WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., April 15, 2016 — West Liberty University will celebrate the earth with its annual Environmental Education Day from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 20 with a special program in the Ballroom of the College Union.

Sponsored by Riesbeck’s Food Markets, the WLU Green Initiative Committee, and the President’s Council of Sustainability, the event will encourage students, staff and the public to live green.

College Union will be the site of Environmental Education Day, April 20.

“To expose the entire campus community to the importance of sustainability and environmental issues is important. We are pleased to encourage everyone to do his or her part and think green,” said Professor of English Dr. David Thomas, who has been involved with the environmental education day since its inception in 2013 and is the chair of the Green Initiative Committee.

About 20 participants including the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, the West Virginia Masters Naturalist Program, the Wheeling Green Table, the Schrader Environmental Education Center, Sodexo food services and others will be on campus to promote information regarding sustainability and environmental issues.

Free tote bags from Riesbeck’s and light refreshments also will be provided. Also, some recyclables will be accepted: small appliances by Scrappy Pappy’s Recycling and used shoes, by the Geography Club. Scrappy Pappy’s will not be accepting TVs however.

Shown at a previous Environmental Education Day are Aron Massey, Dr. Dave Thomas and Dr. Vishakha Maskey.

The event also will include a 45-minute film that covers deforestation in Haiti, Kombit: The Cooperative. The documentary represents an international effort to provide sustainable support to small farmers on the island.

There also will be an informative PowerPoint presentation explaining how to recycle on campus that will be shown. This presentation will begin to be part of every new student and new employee’s orientation in the fall, according to Assistant Professor of Geography Aron Massey.

“This is the third year that my geography students will do the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe and Soles 4 Souls programs that recycle and share used shoes with others. The last two years we collected more than 100 shoes each year so we’re hoping for even more this year. The Nike program allows us to take shoes that can’t be worn anymore to the Nike outlet store in Washington, Pa. for recycling. Nike uses recycled shoes to make other products. Sole 4 Souls takes used shoes and sends them to those who need them both in this country and overseas. Both programs keep shoes out of the landfill,” said Massey, who chairs the President’s Council of Sustainability.

The members of the Council of Sustainability include both faculty, staff and students: Keith Bell, Kate Billings, Megan Carnahan, Miriam Douglas, Pat Henry, Michael Hensley, Keith Kaczor, Vishakha Maskey, Daniel Meyer, James Rohal, Marcella Snyder and Dawn Swiger.

The Green Initiative Committee members include faculty and staff: Marie du Toit, Melissa Hudson, Aron Massey, Travis Miller, Catherine Monteroso, Jill Nixon, Jeff Pfister, Ann Stephan-Robinson, Dave Thomas and Theunis van Aardt.

Massey, staff member Jill Nixon, and Thomas serve on both committees.

For more information, please contact Thomas at 304-336-8199 or Massey at 304-336-8871.

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