Sustainability leaders for the Longwood Medical Area will emphasize the connections between health and the environment on Earth Day, a message tuned to resonate with the LMA community.
“Everyone who works in the Longwood Area is already working for healthier communities and healthier people,” said Alicia Murchie, sustainability program manager for Harvard University’s Longwood campus. “People don’t often think of their impact on the environment as part of health, but human health and the environment are inextricably tied together.”
Murchie joined the Office for Sustainability in November. Her background is in both laboratory research and administration, as well as environmental advocacy has helped her reach out across HMS, HSDM and HSPH. “I have an idea of how things work on both sides of the lab, and one thing that became very apparent while in the lab environment was the massive amount of consumption and waste.”
Awareness is growing that the health of the environment is directly linked to human health, said Murchie, who decided to work full-time on sustainability issues to inspire others, especially medical leaders, to make an impact on human health through environmental responsibility and activism. “We want to emphasize these connections during this year’s Earth Day activities,” she said.
This year, Earth Day activities will kick off April 23 with an Earth Fair in the HMS Courtyard Café emphasizing the connection between humans, health and the environment through food. Local food vendors will provide samples and there will be giveaways of herbs and a raffle of Earthboxes—small, self-watering container gardens.
Murchie plans to extend the message beyond Earth Day, through such efforts as the Green Teams, faculty and staff volunteers who strategize to reduce environmental impact on campus. “I hope that the one of the many Earth Day activities planned this year will open the door to each person becoming more involved in sustainability—whether by joining a Green Team, riding their bike to work or even just recycling their soda can from lunch. Every small step toward sustainability is a step in the right direction.”
To learn more about Earth Day 2012 on the Longwood Campus, visit http://green.harvard.edu/hms.
