Students who go down to the Mail Room for packages may notice the large cart full of greenery as they walk into the room. Those plants all belong to Viterbo’s Sustainability Club, supervised by print-master Karen Hurtgen. On Wednesday, Sept. 28, the Sustainability Club teamed up with the Art Department and held a Plant and Mug Sale outside of the Hawk’s Nest. The club sold succulents, spider plants, and aloe to raise funds for future projects, while the Art Department sold mugs and other ceramics made by Dan Stokes and some of his art students.  

The Sustainability Club sold sunflowers for an important cause. Since sunflowers are the leading crop in Ukraine, the Sustainability Club decided to run a project called Sunflowers for Ukraine. Once the money is raised, 100% of proceeds from the sunflowers are sent to a charity titled Sunflower of Peace. Sunflower of Peace is a Boston-based charity that works with global organizations to assist Ukraine with first aid, medicine, and survival needs. To learn more or donate directly to the cause, visit sunflowerofpeace.com.  

This project started last spring amid the destruction in Ukraine, and will last until the flowers are gone. “I’m thinking we might start raising funds to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian next,” said Hurtgen when asked about the flowers. 

The club keeps an active presence on campus throughout the year. “We hold many events, like farmer’s markets, plant sales, and we are currently selling sunflowers for Ukraine as a fundraiser,” says Hurtgen. “We try to bring awareness to the community about sustainability and environmental needs in the area.” There will even be a new project starting soon in addition to the ongoing Sunflowers for Ukraine project. “We are planning to plant a pollination garden in the spring or fall depending on the flowers and animal activity,” Hurtgen adds. 

The Sustainability Club is also known for selling and handing out Bamboo Utensils. Students who sign up for the Eco-Challenge every year are able to get these utensils and lots of other prizes.  The Eco-Challenge occurs every spring for a month leading up to Earth Day in April. It is an online event where a participant can log the steps they take towards helping the environment and themselves.  

The Sustainability Club began in 2009 when some students wanted to bring awareness to some environmental issues on Viterbo’s campus. Hurtgen has been the advisor for the group since it started. Hurtgen was also the chair of the faculty Environmental Responsibilities Committee (ERC) from 2009-2021. During that time, she teamed up the ERC members with the Sustainability Club to raise awareness for both students and faculty on issues around the Viterbo community. While no longer a chair for the ERC, Karen makes sure the Sustainability Club is up to date on all things related to the environment, and she doesn’t let students miss a chance to help our planet.  

If you would like to join the club to help sell plants or raise awareness, you can stop by the Mail Room (Reinhart 022) and talk to Karen herself, or email her at kghurtgen@viterbo.edu. Any student can also buy plants whenever they are out on the cart.