Ah, Earth Day. The one day a year (except for the Arbor Day fans out there) when we are reminded that we all could show a little more love to the big sphere we call home.
Today more than ever, we are inundated with images of beaches covered in plastic and icebergs half their previous size. Seeing these images, it’s often overwhelming to wonder if our individual choices can make even a small dent in these global-scale problems. It’s easy to think that our individual actions can’t make a difference, but if we think about our vast sisterhood and the impact 250,000 members could make, suddenly 250,000 individual actions become a powerful force for good.
This Earth Day let’s think about a few simple ways Delta Gammas can make sustainable choices that show some love to our planet. Isn’t it time that we see Mother Earth as a sister, too?
It's electric (boogie woogie, woogie!)
You’ve heard this before: turn the lights off and unplug what you aren’t using. It’s a simple enough idea, but sometimes difficult to remember – especially in a university setting and in chapter houses. In spaces of communal living like these, lights are left on 24 hours a day, chargers are continuously plugged in at each bedside and the occasional TV left on (with Netflix inquiring if you’re still watching). It’s easy to evade the personal accountability of lowering electricity usage in communal spaces, especially in those where we aren’t seeing each month’s electricity bill. Make it part of your routine to unplug chargers in the morning and take a lap through your house, apartment or residence hall to shut off lights. Soon enough the habit will stick, and you’ll do it without even thinking about it.
Let’s get to the bottom of this
Beyond the resources like electricity and water that we use, the materials we use each day have a large, visible effect on the planet. Think about the trash can in your bathroom filled with nearly-empty aerosol cans, plastic makeup packaging and *shudder* partially full bottles of nail polish. Most municipalities have community recycling centers and household hazardous waste disposal services (looking at you, nail polish), where you can take these items. Sustainable practices in beauty are trendy, too. Many beauty bloggers are taking on “project pan” to use up every last bit of a makeup product (or, “hit pan”) before recycling it and before they allow themselves to buy another product in that category. Many also keep an “empties” drawer to track what products they are using up and make it easier to take a single trip to a recycling center. If you find yourself wanting to toss out partially used but not-quite-right skincare and beauty products, find a women’s shelter or organization like Project Beauty Share who will accept gently-used products.
Sorry for what I did when I was hungry
In the kitchen, we encounter even more opportunities for sustainable choices. Are you constantly going through rolls of paper towels, when a kitchen towel could do the trick? Are you tempted to buy single serving plastic containers of juice, oatmeal or other foods at the grocery store instead of choosing the bulk option? It happens to the best of us, but luckily there are simple changes that can help us be a little more environmentally conscious in the kitchen, like choosing local, seasonal produce and avoiding wrapping them in those staticky, green-tinted plastic bags provided. Check out this article from Bustle for more sustainable grocery shopping hacks and this state-by-state guide to zero-waste grocery stores from Litterless. Our chapter facilities have many opportunities to be more sustainable in the kitchen as well, such as replacing styrofoam cups and to-go boxes with reusable dishes or versions made of recyclable or compostable material, like bamboo fiber.
It’s my party I can [recycle] if I want to
Our activities also play a large part in our environmental impact. The fraternity and sorority community is a frequent abuser of the fast fashion industry, with inexpensive T-shirts, costumes and props that are worn once then thrown away in the rush to pack up and move out at the end of the year. Our event decor is often treated the same way. Think of all the single-use plastic, balloons and painted banners that are discarded after each event or recruitment season and you can imagine the mountain of waste that must be sitting in landfills. The next time you host an event, find ways to invest in quality supplies that you could store and use again, and if your décor includes glitter or confetti, biodegradable is the way to go.
Earth Day is a holiday that puts a spotlight on sustainability, but our actions year-round are how we celebrate it. Small changes to our daily routine will become habits, and eventually the easy choice will be the sustainable choice. As an organization that strives to always “Do Good”, let’s make it a priority to do some good for the planet. Happy Earth Day, sisters!
As Delta Gammas, we seek out and create opportunities to “Do Good” in our local communities and beyond. With more than 250,000 initiates from chapters spanning North America, we’ve certainly covered a lot of ground.
Picture a map of the world, with little red push pins marking the places Delta Gammas have made an impact. To start, there are 151 little push pins marking each community that is impacted by our collegiate chapters, and another 208 pins to represent the locales of each of our alumnae groups. Stick a pin in Denver, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Kansas City and Phoenix for each of our Delta Gamma Schools for children with visual impairments, and all the cities with veterans centers touched by our Joining Forces initiative. Many of these pins have been in this map since before you were even born, placed by all the sisters that came before you and made a positive impact in the name of Delta Gamma. There are pins in Belgium, where Delta Gamma opened a children’s hospital and orphanage during World War I. There are pins in the cities where Delta Gammas serve as marathon guide runners and pins dotting the map at dozens of guide dog organizations, Golden Anchor facilities and local sight-related organizations.
Our map is densely covered in those little red push pins, but this year we pressed a new pin into Marrakech, Morocco, as members embarked on our first Hope Serving trip outside North America.
