“Love Your Planet” event offers eco-friendly service to Flagler students

By Madison Ciklin | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Flagler College students received a convenient and eco-friendly service last Thursday at the second annual “Love Your Planet” event.

The Faculty Senate Sustainability Committee provided extra bike space around campus and the downtown area, as well as a bike valet service to raise carbon-footprint awareness by encouraging students to ride their bike, car pool or walk to campus.

“It’s something that we want people to do every day, but we decided this day would be the awareness raising initiative and that we would offer bike valet since our bike racks are so full,” Director of College Relations for Flagler College, Laura Stevenson-Dumas said.

“People wouldn’t have to park their bikes and it would also look kinda cool if you had a lot of people valeting their bikes.”

However, the bike valet service is a new addition to the event this year.

“Instead of just inviting vendors to campus, we encouraged everybody to bike, walk or carpool some way to get to campus. That way they wouldn’t be using as much energy as they would normally,” Stevenson-Dumas said.

Several vendors including The Hyppo, a popsicle shop on Hypolita Street, set up shop on the sidewalks of the West Lawn to support “Love Your Planet.”

Another vendor, the Lincolnville Farmers Market, provided produce and gifts to promote shopping locally. “That way students don’t have to hop in a car and drive to Publix or somewhere else like that,” Stevenson-Dumas said.

Two students sat at a table posted on the edge of the West Lawn, inviting students over to sign a poster pledging to reduce their carbon footprints.

“It allows people to be creative,” Stevenson-Dumas said with a smile. The poster will later be hung in Kenan Hall.

“Part of our mission is to bring awareness on how people can be more sustainable in their lives and reduce their carbon footprint,” Stevenson-Dumas said.