It’s Earth Month, so the MGH Institute community has been focusing on the environment even more than usual. One Earth Month activity that wrapped up this past Monday was an eyeglass donation drive to locations in Shouse and 1CW. The community contributed 38 pairs of glasses to the Lions Club, which makes them available to people around the world who lack access to basic eye care. Eyeglasses that cannot be reused are recycled. 

Last Thursday, the City of Boston's Zero Waste Outreach Coordinator Hannah Mermin, hosted an interactive discussion about how waste contributes to climate change and what individuals can do to cut the size of their weekly trash in half. She also shared the services Boston provides including community drop-off bin for food waste through Project Oscar, which has a drop off location on Austin Street in Charlestown. 

"Each year we recognize April as Earth Month, a time to raise awareness around environmental issues," said Sustainability Coordinator Tyler Leary, who also organized an event with Landry's Bicycles on campus earlier in April where nine people received tune-ups for their bikes. "The events held throughout the month help engage the IHP community around sustainability topics such as waste reduction and transportation, with the goal of inspiring action. My goal for these events is to also show there are many easy and accessible ways to get involved in sustainability locally, both at the IHP and in Boston."

To learn more about sustainability efforts that take place on campus throughout the year, visit the Sustainability page on the website or Vitals, and sign up for the Sustainability newsletter from the Office of Campus Services.