Several barefoot and bathing suit-clad students wielding Hula-hoops, pool noodles and beach towels convened on the HUB lawn Saturday afternoon to celebrate the 39th annual Earth Day Festival.
The festival, started by Eco-Action in 1970 as an observance of the first Earth Day, has been a Penn State tradition ever since, said Tina Robinson, public relations representative for the club.
More than a dozen green-inspired tents and tables dotted the lawn and provided activities and opportunities for passersby to become environmentally educated. Activities included potting plants in recycled containers, tie-dying, free bicycle tune-ups and a light bulb exchange.
PowerMinders, a growing legion of nearly 400 college students from across Pennsylvania, encouraged students to implement what they learned about energy efficiency in their own communities.
Bob Fiori, founder of PowerMinders, said simple changes can save a family hundred of dollars every year.
Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, Fiori, Class of 1979, said.
State College Borough Council President Elizabeth Goreham, who donned an ensemble of 100 percent recycled materials to the event, also advocated for the use of CFL bulbs.
Goreham, along with the council, sponsored a light bulb exchange in which community members were encouraged to swap their old bulbs for new CFL ones.
She also encouraged attendees to check out State College's only LED streetlight, which is located at the intersection of Westerly Parkway and Blue Course Drive.
"It's worth it to take a drive out there at night," she joked. "Take your date, it would be nice to just park under the streetlight."
