, there will be an Earth Day keynote speaker at 7:30 p.m. Temple Grandin will speak about her views on animals, nature, humans and autism in the Old Main Room of the Bone Student Center.
"She is a professor of animal behavior at Colorado State University and she has autism. She has a lot of very interesting insight on humans, their relationships with animals and the way people think and the way animals think," Bierma said.
"Grandin's also designed a lot of the slaughterhouses for places like McDonalds and KFC to make them more humane."
Before her evening speech, Grandin will be speaking to various groups on campus about environmental issues, agriculture issues and autism.
With these events taking place on campus, students may wonder the reason for all of the Earth Day hype. According to Marshall Brain, founder of howstuffworks.com, if enough people in the United States clamor together for environmental change, there will be change.
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