Mayor George Heartwell joins students, faculty to celebrate sustainability efforts at Calvin

On Wednesday, May 8, Calvin College students, faculty and staff will showcase and celebrate the work the college has done this past academic year in the area of sustainability--efforts that helped the college earn the distinction of Tree Campus USA.

The event begins at 3:30 p.m. in the Spoelhof Atrium and will include the planting of a tree commemorating the Tree Campus USA designation, a student poster session representing Calvin Environmental Assessment Program (CEAP) projects and a keynote address from Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell.

"Calvin has a long history of integrating sustainability and creation care into the curriculum and into our institutional practices," said Gail Heffner, director of community engagement and facilitator for CEAP. "It is exciting for us to be the first college in Grand Rapids to receive the Tree Campus USA designation from the Arbor Foundation, which is an affirmation of the work Calvin has been doing on many fronts trying to be a good steward."

The program will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Spoelhof Atrium with brief remarks from Calvin faculty and staff members about the steps the college took to achieve the distinction of Tree Campus USA.

Then, from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m., student posters of CEAP projects this semester in economics, pre-architecture, geology, engineering and biology, including research findings from the Plaster Creek watershed, will be on display in the Spoelhof Atrium.

At 4:30 p.m. in the Gezon Auditorium (adjacent to Spoelhof Atrium), Mayor George Heartwell will deliver the keynote address, "Reaching New Heights of Sustainability in Grand Rapids."

As mayor of Grand Rapids, Heartwell has implemented a variety of environmental measures, which have helped the city receive national recognition for its sustainability efforts. In 2007, the United Nations recognized Grand Rapids as a "Regional Center of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development." In 2010, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce gave Grand Rapids the "Nation's Most Sustainable City" award. And, in 2012, Heartwell was given the first place Climate Protection Award by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Calvin College is also recognized as a leader in sustainability. CEAP is an innovative program that brings together faculty from a number of disciplines who work together to gain a better understanding of the campus and local ecosystem. Faculty dedicate regular lab sessions or assign student projects for collecting data that contributes to an overall assessment of the environment of the campus and surrounding area. The goal of the projects is to recommend behavioral changes for individuals, the college and the community. CEAP is developing a model that can be used by other colleges and universities to motivate faculty for greater engagement with the local community.

For more information about the event and the CEAP program, visit http://www.calvin.edu/admin/provost/sustainability/initiatives/ceap/events/2013/posters-spring

Contact Gail Heffner at 616-526-6940 or gheffner@calvin.edu.

-end-
Received on Tue May 7 14:10:47 2013