Sustainability Day brings campus-wide efforts to one location

Staff Thomas Tuoti and geology faculty Roy Scheisser help
Humphrey Elementary School third-graders determine the pH
of the soil in various parts of Chandler-Gilbert Community
College's Environmental Technology Center.

Students and faculty throughout Chandler-Gilbert Community College came together to highlight sustainability at Sustainability Day held at the Environmental Technology Center on April 9. Organized by the Office of Student Life and Leadership and the Civic and Global Learning Committee, the event featured mini-workshops, educational activities, poster displays and demonstrations from a variety of classes. Sixty third-grade students from nearby Humphrey Elementary School came to participate as well as CGCC staff, faculty and students.

“Students at CGCC worked on semester-long sustainability projects that linked the classroom to the community and gave students a meaningful service learning experience,” said Pushpa Ramakrishna. CGCC biology faculty.

Some of the workshops and activities included soil and water testing, adobe brick-making. seed bombs, re-useable plastic bags and solar ovens where students could melt marshmallows to make s'mores. All Pecos Campus general biology and environmental biology students made sustainability posters, some of which were on display. Everyone had the opportunity to give a three-minute presentation on their project allowing others to learn about sustainability activities across the campus.

The HEAT club sponsored the event.