Earth Day at UAMS Continues to Grow, Even in Rain
| Heavy, spring rains April 18 in central Arkansas only brought more growth to Earth Day at UAMS.
On the Little Rock campus, 18 vendors staffed tables set up to educate employees, distribute promotional items and environmental information, recycle materials and just generally celebrate nature.
UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, center, visits with Earth Day organizers Michael Thomas, left, and Kevin Yancy, right.
Michael Thomas, manager of operations in UAMS Campus Operations, and Kevin Yancy, sustainability supervisor in the same department, organized the event, which drew three more vendors than last year.
Because of the weather, hundreds of employees and students gathered near the covered entrance at the B level of Parking 2 and a nearby interior corridor. They took home door prizes, free trees, flowers and LED light bulbs. UAMS has recognized Earth Day since 2011 with similar events and tree plantings.
The people attending even got a chance to observe up close a live hawk, snake and tarantula from the Little Rock Zoo.
In addition to the zoo, vendors and presenters at the celebration included Shred Smart, Entergy, Clear Results, Staples, Waste Management and Arkansas Recycling Coalition. UAMS presenters were Nutrition Services, Police, Safety and Environmental Services.
Yancy said he would like to have 25 vendors and presenters at next year’s celebration, and he’s already working to recruit the additional vendors.
Tree seedlings and flowers were among the giveaways during the Earth Day celebration.
“Our goal is to engage and reach as many people as we can to save the planet through recycling,” Yancy said. “That’s what it’s all about. Turnout was great this year and we hope that it will continue to grow each year.”
A shredder truck was available, so attendees could bring personal papers to be shredded along with small electronic items. People also were bringing glass for recycling because it’s no longer allowed in curbside recycling bins in Little Rock, North Little Rock and surrounding areas.
“UAMS is a big campus,” Yancy said. “As much as UAMS contributes to the landfills, sustainability is important to minimize that and get most of that recycled so it doesn’t go there. It’s especially important for any institution that’s this large. That’s the way to go to sustain and recycle.”
By 1 p.m., most of the vendors had run out of what they had brought to give away. Yancy said between 1,500 and 2,000 tree seedlings (one per person), flowers and 1,800 LED light bulbs were handed out.