Because they are required to revolve around the major winter celebrations, the smaller holidays have often struggled to be remembered. Poor Groundhog Day and Flag Day are often only recalled when seen on the calendar or the newspaper, and people are not likely to find an Arbor Day card at their local Hallmark. However, Nicholls G.R.E.E.N. (Go Recycle; End Environmental Neglect) is working to make sure one very important holiday is properly celebrated this year.

Earth Day will take place April 22 this year. On this day, GREEN has organized several events to commemorate the holiday.

From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., G.R.E.E.N. will host a bake sale in the Bollinger Memorial Student Union. Members of the club have volunteered their time to bake what will be mostly organic goods.

Alex Morris, a freshman from Lockport and G.R.E.E.N.’s president, shared why the day is important to her.

“It’s a day that recognizes what a gift the earth is and the measures that need to be taken to protect it,” Morris said. “We hope to increase environmental awareness on campus and promote the programs that G.R.E.E.N. is implementing.”

Ross Durocher, a freshman from Thibodaux and G.R.E.E.N. member, stressed the idea that Earth Day should be carried on beyond the holiday itself.

“I think everyday is Earth Day,” Durocher said. “The Earth is an essential part of our lives, and I think we should take more than a day to remember it.”

The club tries to live by this lesson each day with every member emptying assigned recycle bins around campus, bringing many pounds of paper and cardboard to a recycling dumpster at Wal-Mart in Thibodaux. G.R.E.E.N. has been working to obtain larger recycling dumpsters for Nicholls.

At the end of the bake sale at around 2 p.m., there will be a raffle ticket drawing for a gift basket filled with earth-friendly products.

The basket given away on Earth Day will hold many of gifts including energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs, organic chocolate bars, gift cards, teas and a copy of “The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook” by David de Rothschild.

Lauren Cenac, English senior from Houma and G.R.E.E.N. vice president shared why she enjoys being a part of the club.

“I enjoy being in G.R.E.E.N. because Nicholls needs to be more environmentally conscious, and I want to be a part in helping the University to do that,” Cenac said.

G.R.E.E.N. hopes to spread awareness of Earth Day and general environmental knowledge to make sure the holiday stands out just a bit more on the calendar.