“Be Thou praised, my Lord, of our sister Mother Earth,
which sustains and hath us in rule.”
~ St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
The Mirror of Perfection, c. 1280
Since Father Dease signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2008, the UST community has made significant strides in advancing sustainability on the UST campus. The week that includes the Feast of St. Francis, patron saint of the environment, on Tuesday, Oct. 4, is an appropriate time to draw attention to some of the university’s accomplishments and the individuals, clubs and departments that have led the way.
A statue of St. Francis of Assisi stands in the Marian Peace Garden near the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas.
The UST Sustainability Committee invites all students, staff and faculty to events scheduled throughout this week.
Monday-Friday, Oct. 3-7: “Green Research at UST” poster display in the first- and second-floor atriums, Murray-Herrick Campus Center.
Monday, Oct. 3: Reflection on “The Garden as Leadership Metaphor” at 5 p.m. in the UST Stewardship Garden behind Brady Educational Center.
Tuesday, Oct 4: The Feast of St. Francis
- 11:45 a.m. – Join Campus Ministry and Dr. Bernie Brady, Theology Department, and Father Erich Rutten, Campus Ministry, for reflection and prayer at the statue of St. Francis of Assisi in the garden of the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas.
- 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – The Wellness Center, St. Paul Fire Department, Nice Ride and the UST Bookstore (showcasing Alta Gracia apparel) will host tables on the John P. Monahan Plaza.
- 11:30 a.m. 1 p.m. – Student Sustainability Games with the USG Sustainability Committee will be held in the lower quad. Prizes include two, one-year student subscriptions to Nice Ride.
- 1:30-3 p.m. – Speaker Nancy Garcia, Oaxaca, Mexico, Center for the Orientation of Migrants, will give a presentation in the O’Shaughnessy Room, Room 108, O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center.
Wednesday, Oct 5: Symposium at 6:30 p.m. in 3M Auditorium, Owens Science Hall, features speakers:
- Jim Brummer, UST construction manager, on the Silver LEED certification of Anderson Student Center
- Mark Neuzil, director of Office of Mission, on the BWCA fire
- Chester Wilson, Biology Department, on red worm composting
- Ashela Richardson, student garden coordinator, on UST Stewardship Garden
Thursday, Oct 6: Tables will be hosted by: Green Team, HourCar, USG Sustainability, CSF Evaluation Committee, Metro Transit and UST Parking Services, and the Grill and Show’d Up Band also will be featured from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the John P. Monahan Plaza.
- 11 a.m.-2 p.m. – Trayless lunch in the Student Dining Room, Murray-Herrick Campus Center. The RHA and Green Team will host tables outside the cafeteria.
Friday, Oct 7: BEAST ride. Meet at 2 p.m. at the arches; bikes and helmets are required.
Saturday, Oct. 8: Annual Fall Cleanup of the banks of the Mississippi River from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at the World War I monument at the end of Summit Avenue. Bags and gloves will be provided.
For more information about conservation efforts at St. Thomas see the Sustainability at UST website and the Recycling Program website.
For more information about Sustainability Week contact Bob Douglas, chair of the UST Sustainability Committee, (651) 962-6388.
