Luther College’s Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC) hosted their annual plant giveaway last Friday, September 29 from 2-5 p.m. This event has been a CSC staple for five years, and this year the CSC designed a new layout to organize the event.
In years prior, the giveaway was structured with a first-come, first-served basis, which led to big rushes of people coming all at once. However, this year, the center decided to replace the plants every hour and limit attendees to one plant each so everyone could have the chance to take a plant home. Volunteers helped to monitor tables, set out new plants and answer questions about plant identification and care.
Environmental Studies major Kaeden Fellingham (‘24), was one of several students helping organize the giveaway this year. He explained the decision-process behind changing the structure of such a popular event.
“The plant giveaway looked different this year because students and staff working in the center for sustainable communities wanted to make the event more educational, organized and sociable,” Fellingham said. “For the last five years it’s been a great way for students and staff to get to know one another.”
Several cacti, succulents, and other easy to care for plants were offered. Dozens of students lined up to pass a quick quiz about recycling in Winneshiek County before picking up their plants. Students were presented with different materials (such as a garbage bag or a tea bag) and had to determine which one could be composted, recycled, or thrown away. Special booths to paint your plant pot and a TELUS health booth were also available for students to check out.
Volunteer Riley Marble (‘25) was impressed with the new system. He thought the giveaway was “more fair” for students who wanted to take a plant home but couldn’t get to the giveaway right away.
“I thought it was a great idea to make students ‘earn’ their plants by having them answer questions about sustainability provided by the CSC,” Marble said. “When it came to putting plants out by the hour, it may have been a little more work for us volunteers, but it allowed a slower paced event versus a rush to grab plants first, as well as helped us to gage how many plants we needed to give away.”
Volunteer Kirby Masso (‘24) worked the giveaway and got to take a plant home for his efforts, a small cactus. Masso recognized the immense popularity of the event and appreciated the changes made to make the event more equitable. He also explained how he thinks the plant giveaway fits into the larger campus culture of Luther.
“The giveaway is such an important event because it’s a big part of ensuring that the student body is a part of our overall campus commitment to sustainability,” Masso said. “Most importantly, [the recycling quiz and organizational changes] ensured everyone gets a plant and that all students on campus remain knowledgeable about our recycling recommendations at the CSC.”
According to Fellingham, the most important part of the plant giveaway is that it offers a space where students could connect with other students they haven’t met before, and to share their experiences caring for plants.
“My favorite part of the giveaway is meeting new people, and hearing people talk about how they forget to water their plants!” Fellingham said.
