Campus News

Concerts, Tours, Lectures Celebrate Sustainability

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 13, 2010) - The University of Kentucky’s Earthdays in the Bluegrass (EDBG) is a promotion of sustainability, responsible global citizenship and the power of local action.

Founded in 2005 by Residence Life Recycling and UK Greenthumb to expand education and outreach about environmental stewardship at UK, Earthdays in the Bluegrass has grown into an annual campuswide event encompassing dozens of activities. EDBG is now coordinated by a student steering committee with the help of the Office of Sustainability, the Student Sustainability Council and the Environmental Studies Program.

Every April EDBG offers a full month of workshops, community service opportunities, films, presentations, music and more. All events are free and open to the public. In addition to organizing events, EDBG coordinators also scour the community to find out what else is happening and include this information on the Web site. This year’s highlights include:

Tuesday, April 13, Kentucky's Birds of Prey
6:30 p.m. Center Theater, UK Student Center


Raptors, or birds of prey, are majestic creatures and important members of Kentucky eco-systems. Raptor Rehab will be on campus with at least five of these incredible birds. Don't miss this rare opportunity to see these owls, falcons, eagles and hawks face-to-face. Free.

Wednesday, April 14, Random Act of Kindness (for the Earth) Day

All day, everywhere

Pick up a piece of litter, plant a tree, walk or bike instead of driving, get outside and make a commitment to respect the Earth and insure a healthy future. E-mail your random act for a chance to win a free T-shirt to edbg2010@gmail.com.

Thursday, April 15, Smart Sustainable Systems

6 p.m., 230 UK Student Center

The Smart Sustainable Systems (S-Cubed) Project is a fusion of art, technology, and philosophy. This workshop will explore the power of the swarm and computing's vast potential for helping us meet the needs of the present generation without comprising the needs of future generations.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 16-18, Campus Community Partnerships for Sustainability conference

Registration Required

The Bluegrass Community Technical College, Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky are hosting the fourth Campus Community Partnerships for Sustainability conference. Don't miss this chance to network with leaders from colleges, universities, and communities from across the Commonwealth. Featured guests include author Jeff Biggers and Tom FitzGerald, director of the Kentucky Resources Council; activities include tours, expert panel discussions, exhibits, field trips and much more. Registration is required and fees are associated with certain activities and events. Student sponsorships are available. Visit www.greencampusky.org for more details.

Saturday, April 17, Reforest The Bluegrass
9 a.m.-1 p.m., Veteran's Park


Join hundreds of Lexington volunteers for the annual tree planting extravaganza. More than 5,000 trees will be planted. Visit Reforest the Bluegrass for more details.

Monday, April 19, Sustainability Lecture Series Presents: Jeff Biggers
7 p.m., Worsham Theater, UK Student Center


The grandson of a coal miner, Jeff Biggers is a writer, editor, journalist and critic who has worked across the United States as well as in Europe, India, and Mexico. He has written extensively about Appalachia, including the 2007 "The United States of Appalachia: How Southern Mountaineers Brought Independence, Culture and Enlightenment to America." His new book, published in January 2010, is "Reckoning at Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal." Of this book, global warming truth-teller and NASA Goddard Center scientist James Hansen said, “Jeff Biggers exposes the truth about coal in America -- how the myth of ‘clean coal’ destroys even family histories." The lecture series is organized by the UK Student Sustainability Council and is funded by the UK student green fee. It is free and open to the public.

More events are scheduled throughout April, including the Campus Consciousness Tour featuring Drake in Concert, UK's celebration of Arbor Day at the Arboretum, a Kentucky Proud feast of local foods, a Car-free Day, a Campus Clean-up Day, movies, and tours of SKY Blue, UK's award-winning solar home. To see the full calendar of events, visit www.edbg.org or www.sustainability.uky.edu.

For more about sustainability at UK, check out the University of Kentucky YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/universityofkentucky#g/c/5630F91EF2C037F.