A number of UW-Madison student groups honored the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with campus events Thursday.
The Wisconsin Alumni Student Board's All-Campus Party recognized Earth Day with a community clean-up event sponsored by the UW-Madison Morgridge Center for Public Service.
Approximately 200 student volunteers gathered at Library Mall to receive trash bags and gloves, and the volunteers were assigned to pick up trash in one of 10 zones on campus.
Sarah Biebesheimer, a student volunteer, said helping the environment was emotionally rewarding.
""I feel really good. I think a lot more people should try this. It's beautiful outside, and instead of just sitting around doing nothing, I'm doing something good,"" Biebesheimer said.
Jamie Gibbons, ACP special projects intern, said the clean-up event was a way to get students involved in and informed about the community environment.
""[The event is] to get people passionate about their environment and about the place that they live. That's why we wanted to do it on campus, because you should want to live in a clean environment. We wanted to raise awareness about that, "" Gibbons said.
ACP also held a seed-planting event Thursday sponsored by the UW Horticulture Club. The event taught students how plants help the earth and how to protect them.
Gibbons said it was important to honor Earth Day with events to raise environmental awareness.
""It is so important that younger generations really learn about it, and especially college generations. They are going to be the most influential in any environmental changes that we make as a society,"" Gibbons said.
The Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group is hosting an Earth Day event Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. on Library Mall to inform students of different ways to be more eco-friendly through recycling and conservation.
WISPIRG encourages students to bring used ink cartridges, cell phones and digital cameras to recycle. The event will also feature four bands, several activities and free food.
