EARTH DAY IS COMING SOON! Pace Sustainability Initiative, also known as PSI, is hosting fun and sustainable events during Earth Week, 4/17-4/23, allowing students to celebrate and appreciate our planet. I discussed PSI’s next steps towards sustainability with their president, Brooklyn Flick, a junior majoring in Environmental Studies with minors in Sustainability and Anthropology/Sociology. I got to talk with her about PSI’s upcoming events and her goals for the year.
PSI was originally two clubs called Pace Produce Initiative. One club was in charge of garden upkeep, and the other was more of the social side of sustainability, made to educate and advertise to the community. It has since been combined into one large group with smaller committees that focus on more varying issues.
One of PSI’s biggest focuses is the Pace Garden. The garden is a student community space open 24/7, surrounded by full garden beds, benches, and good vibes located on the corner of Bruce St. and Gold St. along the backside of Pace Plaza. It is an excellent space in the city to be connected to nature and the environment. The group had many goals for this year, including applying for on-campus composting and updating the garden. Making additions such as Wi-Fi and planting trees to create more shade will further make it into a great space for students to study and socialize. However, there is fear that the garden will be displaced without an area to relocate.
Recently, PSI has received news that the Pace Garden will be closed indefinitely due to the school renovations. The garden is rumored to be turned into elevators for the Performing Arts students. Flick comments on this news, saying, “obviously, we’re so disappointed, but we’re trying to work on other alternatives so our garden isn’t completely gone.” Alternatives to complete the closure of the garden include hydroponics indoor vertical farming, off-campus volunteering, or relocating to the original garden space, which is around the corner from where it is now. The preferred and initial idea is to relocate the garden. However, it is all based on whether or not the construction will allow for it due to the two area’s close proximity.
Even with the uncertainty of the garden, PSI continues with plans for it. Some of the hopeful new additions include a bird bath, planting trees and native wildflowers, and transitioning to more floral plants rather than produce so that it is seen more as a community space. Flick mentions, “we’re keeping a business-as-usual mindset about it; we want to save the garden. We want to make it a place worth saving.”
While dealing with this new reality, PSI is still working on sustaining the garden’s growth while spreading information on sustainability by hosting workshops and raising awareness on zero-wasting living and how to make that idea more approachable. All while prepping for their upcoming Earth Week events! You can find more information on their Instagram @psi_pace, but here is the schedule of the upcoming events.
Monday, 4/17
The release of the group’s first podcast interviewing one of the founders of Earth Day. You can check that out on their Instagram, where it will be published!
Tuesday, 4/18
They are hosting a volunteer session from 4-6 pm in the garden in preparation for spring. The club will still go ahead and plant everything, even given the possibility of closure or relocation of the garden. They presume they will get much produce out of it through the summer.
Wednesday, 4/19
They are hosting a low-waste arts and crafts session in the ESS Lounge, located on the 3rd floor in Pace Plaza in room Y31, from 12-1 pm. This event will give the opportunity to make collages, mend clothing, and use cardboard to create and reuse as many materials as possible into something beautiful.
Thursday, 4/20
Their big-ticket event is their Cannabis Justice Event, co-hosted with the Black Student Union. Its primary purpose is to spread awareness of the injustices that fall on cannabis consumption in the U.S. There will be a Cajun food truck, cookies from insomnia, and a piñata. This event is totally free!
Friday, 4/21
PSI is giving out chalk in front of One Pace Plaza if students want to get creative and share their thoughts and views!
Sunday, 4/23
PSI is hosting a Zero Waste Picnic on Governors Island the day after Earth Day. A great way to get outside with how nicely the weather is turning while being mindful of the environment.
Be a part of making Pace a more sustainable institution by coming to these events and helping spread awareness on environmental issues. Pace, in terms of other universities, is doing well, but there’s always room for improvement. They are heading in the right direction in becoming more sustainable, like encouraging environmental groups such as PSI. Even with the news of the garden’s uncertainty, PSI still has many fun things planned for its future, so stay involved! Before you go, a few words from Pace Sustainability Initiatives President, Brooklyn “I’m going to advocate for the garden. So please go check it out! It’s a really sweet place to have on campus.” With the uncertain future of our garden, please go enjoy it while you can!