Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Earth Day 2000 kicks off on UA Mall

Activities include yoga, lessons on Union food waste

Students will have the opportunity to calm their minds as part of the Earth Day 2000 celebration taking place on the UA Mall today.

The events, which include yoga and Japanese relaxation classes, volunteer opportunities, a plant walk, a recycled materials art competition and lessons on the benefits of composts, will take place on the Mall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. The event is co-sponsored by the University of Arizona Recycling Office and the UA Recycling Council.

"Both organizations have interests in recycling ... this activity is really designed to get the community involved in the effort," said Bill Savary, recycling coordinator.

Earth Day began in the 1970s as a day devoted to educating the general public about the preservation of the environment.

"Basically, we are funding this on a shoestring budget of about $300. The workers are a group of a half-dozen student volunteers, and anyone drifting in tomorrow is also welcomed to help, " Savary said.

Fellow recycling coordinator Alana Levine, an ecology and evolutionary biology senior, elaborated on the scheduled activities.

"The xeriscope (plant) walk will explain point out the plant life on campus which does not consume much water and maximizes the effects of shading," she said.

Levine said B.J. Cardova, an intern at the recycling office, will host a compost program based on Union food waste and the uses of garbage.

The UA Department of Residence Life is hosting the art competition, and instructors at the Providence Institute, 1126 North Jones Blvd., will instruct the yoga and relaxation classes.

Kris Schaefer, volunteer coordinator at the Institute, said yoga exercises are relevant to Earth Day.

"Yoga involves postures and breathing techniques and is designed to bring harmony to the body and the mind ... perhaps with this unity, one can know how to help the earth, and that's why we think we'd be useful at this event," Schaefer said.

INFO BOX:

The Providence Institute will host a series of demonstrations, classes and treatments at the east end of the Mall. Their schedule is:

10:30 to 11 a.m. Bikram Yoga Class

11:10 to 11:30 a.m Tai Chi

11:30 to 11:50 a.m. Chi Gung (energy movement meditation)

Noon to 12:30 p.m. Bikram Yoga Class

12:40 to 1 p.m. Tai Chi

1 to 1:20 p.m. Chi Gung

1:30 to 2 p.m. Hatha Yoga Class

Bodyworkers also on the east end of the mall will provide free shiatsu, massage and chair treatments.

10:15 a.m. Shiatsu and Asian Bodywork

11:15 a.m Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

12:15 p.m. Craniosacral Therapy and Massage

Vanessa Francis can be reached at Vanessa.Francis@wildcat.arizona.edu.