Earth Day 2010: Taking Strides for a Greener Scranton

     The Scranton community will take strides to reduce its carbon footprint by participating in the Downtown Scranton Earth Day Walk Thursday, April 22. By encouraging students to seeing what downtown businesses have to offer, the walk seeks to reduce the carbon emissions created by driving to neighboring areas for shopping and entertainment. 

     According to event organizers Scranton Tomorrow and The University of Scranton’s Sustainability Task Force, the initiative is based on data about student shopping habits.

     In a 2009 Northeast Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities (NEPACU) survey of college students in Lackawanna County, 76 percent of students shop and 65 percent of students dine in Dickson City once or twice a month or more. For entertainment, 81 percent of students reported going to Montage Mountain to watch movies at least once during the school year. This means that if just once per month during the school year (eight months) a student goes to the movies at Montage Mountain, and shops and eats in Dickson City, he or she would drive nearly 250 miles. 

     John Kalafut, professor emeritus of Energy and Environment at The University of Scranton, points out that 80 percent of gas (eight out of every 10 gallons) needed to drive those 250 miles is wasted, turning into smoke, which includes carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.

     Recognizing the need to lower these emissions, the Downtown Scranton Earth Day Walk will take place on April 22, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The Bog Swing Band will provide live music on Courthouse Square and student groups including Men and Women for Octaves, Urban Beats, WUSR and the Liva Arts Company will perform at Center Court at The Mall at Steamtown. 

     Participating downtown businesses are Anthology New and Used Books, Boccardo Jewelers, B’s Floral Design, Comics on the Green, Creedon’s Flower Shoppe, Danielle and Company, Duffy Accessories, DxDempsey, Electric City Pizza, Electric Theatre Company, Farley’s, GreenBeing, Kildare’s Pub, Lackawanna County Recycling,  Lavish Body & Home, Marquee Cinemas - Steamtown 8, Northern Light Espresso Bar, NOW Hair Studio, Outrageous, Pizza by Pappas, Runway, The City Dump, The Colonnade, The Mall at Steamtown, Carmen’s Restaurant at Lackawanna Station, The University of Scranton Bookstore and The Vintage Theater & Café.

     Other events planned for Earth Week on The University of Scranton campus are a Street Sweep April 17, a concert April 19, an Earth Fair and Education for Justice Teach-in April 20, a lecture April 21 and a Fair Trade Fair April 22. For details about these events, visit www.scranton.edu/sustainability or college.the 570.com. 

     For other information about the walk, call Scranton Tomorrow at 963-5901.

     Media Partners for Earth Week 2010 are the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal and Electric City. Major sponsors include Lackawanna County; Carmen’s Restaurant at Lackawanna Station; Electric Theater Company; DxDempsey Architecture/Design/Planning; Marquee Cinemas; The Colonnade; and The Mall at Steamtown.