To celebrate Earth Day’s 44th anniversary, Associated Students Inc. and the Financial Management Green Team hosted an Earth Day Expo in the University Student Union Tuesday.
The event featured ways students could help the environment and showcased displays from various groups. And while students grazed on the free food available at the event, they also received tips to help become more environmentally friendly.
More than 20 vendors attended the event, including representatives from Organic Coffee, Bobble and Zipcar. There were also various art installations, such as cardboard art, and trashed infant toys and tires. Some of the art was used as chairs for students to watch presentations and a film screening about environmental awareness.
Natalie Espinoza, senior environmental science and policy major, showed off a “blender bike,” a stationary machine used to power up a blender in front of the USU.
Espinoza, who is also an intern at Power Save Campus, shared a few other green tips. Power Save Campus is an internship organization on 16 campuses throughout the state.
“Power strips are savers,” Espinoza said. “It’s an easy way to unplug [your appliances] and you aren’t wasting energy.”
She also said that reducing the delay before getting into the shower and turning off lights can make students more energy efficient.
To encourage students to use alternative transportation, bicycle and maps of vanpool meet-up places were displayed around the USU for students to aid students develop new routes to campus and around Long Beach.
Cease Animal Torture, a nonprofit organization, also encouraged students to become vegan and presented information regarding the environmental cost of a hamburger — one hamburger uses up to 12 pounds of grain, 55 square feet of land and 2,500 gallons of water to grow.
Undeclared freshman Danielle Chen, who attended the event, shared the reason why she is a vegan.
“Being a vegan, not only are you saving many animals lives, but you are also helping out the environment,” Chen said. “Even just vegan eating one day a week will make the earth more environmentally friendly.”
Alvin Van, a senior accounting major, said he was excited about the expo.
“My dream job was to work for an environmentally sustainable company,” Van said. “Whenever I shower, I use a bucket to catch the excess water and pour that on my garden.”
Sophomore kinesiology major Avery Jensen said that after attending the event, she now plans on riding her bike to campus more often.
“I usually ride my bike to campus at least once a week, but I learned how much I am saving,” Jensen said. “So I plan on riding my bike to campus everyday now.”
The Earth Day Expo will continue through today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.