By Joan Qazi, SW board member and WVC faculty
While I hope we are trying to make a difference everyday, having a set date to highlight helping our community is very important. You can find a list of the opportunities to join on October 23rd or even the 22nd for some events here.
I will admit that I am a one-trick pony. I choose to devote my time and energy to the one over-arching problem that will influence all others—the climate crisis. There are at least two Make a Difference Day events directly related to addressing global warming.
The first is Wenatchee Valley College’s Arbor Day tree planting that will take place on campus starting at 10am on Friday, October 22nd. Volunteers will be planting 20 native trees from Derby Canyon Natives on the west end of Sexton Hall next to the 9th street parking lot. How is planting trees related to fighting climate change, you may ask? Tree leaves pull in carbon dioxide (CO2) for use in photosynthesis and then store it in the woody fibers, reducing the build-up of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, in one year a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange.
Sustainable Wenatchee is a co-host for the native tree-planting and will be providing tasty treats for the volunteers to enjoy. You are invited to join us for this all-outdoors event, if you follow the campus Covid-19 safety protocol, including wearing a mask, social distancing, and completing the symptom-free attestation upon arrival. Please bring gloves and dress for the weather. As an added bonus, Wenatchee Valley College poetry students will be reading their poems about trees and botany professor, Jennifer Hadersberger, will lead us on a stroll to introduce us to some of the diverse tree species on campus. It promises to be a fun, sustainable, and educational way to make a difference in your community!
The second opportunity is joining 350.org for their Make a Difference Day event on Saturday, October 23rd, anytime from 11am to 3pm at Shelter #1 in Walla Walla Point Park (turn towards the river at Town Toyota Center). This group is working locally to help build the global movement necessary to solve the climate crisis and transition to a sustainable future for all. On October 23rd, they will have electric vehicle and bike demonstrations, postcards to write to officials, information about balancing our carbon footprints, and other ways to raise awareness for climate action. Everyone is invited to participate, wearing masks please, to improve our individual impacts through collective action. Hope to see you there!
