In this blog, we discuss the meaning of eco-friendly graduation sashes and ideas for sustainably celebrating your big day.
The importance of the graduation ceremony is known to everybody. Students go through immense life changes like moving out, surviving in the real world, and managing finances, while balancing out their studies. When they become responsible for themselves, their duty to protect the environment also rises. As they become aware of their carbon footprint, the students choose eco-friendly products to lessen their environmental impact. As such, they choose brands that are ethical and sustainable. For their convocation ceremonies, they prefer graduation stoles that environmentally-conscious brands manufacture.
The term eco-friendly is given to any product that has a minimal impact throughout its life. According to a survey, only 30% of people in the US recycle their water bottles. The effects are detrimental to marine life and humans, as these bottles end up in the ocean eventually. When humans consume seafood, they are ingesting the microplastics ingested by the sea creatures too. Not only water bottles but using fabrics that are non-recyclable is as harmful. Recyclable fabrics help reduce waste, release lesser amounts of CO2, use less water, and provide jobs to local artisans. Just as mentioned above, an eco-friendly graduation sash is sustainably made while keeping all these factors in mind.
If you are hearing the term for the first time, a green graduate is a student who has been a part of a program supporting sustainable practices and protecting the environment. These include activities like planting trees and providing education to people about the same. A few universities reward their students who have planted and looked after their trees with a 'Green Graduate' title. Also, by giving the students stars on their certificates to support their cause. The higher the trees you plant, you can even get the title of a 'Green Champion'. Some students even go the extra mile by participating in projects like textile recycling and using solar panels to create sustainable projects. Any initiative you partake you regarding protecting the earth is supported by the program.
Though not all universities offer the program or may have different guidelines, the common procedure goes like this. Virginia Tech University mentions that you are required to fill up a form or a survey and along with that you have to write a short essay about what steps you will take to support sustainability. The website suggests that the students will be contacted a month before graduation to receive further information. The eligibility criterion is simple for graduates and undergraduates. All the students can participate, however, only the students graduating will receive their awards in the ceremony. For applying ensure you write your essay mentioning the steps you are taking and what you will take to protect the planet.
I hope this inspired you to start living intentionally. Your role as a good citizen of the environment not only stays till you are a student but even when you start working. If your university does not offer a green graduate program, don't worry you can still showcase environmental consciousness. You can use a green-colored graduation sash and add your name, year of graduation, university name, use the environmental logo, and even a slogan that 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' will help you stand apart from your peers. There are so many options of color to choose from like hunter green, green, emerald green, lime green, and more. Now pledge as a citizen to be conscious about purchases and make the world a better place to live in.
