As many efforts have been made to raise awareness about climate change and the impact we are making on the earth as humans, many people volunteer around this time to help clean up the earth to promote sustainability. That’s exactly what COD Cares did.

On April 20, the College of DuPage Volunteer Group, COD Cares, hosted a clean-up event, “Roll Up Your Sleeves 2022: Hug our Home Planet.” Around 50 participants came together to clean a variety of different things around the COD Area. First, participants cleared garden beds at the college’s fuel garden and St. James Farm. Volunteers also tagged storm sewers for the Conservation Foundation and removed debris to help prepare the compost

The coordinator of COD Cares, Joan Dipiero, explained her excitement for the event. 

“This is the first time we have been able to gather as a large group ever since the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Dipiero said. “It was so exciting to see everyone come out and learn about the fuel gardens.”

As the name “fuel garden” suggests, the plants in the garden generate fuel that is more sustainable and planet friendly than fossil fuels. By cleaning these gardens out, it allows for the plants to grow in the spring time after a long winter.

By coordinating with the COD Cares Volunteer Corps, you can receive volunteer hours for any of their events, as well as potentially doing volunteer gardening. 

“We were able to put down mulch and we were even able to learn about composting in the gardens,” DiPiero said. 

COD Cares is a part of the Community Engagement Department which supports the college’s mission that strives to positively impact the communities and organizations within the district.

“Overall it was a great and fun experience to finally be able to come together again. I hope to host more events in summer and the fall semester,” Dipiero said.

Learn more about COD Cares.