By NICK OLINGER
Staff Writer

APSU has aimed to make a memorable occasion of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Robin Reed, associate professor of chemistry, said on Thursday, April 22, activities at APSU pertaining to Earth Day included information booths run by SGA, the Clarksville City Forrester and the Audubon Society. Also, there was reading of environmental poems by Amy Wright as well as free cupcakes at the UC Plaza.

Reed worked with the Greener Campus committee to include activities such as an e-waste collection, which included monitors, televisions and computers. There was also a suggestion box and sustainability Sudoku. The event was intended to encourage students, faculty and staff to recycle bottles. Reed said there were only a few dozen bottles recycled at the event but he hopes that indicates most bottles are being recycled already.

Reed added there were several aluminum can towers built to be measured in height in order to determine a winner.

The tallest tower reached 92 inches tall. He said about 500 students, faculty and staff came by the event last Thursday, April 22.

Reed mentioned the entries did not win “pitch it to win”, Sudoku or any other activity, were entered into a prize drawing. The drawing was held at the UC Plaza at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 22. Committee members were not eligible to win prizes. The prizes included two books about Earth Day, three T-shirts from the book store and an 8GB iPod Nano. Reed said the winner of the iPod Nano was Alice McCoy.

David Coppernoll, a freshmen, said he likes the idea of Earth Day. However, he claimed there was a lack of publicity about Earth Day at APSU.

“It concerned me that I did not see anything about what APSU was doing to participate in Earth Day,” Coppernoll said. He added that he did not participate in any activities pertaining to Earth Day.

“Recycling keeps the plastic out of the landfill. This is important because plastic does not break down easily or quickly,” Reed said.

He also stressed that APSU receives money for all items that are recycled. Reed added those additional funds are used to pay for actions such as the disposal of hazardous wastes that are generated on campus.

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