Earth Day a reminder to be conscientious

The Issue: Earth Day brings eco-events to the Dust Bowl What we think: Students could take a lesson in being green

Springtime allergies and looming finals aside, the month of April brings with it many of the best times at Boston College. While Earth Day has been a tradition on campus for many years, Tuesday's celebration represented the culmination of an especially earth-friendly year at BC. Although there will always be room for improvement, BC student leaders and administrators have made large strides in support of environmental sustainability.

Tuesday's activities, ranging from a "clothing swap" to a "pot your own plant" station, brought contemporary environmental issues to the consciousness of the BC community. These venues brought passersby into interaction with knowledgeable students, where learning and awareness could be fostered. From vegetarian treats to Earth Day T-shirts, Frisbee-playing to musical performances, everyone had reason to stop and take a look at the creative and informational displays. A town hall-style meeting in the evening rounded out the day, with a campus-wide sustainability update featuring prominent leaders within the BC community.

But the fun of Earth Day was planned with a purpose, as members of Ecopledge collected signatures for a BC campus commitment to sustainability petition. With 1,306 signatures collected online as of print time, students, faculty, and staff have more than demonstrated concern for and commitment to environmental issues.

Campus efforts to increase BC's sustainability deserve much praise - and Ecopledge in particular merits the most. Recycling rates continue to remain high, with BC placing 14th out of participating universities in the Recyclemania competition. Ecopledge has recently earned a grant from Conscious Lifestyle, an organization that promotes sustainability efforts at schools and universities. And over 600 light bulbs have been swapped in favor of more eco-friendly compact fluorescent bulbs in BC residence halls.

But as stewards of the earth - and especially our own campus - we must hold on to the message of Earth Day long after April 22 has come and gone. With the nice weather enticing more and more students to venture outside, we need to remember that enjoying the outdoors brings responsibility.

It seems very ironic that the same students who so diligently partook in Earth Day festivities would so easily "forget" to clean up after themselves, leaving the Dustbowl in such disarray.

Littering not only clutters the aesthetic of the campus environment, but it completely negates the message of sustainability that our fellow students work so hard to convey. Our actions must reflect our words, especially when the voice is 1,306-strong.