Earth Day, also known as International Mother Earth Day by the United Nations, reminds people to protect the environment and take action against climate change. On April 22, the Associated Students (AS) hosted their annual Earth Fair at the Bayramian Lawn.
The Earth Fair, titled “Pollinator Paradise,” was filled with various activities, including flower crown making, painting, pin-making and a live butterfly pavilion, along with live music for students to enjoy while walking around the lawn. Students also received a stamp card to complete by visiting booths for a free t-shirt.
According to Liz Cartojano, the sustainability coordinator for AS, every Earth Fair has a different theme. She explained that this year’s theme focuses on the importance of pollinators.
“There’s so many different kinds of pollinators out there that are suffering right now because there’s a lot of habitat loss, and pollinators are really important for our food,” Cartojano said. “One out of three bites of food that we eat are pollinated by bees, for example, and they’re still on the decline.”
Cartojano said it’s crucial for students to understand how important pollinators are and to be curious about the small things that make the environment function and beautiful.
Many organizations tabled at the event, including the community-based non-profit LA Compost, each focused on sharing information about how to keep food scraps in the Valley, connect with the community and learn how to accomplish hands-on.
Andrea Torres of LA Compost said they had a three-bin on campus years ago that helped students learn how to compost.
“It’s been a good connection of having, you know, students learning how to compost on site,” Torres said. “Then being able to learn how to apply the compost, whether it’s, like, in plants that they have, indoor, outdoors, around trees, orchard and kind of sharing that knowledge.”
The LA Compost also collaborates with student clubs on-campus, providing students with volunteer opportunities.
“We’ve actually hosted the CSUN Nurse Association,” Torres said. “They were able to have a service day with us. They were able to help us build, sift and help maintain parts of our garden.”
The Marilyn Magaram Center, a campus nutrition and diabetes center, was also among the organizations tabling at the event. Daniel De La Torre, who is part of the center and booth, explained that they offer a variety of products and workshops to promote better lifestyles and nutrition.
“I believe it’s important that we’re here, because not only do people need to take better care of the planet but, you know, the systems that you use to take care of the planet,” De La Torre said. “Not wasting food or having more sustainable practices, like planting, are important.”
At CSUN, students can get involved in protecting the environment by volunteering with LA Compost, joining campus sustainability groups and participating in campus events, such as the Thursday Thrift.
