BANGOR, MAINE, Oct. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Native American culture has always had a deep and abiding respect for the land and its people.1 This culture’s approach to living in harmony with nature continues to resonate with many Americans as we face challenges brought on by pollution and global warming.
In accordance with Native Americans’ commitment to ecology and sustainability, Husson University hosted “Half Way to Earth Day” at their Bangor campus on Monday, October 12 from 12 p.m. (noon) to 4 p.m.
“We wanted to pay tribute to our beautiful planet as part of Indigenous People’s Day,” said Wynne Guglielmo, environmental, health and safety compliance officer at Husson University. “In addition to increasing environmental awareness, this event provided our students with an opportunity to contribute positively to our campus community.”
Halfway to Earth Day consisted of two separate activities. First, students participated in a campus cleanup and removed discarded waste from the campus grounds. In addition to helping Husson stay environmentally friendly, students had the opportunity to earn community service credits.
Community service is an important value at Husson University. Each student is required to complete 40 hours of service before he or she can graduate. This past year, graduates completed more than 15,000 hours of community service.
The second event was a free e-waste drive that was open to students, staff, faculty and alumni. Individuals dropped off large CRTs (old-fashioned TV sets with cathode ray tubes), flat screen TVs, computer monitors, desktop printers, computer towers and laptops. Anyone who brought in one of these items was entered into a raffle for a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card.
All interested participants met at the tent near the University’s Wellness Learning Center. Drinks and snacks were provided.
“Initiatives like this are just a small part of Husson University’s sustainability efforts,” said Dr. Tom Stone, an associate professor at Husson’s College of Science and Humanities and the University’s sustainability director. “We have a Husson garden that provides fresh vegetables that are part of meals prepared by Dining Services. We also work to reduce food waste and conserve water. Last year, we sponsored a sustainability lecture where a senior scientist emeritus from the Smithsonian spoke on campus about America’s environmental crisis. As a university, we are taking concrete actions to protect the environment and reduce our carbon footprint as we educate our students about the importance of conservation.”
For students interested in conservation careers, Husson University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with an environmental science concentration. This program provides students with a strong, broad-based understanding of the natural and physical processes that affect the functioning of our planet, as well as social and political factors influencing environmental policy and management. The program is ideal for students interested in working at local, state, and federal government agencies, private environmental organizations, or in graduate school in scientific or policy-related environmental disciplines. More information about this program is available at https://www.husson.edu/college-of-science-and-humanities/environmental-science/.
For more than 120 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent superior value in higher education. Our Bangor campus and off-campus satellite education center in Northern Maine both provide advanced knowledge in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. In addition, Husson University has a robust adult learning program. According to a recent analysis of tuition and fees by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is one of the most affordable private colleges in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.
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1 United State Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, “Native American Contributions,” https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs141p2_024206.pdf
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