GoGreen Week, an initiative started by the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) member institution New York University Shanghai four years ago, continues to grow and spread, with events taking place on each of the three degree granting NYU campuses as well as two universities based in Israel, Ariel university and Afeka university. 

The initiative aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and sustainable solutions, and inspire others to take action, through a variety of events covering animal protection, ecological businesses, environmental NGOs, food production, and sustainable development.

The 2019 events covered a wide range of topics and efforts focusing on raising awareness amongst the community about ways they could be more environmentally friendly. Some examples include smoothie-bicycle stations, where riders created the energy that operated a blender, a DIY organic deodorant workshop, and an architectural exhibition by students of buildings constructed with environmentally friendly and recyclable materials. 

2019 is the second year that Ariel University has hosted the GoGreen Initiative and they have expanded their Earth Day activities to include a recycling center that gave out spice plants as a gift, and collaboration with the university cafeterias to give a free chocolate to anyone who brought a reusable container for their coffee. 

In Abu Dhabi, NYU students continued to raise awareness at the grassroots level through tabling and workshops to engage with students on a one-on-one level. Tom Samra, a student involved in the environmental club there said, One game we tabled with several times was the recycling game, which was the most successful event in terms of how much participants felt that they learned something. 

For more information about how to start the GoGreen initiative in your own academic institution, please contact the NYU Shanghai team: sh.environment.club@nyu.edu.

 

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