The Office of Sustainability will host numerous events throughout the week to bring awareness to and inspire sustainable behavior change throughout campus.
Campus Sustainability Week, held every October at Elon University, offers an opportunity for Elon students, faculty and staff to come together to examine sustainable habits, particularly as they relate to energy use, and inspire positive sustainable change throughout the Elon community.
A key feature of the week is an energy reduction competition. The winning neighborhood will earn “Pelicans and Puppies” — the chance to hang out with some dogs from Burlington Animal Services and enjoy FREE snow cones from Pelican’s Snoballs. Individual prizes, such as Phoenix Cash and hammocks, are available for students, faculty and staff.
Learn more about this competition on the Office of Sustainability website.
Campus Sustainability Week Events:
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7
1-4 p.m. | Landfill on the Lawn (Phi Beta Kappa Plaza)
Stop by Landfill on the Lawn to learn how much of the stuff we’re throwing away could actually be composted or recycled.
5:30-7 p.m. | Upcycle Your Clothes (Maker Hub- Colonnades)
Bring your old and well-worn clothing and make it new again at the Maker Hub. Not sure where to start? Maker Hub Consultants will be on hand to help you use the embroidery machine, cut out iron-on vinyl patterns, and use the sewing machines to rejuvenate your clothes. We’ll also have fabric paint, tassels, pompoms and other embellishments on hand. Don’t want to wear it again? Transform it into a stuffed elephant, pillow, or a reusable bag. No prior experience is needed.
7:30 p.m. | Keynote Speaker: Peterson Toscano. Everything is Connected: An Evening of Stories. Most Weird, Many True. (Yeager Recital Hall)
Experience the artful, playful, outrageously funny and deeply moving storytelling craft of Peterson Toscano. Connecting issues and ideas to bizarre personal experiences, climate change, literature, and even the odd Bible story, Peterson transforms right before your eyes into a whole cast of comic characters who explore the serious worlds of environmental justice, gender, sexuality, religion, and privilege.
Sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, the Gender & LGBTQIA Center, the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society, and the Religious Studies Department
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8
2-5 p.m. | Wellness Fair (Koury Athletic Center Concourse)
Elon’s Wellness Fair is a fun-filled and interactive event to encourage students, faculty and staff to explore the many resources available to take charge of individuals’ well-being at Elon. Stop by the Office of Sustainability table to learn how wellness is connected to sustainability and to check-in for Campus Sustainability Week.
4:30-5:30 p.m. | Reusable Water Bottle Decorating Party (Moseley West Lawn)
Have a reusable water bottle? Great! Stop by to decorate your bottle with a variety of stickers from around campus, or make your own with the Office of Sustainability’s sticker maker. Don’t have a water bottle yet? That’s ok– stop by for your chance to win your own reusable bottle to decorate!
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.| Weigh the Waste (McEwen Dining Hall)
Elon Dining, Campus Kitchen and the Office of Sustainability join together once a month to “Weigh the Waste” in order to bring awareness to post-consumer food waste throughout campus. People who do not have food waste will earn five points toward their Campus Sustainability Week total.
4-6 p.m. | Clothing Swap Pop-Up (Moseley Center)
Swap out clothing, books, or home decor that you no longer want for new-to-you items!
9 p.m. | S’mores with Outdoors (Beck Pool Patio)
Join Elon Outdoors and the Office of Sustainability for a special Campus Sustainability Week S’mores with Outdoors!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
3-6:30 p.m. | Authentically Alamance Farmers’ Market (Elon Community Church)
Support local farmers, bakers, crafters and the local economy. Stop by the Office of Sustainability table to grab a reusable shopping bag to reduce your waste.
6:30-8 p.m. | Collage for the Earth (Colonnades Maker Hub)
Love art? Love the Earth? If so, come paint! Use DIY, toxic-free paints to create a picture of “what nature means to us” on upcycled t-shirts. These shirts will be collected and turned into a giant collage for the Earth! All materials will be provided by the Office of Sustainability and the MakerHub.
10 p.m.- 2 a.m. | Coffee House Series (Irazu in Moseley Center)
Join us in Irazu for some music and snacks. Try a variety of non-dairy milks to see which you like best.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
10 p.m.-2 a.m. | PaintU (Taphouse)
Dance the night away with a DJ and glow in the dark paint. With so much paint, you won’t need to use energy by turning on the lights! Stop by the Eco-Reps table to learn more about energy use on Elon’s campus.