 In honor of National Campus Sustainability Day on October 24, Mount Holyoke is starting a new tradition, Sustainability Week! This year, students, faculty, and staff have come together to celebrate with several special events going on from October 20-27. I’ve written about some of the highlights below. If you’re interested in doing more, check out the college’s additional offerings on the official Sustainability Week page.
 First up, the Eco-Reps are launching a TerraCycle Campaign. We will be in Blanchard tabling about it from 4:30-5:15 on Monday, October 22. TerraCycle is a nonprofit organization, which takes items that are often thrown in the trash and recycles or upcycles them into wallets, binders, picnic tables, and more. Here at MHC, you can help by thinking before you throw away food packaging such as Frito-Lay & Deep River chip and pretzel bags. There will be collection bins in Blanchard starting Monday and in Kendade the following week; you won’t be able to miss them. Each collected bag earns $0.02 for Gardening in the Community, a youth-focused urban agriculture project which offers kids the chance to learn how to grow food in the city, providing access to healthy produce in Springfield, MA.
 Tired of junk food? Don’t worry. You can still participate in Sustainability Week and get fed, too. On Tuesday, October 23, the Food Justice Society is teaming up with Dining Services to throw an Iron Chef Competition in Torrey Dining Hall. The competition will showcase student talent and local ingredients. Cooking will take place from 4:00-6:00 p.m. The most important part, tasting, will be from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Email Maxine Getz with questions.
 Despite all the tempting treats, Sustainability Week isn’t just about food; it’s about all aspects of green living in a college community. On Wednesday, October 24, from 4:15-5:30 p.m., come to
Blanchard’s second floor and lounge area to check out Mount Holyoke’s environmental initiatives. Participating groups–The Environmental Action Coalition, Office of Environmental Stewardship, Facilities Management, Food Justice Society, Miller-Worley Center for the Environment, Dining Services, Library and Information Technology Services, Parking and Fleet Services, and Campus Police–will showcase videos, demonstrations, and tips for how you can keep the college green. Did I say Sustainability Week wasn’t all about food? I was kidding. There will be sweets.
 Later that day (Wednesday, October, 24 from 7:30-9:00 p.m.), the Eco-Reps and Food Justice Society are hosting Eco-Jeopardy in Blanchard’s Great Room. Tim Farnham, chair of the Environmental Studies Department and Director of the Miller Worley Center for Environment will stand in for Alex Trebek. Other professors and students will be on teams, testing their eco-knowledge in a range of categories. The winners will receive baskets stuffed with things like fair trade chocolate, natural lip balm, and framed photographs of MHC’s campus in the fall. Everyone who attends gets to watch with a mug of hot cider and my favorite donuts from Atkins Market. I suggest you donate $2, which will help local nonprofit Gardening in the Community continue their fantastic programming, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Bring your friends and your reusable mugs. For more information, visit the Event Page or contact the Eco-Reps with questions.
 Lastly, on Thursday, October, 25 7:30 p.m., the Miller Worley Center for the Environment will present their Environmental Leadership Lecture in Gamble Auditorium. Robin Mann, former Sierra Club president and MHC class of 1973, will discuss where the environmental movement is headed and talk about her experience with one of the most powerful environmental organizations in the country.
 I hope to see you out celebrating and learning more about environmentalism at MHC. Let’s make Sustainability Week yet another MHC tradition to remember!
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