Bee-utification buzz begins Earth Week

Despite wintery conditions, Augie Green kicked off Earth Week by partnering with Civitas to host a Beekeeping Beautification event on April 18th.

Braving the cold and wind, students attending the Beekeeping Beautification painted planter boxes that will surround the new beekeeping site located behind the Moses Statue near the commons.

Janae Becher, President of Augie Green, organized the beekeeping event. Becher said Augie Green received the planter boxes from Professor Carrie Olson-Manning, and once decorated, the planter boxes will be filled with perennials for bees and Augustana students alike to enjoy.

According to Becher, the bees should arrive at Augustana by the end of this month.

Whitney Twitero, Vice President of Augie Green, said the Beekeeping Beautification event was only one of the many events planned for Earth Week, and that many different campus organizations were getting involved.

“Nine total clubs are involved this week, so it is a huge campus-wide collaboration, and we’re super excited about it,” Twitero said.

According to Twitero, an event is planned for each day of Earth Week, such as soapmaking in the chemistry labs and a panel on green whitewashing. Twitero said another day of Earth Week entailed students going to Goodwill to find random objects to use as planters, and then placing those plants around campus as part of a “campus beautification” effort.

“We’re trying to show that sustainability can be found everywhere on campus,” Becher said.