Caroline Wallace ‘23

Features Editor 

This semester, the Eco-Action committee has been busy implementing necessary change both on campus and in the Worcester community. I had the opportunity to interview one of their members, Maggie Hannick ‘23, about what the Eco-Action committee has been involved with this semester, including their recent Purple Goes Green Week festivities. 

Hannick described the Eco-Action committee as an organization that “provides students with the opportunity to increase sustainability efforts on campus and learn more about protecting the environment.”  During meetings students “learn about environmental issues, get involved in the greater Worcester community and host events for everyone to play a role in preventing climate change and saving our planet.” The pandemic has not created any sort of obstacle to the Eco-Action club, and they have been extremely busy this semester with the various events they have hosted and attended within the Worcester community. Some of the many things that the Eco-Action committee has done this semester include implementing sustainability in Worcester parks and trails, providing vegetarian cooking demonstrations, providing guest speakers, promoting sustainability policy, partnering with the Beekeeping and Gardening club on campus, and participating in the Sunrise Movement climate strike in March. 

Additionally, the Eco-Action committee recently hosted Purple Goes Green Week. Hannick described this as “a week dedicated to sustainability awareness, actions, activism, and advocacy on campus.” The committee “hosts many events, offers prizes, and engages in the community to promote the environment.” Hannick included that one of the most popular events is the Farmer’s Market in which local businesses provide goods for the Holy Cross community. This year there was also a waste buffet in which students had to guess how much trash is produced on campus. Whoever’s guess was the most accurate received a prize. Purple Goes Green week provided the Holy Cross community with many fun activities to kick off the spring while also teaching the community valuable lessons about sustainability. The Eco-Action committee has dedicated so much of their time this year to provide the community with opportunities to become more familiar and involved with sustainability.