Nick Fetty | October 23, 2014

The Offices of Sustainability at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University held events this week to celebrate Campus Sustainability Day 2014: Empowering Change on Campus and in the Community which took place on Wednesday.

The University of Iowa decided to turn the one-day event into a week long celebration. Students at the UI can stop by the Main Library between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today or at Kautz Plaza on the T. Anne Cleary walkway during the same time on Friday to take a survey and calculate their carbon footprint. Yesterday’s event included a webinar which featured “higher education sustainability leaders discussing ways in which students can make a difference, be a part of sustainability solutions, and build a career in the sustainability field.” Various UI student organizations participated in the event including the UI Environmental Coalition, Eco-Hawk, the UI Student Garden, and UI Student Government.

“It’s important for students to be educated on this topic so when they leave our campus, they can help build a sustainable world,” director of the UI Office of Sustainability Liz Christiansen said in an interview with The Daily Iowan.

Iowa State University provided students with free coffee mugs and bike tune-ups to celebrate Campus Sustainability Day. The day also served as a food drive for the SHOP (Students Helping Our Peers) food bank. More than a dozen student groups and local businesses participated.

Campus Sustainability Day began in 2003. More than 70 colleges and universities across the country hosted events to celebrate this year’s event.