Flower pots filled with red flowers are displayed outside of the Music/Mass Communication Building as seen on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in preparation for Plant The Campus Red. Photo by Isabella Morman | The All State.
Sustainability overall improves the quality of life, protects the ecosystem, and preserves natural resources for future generations.
Plant the Campus Red is a campus tradition spanning back 20 years that brings the campus together by allowing students to plant flowers and other types of plants.
This not only helps the campus’s appearance but helps to boost biodiversity as plants help support native insect populations and create the production of food webs for that environment.
The event takes place on Thursday outside the MUC.
This is a small way in which we can help celebrate our graduates on their big day. Participants are put into groups, each with a master gardener leader, and then sent to planting sections on campus where flowers are placed by our landscaping staff. Participants enjoy each other’s company and get to plant 100s of plants on campus. Several trees are added each year as part of our campus Arboretum, providing a diverse species collection for our community to enjoy,” said Alexandra Wills, director of community engagement and sustainability.
In addition to events, APSU also aims to include students in the talk on sustainability, one of which is known as the “Green Idea”.
Wills said the great green idea has been getting students involved with sustainability initiatives for the past six years with innovations seen on campus.
“The very first winner of the great green idea brought the toilet flush “up” for liquids and “down” for solids that you see in the Morgan University Center. That has become a standard on campus, but was initially brought by a great green idea winner.”
Another way many students seem to practice sustainability is through the “Fill it Yourself” or FIY reusable water bottle program.
It not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but overall reduces plastic waste as well.
“Our Fill it Yourself, or FIY program is two part: One, educate our student body about the importance of drinking water over drinking energy drinks or sodas. Two, reduce the number of one time use water bottles at events on campus and promote the use of reusable water bottles,” said Wills.
With all these events and ideas in place, this reigns the question of: What can students do to be more sustainable in day-to-day life?
“Sustainable choices can be made on big or small scales in your life. Little changes in reducing the amount of plastic or one use consumables that you purchase or reducing the length of your showers or using less electricity can all add up to make a difference,” said Wills.
