GREEN THUMBS UP
Student volunteers celebrate the spirit of Earth Day
ANNE P. RIVERA, OBSERVER CONTRIBUTOR
Issue date: 4/29/08 Section: News
To commemorate Earth Day, students, faculty, and staff of Rutgers-Newark had the opportunity to participate in annual activities on Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23. Volunteers offered their services at the Greater Newark Conservancy and Norman Samuels Plaza by planting trees and shrubberies to make the city of Newark more eco-friendly.
The Office of Communication, Housing and Residence Life, the Honors College and the Greater Newark Conservancy together host these activities annually for the past four years. And with each passing year, the event has expanded significantly.
"The first year, we only had one day of planting in the Newark Conservancy's garden. The second year, we expanded it to two days, the second day we planted the small garden outside Dana Library. Last year and this year, we're planting in the Newark Conservancy's garden one day and on the Norman Samuels Plaza the other," said Nora Luongo, coordinator of the project and employee of Rutgers-Newark's Office of Communication. "The goal with the garden was to plant flowers and other plants that are sustainable and require less future maintenance."
This year, over 100 volunteers, in total, signed up for either or both of the activities. "It was a rewarding feeling to volunteer and help make a difference in the city of Newark and most importantly, for our earth," said Annie Sun, a first-year student at R-N and finance major.
Sun was among the participants, who signed up for Tuesday's event. An estimated 25 volunteers traveled to the Greater Newark Conservancy's Urban Environmental & Ecological Center. At the conservancy, they composted and sorted the trees and plants at the garden. The conservancy's plan is to donate the trees to Newark residents.
On Wednesday, a record-breaking 79 volunteers planted, weeded, and watered the garden near Smith Hall at the Norman Samuels Plaza. "This is the largest turnout ever, far exceeding the past three years and what we had anticipated for this year," Luongo said.
The Office of Communication, Housing and Residence Life, the Honors College and the Greater Newark Conservancy together host these activities annually for the past four years. And with each passing year, the event has expanded significantly.
"The first year, we only had one day of planting in the Newark Conservancy's garden. The second year, we expanded it to two days, the second day we planted the small garden outside Dana Library. Last year and this year, we're planting in the Newark Conservancy's garden one day and on the Norman Samuels Plaza the other," said Nora Luongo, coordinator of the project and employee of Rutgers-Newark's Office of Communication. "The goal with the garden was to plant flowers and other plants that are sustainable and require less future maintenance."
This year, over 100 volunteers, in total, signed up for either or both of the activities. "It was a rewarding feeling to volunteer and help make a difference in the city of Newark and most importantly, for our earth," said Annie Sun, a first-year student at R-N and finance major.
Sun was among the participants, who signed up for Tuesday's event. An estimated 25 volunteers traveled to the Greater Newark Conservancy's Urban Environmental & Ecological Center. At the conservancy, they composted and sorted the trees and plants at the garden. The conservancy's plan is to donate the trees to Newark residents.
On Wednesday, a record-breaking 79 volunteers planted, weeded, and watered the garden near Smith Hall at the Norman Samuels Plaza. "This is the largest turnout ever, far exceeding the past three years and what we had anticipated for this year," Luongo said.
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