Members of 3 Tree prepare to launch the organization’s first event this weekend in honor of Earth Day. Credit: Courtesy of Sammi Cheung
Current and former Buckeyes are teaming up to encourage sustainable practices and support local Columbus businesses for a unique spin on Earth Day.
Students and Columbus locals can participate in 3 Tree’s “Cbus Clean Crawl,” a neighborhood cleanup event that consists of activities and games to engage participants Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Starting at Seventh Son Brewing Company, participants can test their knowledge through trivia, embark on a scavenger hunt and even enter a photo challenge as they clean up the community.
The inspiration for the event started in October 2020, when the organization’s pitch at GiveBackHack Global, a social enterprise accelerator, kick-started the organization after securing funding from the competition, Kaiti Burkhammer, a 2015 Ohio State alumna and member of 3 Tree, said.
“How can we provide something that has impact for Earth Day, people can be safe and is actually gonna be a good time?” Burkhammer said. “It was really important for us to create something that was a little more distinct.”
In anticipation of the various cleanups taking place for Earth Day, Burkhammer and fellow 3 Tree members knew their first event had to make an impression. Cameron Guthrie, a 2016 Ohio State alumnus and member of 3 Tree, said taking a neighborhood approach for the organization’s launch allows community members to visit local businesses.
Participants can pass time while picking up trash by exploring the neighborhood of Italian Village, where trivia questions will be posted on storefront doors. As participants go door to door, they are encouraged to take and submit photos as part of the scavenger hunt and photo challenges for a chance to win raffle prizes, all of which are donated by local businesses, Burkhammer said.
“We really do want to encourage people to shop local because that is one of the most sustainable choices you can make, but also we know a lot of local businesses have been struggling in the past year,” Burkhammer said. “Anything we can do to directly support the community that we all love so much is really important to all of us.”
Though 3 Tree looks to engage the community during this weekend’s event, the organization’s ultimate goal is to develop an online community and tracking tool that empowers users to create sustainable habits to fight climate change, Burkhammer and Guthrie said. By focusing on individual impact, they said 3 Tree hopes this heightened intention and awareness behind purchasing decisions results in conscious consumer action and sustainable outcomes.
“In a cheesy term, it starts with us,” Sammi Cheung, a first-year in international business and a member of 3 Tree, said. “We can make a difference if everyone just thought about it and actively pursued it.”
Cheung said small actions such as opting for bagless options at the university’s dining halls can be simple and realistic ways for individuals to implement sustainable practices into their everyday lives.
For those unable to attend this weekend’s cleanup, 3 Tree is offering a virtual option, featuring online trivia questions and social media photo challenges that participants can access on 3 Tree’s Instagram.
Admission for “Cbus Clean Crawl” is free, and registration can be accessed on Eventbrite. Participants can purchase a T-shirt for $5 from Wild Tiger Tees, a Columbus-based screen printing shop and social enterprise, to commemorate the event upon registration.
