Before attending Environmental Jeopardy in Belk Pavilion last night, I had no idea where on campus the community garden was located. I’d never heard of Elon’s ride-sharing initiative, Zimrides, and I couldn’t name the dining locations that were designated for composting. After attending this event, I feel like I’ve gained so much more of an understanding about the ways that environmental issues are being addressed at my school.
It’s possible that I have heard all of this information before, but learning about it in such a relaxed, fun setting allowed me to really take in everything that was said. The members of Amnesty International and the Sierra Club did an awesome job of creating an event that was low-key enough to ensure that everyone felt comfortable and had fun, while addressing serious issues that affect people around the globe, and in our own community.
While I started out feeling a little bit self-conscious about my own lack of knowledge about environmental sustainability, I ended up having a great time participating in the game. The other participants that I talked to expressed that they felt similarly. The girls in charge of this event created such a casual, engaging environment that everybody seemed to feel encouraged to participate actively and learn some things along the way.