This week, U of T proves it can be as green as anyone, as students go on nature walks, take in some conscious cinema and a multimedia art exhibit, and eat free food-all while soaking in information about our planet.

Monday marked the launch of U of T’s third annual Environment Week, an event that runs from March 6-10 and features films, lectures, workshops, demonstrations, an art exhibit, great vegan food, and much more.

“Environment Week is a student initiative that aims to inspire other students to become more knowledgeable about environmental issues and to become more aware of the many environmental groups that are on campus,” said Jenny Greenop, the coordinator of Environment Week and member of the University of Toronto Environmental Resource Network (UTERN).

Greenop said that the popular image of U of T as an uncaring, bottom-line-driven institution is not true when it comes to environmental projects.

“Although not obvious due to its large size and corporate nature, U of T is actually quite progressive in terms of its stance on environmental issues and implementation of environmental initiatives,” she said.

U of T boasts many student environmental organizations such as UTERN, the Environment Students Union, the Urban Studies Student Union, SAC Ministry of Environment, Hart House Social Justice, and U of T’s Sustainability Office, all of which have helped organize Environment Week.

The first event of the week was a seminar called “Make Affluence History,” which took place on Monday afternoon in the Cumberland Room at the International Student Centre. The lecture suggested that “affluence is the driving force behind many of today’s environmental problems” and therefore is a serious impediment to a more sustainable future.

At Diablos’ in University College’s JCR today, participants will enjoy a meal from “Vegan Delights” and watch Judith Helfand’s humorous documentary Blue Vinyl which looks at “the hazards of bio-accumulation and pollution” from blue vinyl siding.

Also taking place Thursday is the Sustainability Office’s open house in the lobby of the Earth Sciences building. This event features a solar car demonstration, as well as special guest speakers Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone and Councillor David Soknacki and representatives and information booths from student environmental groups that will present info on ways that U of T is making itself more sustainable.

Environment Week wraps up tomorrow with Environment Week Pub Night and the last day of Alternative Art, a multimedia art exhibit open to “anybody who felt creatively inspired by sustainable transportation.” The winner of the art contest and exhibition will be announced at Sylvester’s Café and will win a Gary Fisher Mako bicycle courtesy of Curbside Cycle.

For a more complete listing of events, visit the University of Toronto Environmental Resource Network website at http://utern.sa.utoronto.ca.