April Will Always be Earthstock.

Earthstock: Four Weeks to Learn and Grow.  This project has meant more to me than anything I’ve accomplished while being in college.  There are a lot of small components that together are why this project was so successful, but first let me break this event down for those who aren’t aware.

Earthstock was a re-branding of a previous event at UNL called “Focus Nebraska.”  Focus had lasted for a week in April and had educational programs and events that celebrated sustainability on campus.  I helped with Focus as a sophomore, mainly with promotion, and as a junior was chosen to head the project.

Right away, I wanted to move away from the idea of “Focus Nebraska” because it didn’t really capture everything I wanted this event to be.  Instead I wanted something that promoted behavior change along with a social culture for the campus.  “Earthstock” became the vision as we played around with the idea of it being a youth-led celebration much like Woodstock had been.

So quickly, here are some reasons on why I think Earthstock worked so well for UNL:

•  My team. I worked with some of the most passionate and creative students on campus.  We never hit any roadblocks for too long, as people were always willing to rethink ideas and plans.  I never had to worry about someone falling through either; we kept each other accountable and accomplished everything we assigned each other.  Seriously, I can’t get over how amazing everyone was.
• The month.  We chose April because Earth Day is on April 21.  That way we could market Earthstock as a month-long celebration of Earth Day.  With all the advertising already out there for Earth Day, we could easily add our program along with the current campus conversation.
• The programs.  We wanted to represent different facets of sustainability and have something for everyone.  There was a concert, business exposition, carbon footprint display, Pinterest party, RSO fair, policy forum, and more!  Sometimes I look back and can’t even wrap my mind around how expansive this event was.  I also should mention that we had amazing coverage of each event thanks to the Daily Nebraskan.

In the end, Earthstock worked because it was an event that our college needed.  It was an amazing branding opportunity for the Environmental Sustainability Committee and got our name out there.  It also became such a huge part of those who worked on it.  Earthstock has become an event that defined us as environmentalists and as friends.  I think the biggest success for me was when UNL was named in the top 10 sustainable schools.  The best part about this award?  It had to do with new and successful programs on campus.  

I like to think that we owe a part of this award to Earthstock.

For more information on Earthstock please visit our Website

Exec Team of Earthstock 2014.  Can't wait to see what 2015 will look like.

Upcoming Events

Oct 11  LES Sustainable Living Festival   10am-3pm   Southpointe Mall

Enjoy interactive, family-oriented activities designed to provide information about sustainable living practices. Drawings will be held during the event (12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.) for prizes donated by festival partners.

Partnering organizations will offer ideas that can be used by novices and those using cutting-edge sustainable measures. Interactive exhibits and displays for families include:

• Games and art projects to build knowledge of recycling and conservation.
• Tips on how you can reduce your electricity use and save money.
• Gardening and composting techniques from UNL Master Gardeners.
• Free bike helmet fittings and tips on how to perform your own bicycle maintenance, so don’t forget to bring your helmet.
• Getting hands-on with creatures from the Nature Center.
• A wind turbine simulator and solar panel to learn more about renewable energy.
• Exploring “seed starting” using newspaper pots. 

Demonstrations include:

• 11:30 a.m.-noon — Joyride Bicycles / bike maintenance and helmet fittings
• 1-1:30 p.m. — UNL Master Gardeners / compost bin and gardening techniques
• 2-2:30 p.m. — LES weatherization tips