Beer bottles, grocery bags and plywood were among the litter items found during the UNI Creek Clean-Up last Tuesday. This was one of the events that took place last week in celebration of Earth week.

Despite the rainy weather that day, a group of volunteer students followed the edges of Dry Run Creek to pick up garbage bags full of trash.

Each year, the Recycling and Reuse Technology Transfer Center (RRTTC) sets aside two occurrences during the academic year to clean up different sections of the creek.

Last week, the clean-up took place in the area behind the Center of Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE) building. In the fall, the focus was on the wetland area near the WRC, where most of the debris from tailgating was recovered.

Jenny Bruss, program and community outreach coordinator for the RRTTC, was busy throughout the week creating events that students could attend to better the community’s environment.

“[I enjoy] getting out into the community with the students and just fostering a sense of excitement about taking care of things and being a part of the solution,” Bruss said.

According to Bruss, since beginning the clean-up nearly eight years ago, the UNI community shows appreciation towards the progress of the clean-ups, particularly when events are held in the area.

“We’ll do a 5K run through the prairie, usually in late summer, so when you go running through there it’s nice and clean usually,” Bruss said. “It’s just nice to be able to enjoy the area after it’s been cleaned out.”

Some of the students that were in attendance on the day of the clean-up explained that it was their first time attending the event, including junior finance and real estate double major, Renae Mitchell, and senior English major, Oliva Wandro.

“It was only an hour, it’s not too hard and it’s fun to be outside,” said Mitchell after the project was complete. Mitchell also explained that she would be interested in attending another event in the future.

“[I loved] getting to be outside and walking through the woods,” Wandro said.

Wandro said her most interesting find during the clean-up was a collection of “10 beer bottles in one area,” while Mitchell discovered the skull of a deer.

The floods that have run through the area in years past have brought odd and unusual items, including bicycles, hats, mittens, broom heads and shoes.

The RRTTC had other events that were open to the public to celebrate Earth Week as well.

On Monday, guest speaker Doug Cameron, leader in food and agriculture technology, was invited to campus to discuss green technologies and green businesses.

An Earth Day Celebration was held on Wednesday afternoon where students and faculty could learn about sustainability and going green at various educational booths.

The RRTTC provided free bike tune-ups, smoothies, s’mores, T-shirts, sunglasses and reusable bags at this event as well.

On Wednesday, the film, “Just Eat It” was screened in the CEEE Auditorium. The film discussed the topic of food waste in America.

Bruss discussed other ways that students could get involved with environmental advocacy throughout the year, including clubs and organizations, signing up for a newsletter and checking out the RRTTC website for upcoming events.

“We try and do a number of things throughout the year on campus and off campus with different community groups,” said Bruss. “We love to have the students attend.”