Student Environmental Action Committee members tried to ensure student awareness on Earth Day, but the group was concerned about what might happen in days to come.

The 20th Earth Day was a six-hour event Sunday at the West Lagoon, ending a week-long environmental awareness campaign on campus.

“I think it’s fantastic. The only problem is what happens tomorrow,” said NIU sociology major Donna Gulden.

SEAC member Chris Schlake said Earth Day was created to “celebrate the earth—it’s a very important part of the environmental movement.”

As part of Earth Day, students were encouraged to buy t-shirts celebrating the earth, sign up for free environmental awareness catalogues and read literature about nuclear power alternatives.

Tim Miskell, another committee member, said part of the money from t-shirt sales will pay for catalogue postage and flyers, but the balance probably would go to programs to save the rain forests.

Committee member Ruth Buchheit said even if students were buying t-shirts because they looked good, the shirts still might increase social awareness.

“We can’t make people wake up to environmental problems if they don’t want to. But if people are here, they are getting the idea of Earth Day,” Buchheit said.

At the beginning of the event, there was a lot of litter around the lagoon, but as the day progressed, the litter disappeared, she said.

Earth Day might make people try to save the environment, but people’s attitudes and practices will not change just because of the event.

Miskell said students need to get involved in the battle to save the earth; they should recycle and write letters to legislators.

“We need to make Earth Day every day, not just today,” he said. “That’s what we’re really trying to enforce.”

Miskell said students should check product labels before they buy a product to make sure it is “environment friendly”—biodegradable and free of harmful chemicals.