From hundreds of people joining hands for a symbolic hug of Lake Osceola to an Eco Shopping Experience where local designers displayed their eco-friendly products, the University of Miami marked Earth Day by hosting a series of events last Wednesday to raise awareness about the most pressing environmental issues.

Earth Day celebrations on the Coral Gables campus started with an Au Natural Art Show at the University Center lower lounge, where student artistic expressions about the Earth and conservation were on display. Other activities throughout the day included a showcase of the University’s “green” transportation options, a concert, and a Eco Fair where student groups and organizations gave interactive demonstrations and passed out information on eco-friendly initiatives.

Copies of the new “Green U to Go Brochure: A Pocket Guide to Reducing the Cost of Living-On Your Budget and the Environment” were distributed, and flags designed by renowned artist and alumnus Xavier Cortada were sold, with proceeds earmarked to help raise awareness about sustainability through the Reclamation Project.

The Hug the Lake event was the signature activity of the day, drawing hundreds of students, faculty, and staff members who all joined hands while encircling Lake Osceola in a demonstration of solidarity with each other and with nature. The event was organized by the student group Random Acts of Kindness.

UM celebrates Earth Day with a series of events aimed at raising awareness about the most pressing environmental issues of our times and promoting a lifestyle in harmony with the environment on Wednesday, April 22 at the University of Miami Coral Gables campus.

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Green U is seeking volunteers to serve on the first Earth Day Planning Committee for Earth Week  2009. Help plan UM Earth Day events to be held on Wednesday, April 22 as well as create a week-long celebration that will include concerts, movies, beach days, fashion shows, art, and large-scale community events.

Opportunities are available in marketing, media outreach, public relations, education, business, community service, political science, and more. This is a great chance to learn about sustainability and make a difference on campus.

For more information, e-mail [email protected].

With buildings accounting for a large percentage of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, a move is on to build structures that are more energy efficient. But what is the best way to create the “greenest” buildings for a sustainable future?

One strategy involves looking back. The University of Miami’s School of Architecture will present an Emergency Green Builders (EGB) symposium this Saturday, March 7 that will address the importance of learning from the past to build a sustainable future in tropical climates.

The symposium, to be held in Glasgow Hall at the school’s Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center on the Coral Gables campus from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., will feature several noted architects who will discuss vernacular building types and techniques, as well as the projects they have studied and built in different parts of the tropical belt.

Among some of the lectures: “An Introduction to Natural Building Processes and Sustainable Living in the Tropics,” “Builders of Poor African Neighborhoods as Environmentally Conscious Modernists and Contemporary Designers,” and “In Search of a Sustainable Civic Art in the Tropics.” A question-and-answer session will also take place.

School of Architecture Dean Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk will deliver welcoming remarks, and UM EGB President Brian Lemmerman will also speak.

The conference is being presented in partnership with the Center for Urban and Community Design and is open to the public. The cost is $10 for students and EGB members, $20 general admission. There are higher fees for professionals seeking sustainable design CEU’s. Register at this Web site.