Earth Day events at SPC

Earth Day volunteers work to clean up Habitat Park at the Seminole Campus.

Volunteers remove Brazilian pepper trees on the Tarpon Springs campus.

Various SPC campuses recognized Earth Day this month with events ranging from cleanups to a tree planting.

The Tarpon Springs Campus celebrated Earth Day on Saturday, April 20. About 30 students participated. Part of the group picked up trash in a natural Sandhill Crane site on the campus and along U.S. 19.

Another group from Tarpon Springs cut down Brazilian pepper trees on campus. The trees are an invasive, exotic species detrimental to Florida’s ecosystems. The Earth Day celebration was led by Assistant Professor Kelli Stickrath. Pizza lunch was provided by the campus’ Student Government Association.

At the Seminole Campus, a tree planting ceremony was held on Monday, April 22. A group also gathered on April 20 for a Natural Habitat Park cleanup.

Earlier in the month, SPC Downtown held an Earth Day seminar to teach people about recycling. Those who pledged not to waste the Earth’s resources, received a SPC Downtown aluminum bottle.

The Clearwater and St. Petersburg/Gibbs campuses held quad events this week. Clearwater was host to Dr. R.E. Cycler. With initials that stand for “Robotic Environmentalist,” the robot greeted people and crushed and recycled cans. It was the first time the robot, sponsored by the Engineering and Science and Adventure clubs, was on display in the Tampa Bay area.

See more photos on the college’s Facebook page.

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Robotic visitor to give eco-friendly lessons

Think of Dr. R.E. Cycler as a real-life WALL-E of Pixar fame. Neither is human. Both run on solar panels and teach people about sustainability and being eco-friendly.

Dr. R.E. Cycler is the name given to a robot from Florida Robotics Inc. of Orlando, which will be spending most of April 22 at St. Petersburg College’s Clearwater Campus in recognition of Earth Day. With initials that stand for “Robotic Environmentalist,” it will be stationed on the campus’ quad to both “greet” people and crush and recycle cans.

This will be the first time the robot has been on display in the Tampa Bay area, said John Williams, a Natural Sciences instructor at SPC.

The Engineering and Science and Adventure clubs are co-sponsoring the robot’s visit, said Williams, the faculty advisor for the Engineering Club.

SPC Earth Day events Habitat Park Cleanup – Seminole Campus – April 20 from 9 a.m. to noon Debris Cleanup – Tarpon Springs Campus – April 20 from 9 a.m. to noon Quad Event – St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus – April 25 from noon to 2 p.m. * Learn more about getting a bachelor’s degree in sustainability management from SPC.

“We just thought it was a unique thing to do,” Williams said. Not only does Dr. Cycler promote the recycling effort and Earth Day but renewable energy.

Meeting Dr. Cycler should be an experience. Standing about 5-feet-tall, it talks and blinks its eyes while crushing a 12-ounce aluminum can down to about an inch thick in approximately 30 seconds. All of the recycling process is visible through the robot’s see-through “stomach.” Plus the robot breathes, sort of.

When you feed it with a can, it blows out a minty-smelling breath, Williams said.

Free drinks and snacks will be provided at the Dr. Cycler meet-and-greet. The robot will be at the campus from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event is open to the public.

Watch Dr. Cycler on YouTube.

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SPC announces Earth Day events

 St. Petersburg College’s four environmental clubs have announced a number of college-wide events designed to recognize Earth Day, which inspires awareness and appreciation for the environment.

 This year’s celebration, on April 22, marks Earth Day’s 40^th anniversary.

 The four clubs are Emerging Green Builders, Honors College, Florida Engineering Society and SPC M.M. Bennett Libraries. All have come together to plan environmentally focused events from April 19 through April 25.

 They include:

 April 17

College-wide event, 9 – 11 a.m.: North Shore Clearwater Beach cleanup (Meet at Rockaway St., Clearwater Beach)

 April 19

Clearwater Campus, 2465 Drew Street, 12:30-1:30 p.m.: “No Such Place as Away” Pinellas County Utilities recycling presentation (NM205)

1:45 – 3 p.m.: Pinellas County Utilities, Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility tour (Meet at 3095 114th Avenue N., St. Pete). Space is extremely limited; email green.jason@spcollege.edu to reserve a spot.

 April 20

Clearwater Campus, 2465 Drew Street, noon -1 p.m.: LEED Gold Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building tour. Meet at NM building main entry.

 1 – 1:30 p.m.: Solar panel dedication, building entry

Tarpon Springs Campus, 600 Klosterman Road, 7 -8 p.m.: Community Garden Forum (FA132)

 Seminole Campus, 9200 113th Street N, 10 – 1 p.m.: SPC Green Expo (UP building lobby)

• Tampa Bay Watch, “Bay Restoration”
• UF/IFAS Pinellas County Extension, “Rain water harvesting”
• Pinellas County Utilities, “Recycling”
• Solar Source, “Solar power”
• Midori Salon and Spa, “Sustainable beauty”
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium, “Marine animal rescue”
• SPC Office for Sustainability, “SPC LEED buildings”

 1 – 1:20 p.m.: Earth Day presentations (UP building lobby) 

• Dr. James Oliver, SPC Seminole Provost
• Hon. Jimmy Johnson, Seminole Mayor
• Mr. Jeremy Hockenbury, Seminole Public Works Director  

1:20-1:30 p.m.: Second Annual Seminole Campus tree planting (Meet at UP building lobby) 

April 21

Clearwater Campus, 2465 Drew Street, 2:30-3:30 p.m.: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle food production panel, TA building

 4 -5:30 p.m.: Food, Inc. screening, TA building

 Tarpon Springs Campus, 600 Klosterman Road, all day event: Campus garden planting (Tent at middle of campus)

 April 22

Clearwater Campus, 2465 Drew Street, noon-12:15 p.m.: Second Annual Clearwater Campus Tree planting (Quad at LA building)

 12:30-1:45 p.m.: Photovoltaic Solar Panel presentation by Rick Gilbert, President Solar Source, TA building

 Tarpon Springs Campus, 600 Klosterman Road, 12:30-2:30 p.m.: Wall-E screening (Location TBD)

 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Wall-E screening (Location TBD)

 April 23

College-wide event, 10-11 a.m.: Moccasin Lake Park tour, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater

 April 24

Tarpon Springs Campus, 600 Klosterman Road, 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Food forest project. For more information, text “food forest” to 727-271-2754

 To learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu.  Then, visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC

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