March 31, 2008

Whitworth Community Invited to Take Part in Sustainability Challenge April 7-25

In an effort to encourage the Whitworth community's involvement in active, ongoing sustainability, the university is hosting a Sustainability Challenge April 7-25. The challenge is open to two-person teams comprising anyone associated with Whitworth University, including students, faculty, administrators, staff, Sodexho employees and outside vendors. The theme of the three-week event is Earth, Wind and Heart; the first week will emphasize recycling and international stewardship, the second week will focus on energy efficiency, alternate transportation and food, and the third week will feature a clothing market and book exchange.

Whitworth's inaugural Sustainability Challenge is sponsored by the university's sustainability committee and will feature weekly events and prizes, as well as grand prizes awarded to the top teams at the conclusion of the challenge. The two-person teams may register for the challenge, view a calendar of events, and track their participation at the following website:www.whitworth.edu/sustainabilitychallenge.

"While one person can't solve all of the world's problems, if we all pitch in here and there, it will make a great difference," says Sustainability Challenge organizer Alan Jacob, assistant director of housing at Whitworth. "We can all make more sustainable choices now; there is no excuse for not making some immediate changes."

Sustainability Challenge events will include:

• A market/clothing/book exchange in which participants barter or sell items

• Sustainability panel discussion: Whitworth faculty and staff will discuss sustainability on a global scale. Panelists will share their experiences overseas and the relevancy environmental stewardship has for us today.
  
  
• Bike rides to Indian Painted Rocks and Bowl and Pitcher, in Spokane
  
  
• Tree planting on Washington State Arbor Day and tree walk with 4-Directions Native Club: Join campus arborist Will Mellot as he discusses the campus' greenery and trees while touring the Back 40 and the Whitworth campus

• Crochet nights: Learn how to crochet or knit and contribute to a square of a blanket that will be sent to a family in need
  
  
• Field trips to Spokane's Waste-to-Energy Plant

Possible prizes include:

• Gift certificates to TicketsWest events, Christian Supply, Netflix or Blockbuster online rentals, ITunes, REI
  
  
• $100 worth of mugs, fair-trade coffee and other items from Thomas Hammer
  
  
• Case of organic apples, oranges and bananas from Charlie's Produce
  
  
• Catered dinner for 10 featuring organic, locally grown food

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private, liberal-arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The university, which has an enrollment of 2,600 students, offers 53 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Contacts:

Alan Jacob, assistant director of housing, Whitworth University, (509) 777-3250 or ajacob@whitworth.edu.

Julie Riddle, public information officer, Whitworth University, (509) 777-3729 or jriddle@whitworth.edu.