Seneca Baldi ’26
Staff Writer
On Nov. 4, a number of environmental groups at Holy Cross joined forces to sponsor a Green Fair. Taking place on the Hoval, each of the clubs were happy to share their environmental work and recruit more passionate students.
Eco-Action added this fair to their long list of environmental initiatives on campus. Their goal is to promote sustainability – one way they do this is through their long-standing event, Purple Goes Green Week. Here, they encourage students to be conscious of their environmental impacts, and to learn about the related problems facing the campus. Each spring, during this week, they host a farmer’s market where vendors from the Worcester area sell their fresh goods to students. Another recent program has been the addition of composting bins in several dorm halls–Loyola, Williams, and Figge–in addition to Kimball.
Alongside Eco-Action was the Garden and Beekeeping Club. One of their members shared the club’s plan last weekend to harvest crops in Worcester, a regular event. On their table at the fair were a number of vegetables they had already picked, including eggplant and daikon. They manage the Roots of Justice Campus Garden which is behind O’Neil Hall. Additionally, they keep bees on campus, behind the athletic fields, but are only able to open the hive when the weather is above 70 degree Fahrenheit. The weekend of the fair was warm, but moving forward, it seems as though the bees will be on their own until the spring!
Similarly, YouthGROW, a SPUD site in Worcester, is a “youth leadership development and employment program for at-risk teens” in low-income neighborhoods. The harvested products are given to mobile trucks which serve food insecure areas of Worcester. Not only are these foods affordable, they are also healthy, fresh alternatives. Additionally, they are great opportunities for youth to work and learn leadership skills, all while being outside. YouthGROW emphasized that some of the food grown is served at Kimball! If you are available 3-5 on Mondays or Wednesdays, consider reaching out to Annie McElroy, acmcel23@g.holycross.edu, to get involved!
Additionally, the Holy Cross Outdoors Club made their first appearance, looking for new members as they kick started their involvement on campus. Planning to start in the spring, this club will host outings to kayak, hike, camp, and do a variety of other outdoor activities. Their goal is to get “students to experience and integrate nature into their lives and build community with one another.” Worcester offers a variety of spots to experience nature on trails, mountains, and the Blackstone River. Join the Outdoors Club if you are interested in making these connections and getting outside!
The Spring Break Immersion Program highlighted their sustainability-focused sites, including some in CT, NY, NH, and WV. At these sites, “food justice, food systems, local sustainable agriculture, and nonviolent social change”1 will be the main topics of focus as students work to improve the environment and our impacts. Another way to make a positive change is through the Green Fund, which also took part in the fair. They are currently reviewing seven applications for sustainability initiatives on campus. The fund is $30,000 worth of grant money put towards green programs on campus2.
Look out for future Eco-Action sponsored events in the future to become aware of your own environmental impact and ways to get involved in the Worcester area!
Photo by College of the Holy Cross
Categories: News
The Spire 