Four collegians and five alumnae were selected from more than 300 applicants, a record for the Hope Serving program:
Team Leader Amanda Boyd, Gamma-UC Berkeley, collegian
Team Leader Ashley Baudouin, Gamma Zeta-Louisiana State, alumna
Aashka Shah, Theta Beta-Case, collegian
Catherine Hunt, Alpha Sigma-UCLA, alumna
Christine Burk Roberts, Delta Rho-Virginia Tech, alumna
Lauren Delzell, Tau-Iowa, alumna
Lauren Sanchez, Beta Chi-Denver, collegian
Nicole D’Antonio, Delta Iota-Georgia, alumna
Taryn Walker, Alpha Phi-British Columbia, collegian
These participants had a hands-on opportunity to “Do Good” at the Abu Abbas Sabti Center for the visually impaired, helping to make the school grounds safe for the children that the school serves.
“The administrators from the center where we are serving expressed enormous gratitude for our work, but also opened their doors and hearts to all of us,” reflected Lauren Sanchez, Beta Chi-Denver.
In addition to painting, installing padding and other improvements to the physical structure, intercultural conversations were an important part of the trip. A Q&A with the school staff, faculty and administrators shed light on the experiences of people with visual impairments in Marrakech and taught trip attendees more about the students attending the Abu Abbas Sabti Center.
“Teachers and administrators describe the center and its people by using the word family - how lucky are we to have been a part of this family during our time here?” -Lauren Delzell, Tau-Iowa
Later in the trip, the group got to hear from four Moroccan women who shared stories of their experiences as women living in a Muslim country.
“I love the emphasis on being open-minded, receptive and learning through genuine connections. For this reason, I know the lessons I have learned will be a part of me for the rest of my life.” -Taryn Walker, Alpha Phi-British Columbia
As the names implies, Hope Serving is about service, but it is also much more than that. It provides an opportunity to connect with other Delta Gammas, grow as a leader and citizen of the world, and broaden one’s educational and cultural interests.
“My take away and action plan from this is to focus on my role as a global citizen,” said Lauren Delzell. “It is our obligation to see the world, respect cultural differences, understand our privilege and give back where possible. I will use my real-life expertise and knowledge to break down barriers and stereotypes at home about people in Morocco, people who are Muslim, and people who are blind and visually impaired.”
The January 2019 trip was the first Hope Serving experience fully-funded by the Fraternity. With financial barriers removed from these experiences, we look forward to engaging more sisters, especially alumnae, through Hope Serving.
This summer, there are three Hope Serving trips taking place across North America, open to both collegians and alumnae:
OWL CAMP
Hope Serving will be visiting OWL Camp for the fourth year in a row. Oklahomans Without Limits (OWL) is NewView Oklahoma’s free summer camp for youth ages 8-18, who are blind or visually impaired.
USABA Goalball National Tournament
Through a partnership with the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA), participants will be volunteering at the Goalball National Tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the third year in a row. This year the organization will be hosting the 2019 International Blind Sports Federation Goalball and Judo Paralympic Qualifying Competition. Over 450 athletes and coaches from nearly 40 nations are expected to participate in the competition.
CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) Day Camp
CNIB will welcome hands-on help from Hope Serving volunteers to support the day camps offered to children and youth who are blind or partially sighted living within the greater Toronto area.
Applications for these incredible service opportunities are open now until March 10, 2019. The registration bulletin is available here for you to learn more and apply.
Ironically, in 2016, the University of South Carolina football team was scheduled to host Louisiana State University (LSU), but was unable to because of the floods. LSU hosted the game instead. The university collected donations for the flood victims in South Carolina, raised money and even played the Carolina alma mater in their home stadium. That kindness was not forgotten.
This year, the people of South Carolina are paying it forward with truckloads of supplies. Deborah and her family are helping out because they know all too well what's really needed and when. It's obviously very personal for them and Deborah is dedicating so much time and effort to help others overcome what she and her family are nearly finished dealing with. Long before these trying times, Deborah had always been a shoulder to lean on when one was needed. Showing up during these times really demonstrates the power of "doing good," not just in your own community, but anywhere it's needed.
Moira Kelly
Epsilon Chi-South Carolina
Delta Gammas “Do Good” every day! We pledged to do so when we accepted our bids to Delta Gamma. In fact, our Fraternity letters were chosen because they represent our motto and desire to “Do Good." Let’s come together to put more GOOD in the world. During the week of September 11-17, 2016, Delta Gamma Fraternity invites you to participate in our annual “Do Good” Week by doing good deeds in your community.
Anyone can participate, whether you are a sister, fraternal partner, friend, neighbor or simply a kind person hoping to make the world a little better. Below are some examples of how you can "Do Good."
• Pay for the person behind you at a drive thru or in line.
• Take an unfamiliar colleague or classmate to lunch.
• Write a sincere note of appreciation.
• Plant a tree or garden.
• Deliver baked goods to your local fire/police department.
• Pick up trash in your neighborhood or local park.
• Plan a service event and invite other sisters and friends to participate.
• Take flowers to patients at a hospital.
• Volunteer at a food pantry.
• Visit an assisted living facility and talk to a resident who hasn’t had many visitors.
• Write letters to military personnel and thank them for their service.
• Volunteer at your local humane society, or another local non-profit.
• Donate items to Goodwill or a similar organization.
• Organize a food drive.
• Bike to work/class.
• Simply, be kind to everyone.
Share your "Do Good" story on social media using the hashtag #DGDoGoodWeek and by posting on the official Facebook event page. You can also email your story (with pictures!) to the Delta Gamma Alumnae Department.
