The Campus and Community Sustainability Initiative of Coastal Carolina University will host a variety of earth-friendly events on campus and in Conway throughout April in conjunction with Earth Day on Friday, April 22.

“Through these events, we hope to raise awareness of the environmental, social and economic problems in our local area,” says CCU sustainability coordinator Jennifer Sellers.

The Tap Water Challenge and Bottle Walk, part of the student-driven “Think Outside the Bottle” campaign, will be held 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 14, on CCU’s Prince Lawn. Attendees will taste test tap water and bottled water to see if there is, indeed, a difference. The Bottle Walk will consist of a long line of empty water bottles placed along the sidewalk to symbolize the waste and expense of bottled water.

At 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, a free movie night on Prince Lawn will feature “Erin Brockovich,” based on the true story about an individual’s battle to prosecute a utility company that is endangering a town’s water supply. Free popcorn and drinks will be provided, courtesy of ARAMARK.

A Sustainability and Equality Day, part of a service learning course by lecturer Keira Williams, will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, on the CINO Grille Deck to raise awareness about local issues and encourage students to volunteer with local environmental organizations.

And, in partnership with the Waccamaw Riverkeeper program, CCU will host “Earth Day Clean-Up” at the Crabtree Canal in Conway along U.S. 501 and U.S. 701 from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, April 22. The clean-up is open to the public and includes a free lunch. After the clean-up, the City of Conway will certify qualified businesses near the canal as River-Friendly Businesses.

The CCU Campus and Community Sustainability Initiative and its team of student Eco-Reps are committed to transforming the University into an environmentally sustainable university through campus operations, student curriculum, engaging students through learning and outreach, and collaboration in the community through sustainable stewardship of resources. For more information, visit www.coastal.edu/sustain or contact Sellers at 843-349-5041 or sustain@coastal.edu.