This Wednesday, Oct. 24, West Virginia University will celebrate National Campus Sustainability Day along with hundreds of other colleges and universities across the country to help promote a sustainable lifestyle on college campuses. WECAN, WVU’s sustainability program, will be celebrating the event with co-sponsor the Student Government Association by hosting games and give aways, offering information, and more.

“We’re excited about partnering with the WVU units, departments, and students across campus to raise awareness and engage various stakeholders on different sustainability initiatives and activities,” said WVU Director of Sustainability Clement Solomon. “This event has an active student involvement and leadership component from event planning through public relations.”

Sally McHugh, senior public relations student and Campus Sustainability Day event coordinator from Alexandria, Va., agrees.

“As a student it’s rare to get the hands-on experience that employers expect college graduates to have,” she said. “Having the opportunity to be a part of a campus-wide event has been an incredible opportunity to get PR experience in an educational environment.”

During the event, students are encouraged to sign the WVU sustainability pledge. Those who take the pledge agree to examine the social and ecological consequences of their actions, reduce personal consumption and wasteful behaviors, engage in sustainable campus and community activities and encourage others to follow their example. To learn more about the WVU campus sustainability pledge, go to https://finance.wvu.edu/sustainability/login.cfm.

After students take the pledge, they are given the opportunity to play sustainability-focused games and win various prizes donated from area businesses and WVU offices, such as the WVU Integrated Marketing Communications program, the WVU Bookstore, Best Buy and WVU Transportation and Parking.

Campus Sustainability Day will be at three locations throughout the campus, including the Mountainlair from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the Student Recreation Center from 3-7 p.m. and the National Research Center for Coal and Energy from 2-4 p.m. There will be information available at each site along with laptops to sign the pledge and follow WECAN on social media sites. Sustainability staff and Student Government Association members will be there to assist students.

“SGA is proud to have partnered with the Office of Sustainability for Campus Sustainability Day,” said SGA President Zach Redding. “We believe it is our obligation as student leaders to promote sustainable practices and educate our students on how they can be sustainable. This partnership is a direct opportunity for us to conserve water and energy, educate students and take positive strides for the betterment of our environment in the future.”

For more information about WVU’s sustainability efforts and achievements, visit http://wecan.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Clement Solomon, director of Sustainability
(304) 293-7202, Clement.Solomon@mail.wvu.edu

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