Baylor University will observe Earth Week from April 20-24, 2009. The week begins with a Sustainability Fair on Monday, April 20, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on the Fountain Mall. The Fair will feature representatives from Aramark Dining Services, Keep Waco Beautiful, the University Sustainability Committee, and other local student and community groups sharing their contributions to sustainability.

Following the Sustainability Fair, the University Sustainability Committee will host a teach-in on the fifth floor of Cashion Academic Center at 4:00 p.m. The teach-in features Dr. David Garland, Interim President of Baylor University; Dr. Sascha Usenko, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science; and Dale Barron, Development Director of the World Hunger Relief Farm. Each speaker will offer a 10-12 minute presentation about sustainability from within his own area of expertise. Following the presentations, the speakers will entertain questions from the audience in what organizers hope will result in a community conversation about sustainability.

Earth Week will also mark the launch of a campus energy conservation effort focusing on lights, monitors and elevators. The “Last Out, Lights Out” initiative will encourage members of the Baylor community to turn the lights out in classrooms and other facilities when they are unoccupied. Baylor faculty and staff will be encouraged to turn off their computer monitors both when the office is closed and also when away from the office. To encourage this campus-wide effort, monitors on campus public computers will be set to power down during low usage hours, except in high traffic areas so as not to diminish the effectiveness of the campus screensaver for publicity. Finally, a “Take the Stairs” effort will encourage everyone in the Baylor community to opt for the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible as a way to reduce energy use.

Following on Baylor’s recent successes in Recyclemania, Earth Week hopes to continue to raise awareness about sustainable living both on campus and in the Waco community. Given the impact of our way of life on the environment, it is important as part of the Baylor experience to place a spotlight on environmental/ecological concerns.

For more information, visit the Earth Day website.