Growth. Renewal. Investing in our future.
That's what happens every time a tree is planted – and it's also what happens when students attend St. Clair College.
To celebrate the day, Students, faculty, staff, and vendors gathered at St. Clair College's Main Windsor Campus to plant a tree, marking Earth Day 2026.
"Today's tree planting is a powerful symbol of that commitment of Saints Nation," said John Fairley, Sr. Vice President of College Communications, Advancement and External Affairs at St. Clair College. "Long after we've moved on, this tree will stand as a reminder that we were here and that we chose to make a positive difference."
"Let this stand as both a starting point and a renewed commitment to think greener, act responsibly and make choices with purpose," Fairley said. "Each of us has a role to play in building a more sustainable future."
The initiative was led by the Student Representative Council (SRC) and Saints Student Athletic Association (SSAA), in partnership with YQG Green.
"This day is celebrated across the province, but what matters is the awareness that we spread among ourselves, our college community, making sure everyone's aware of how we can impact the environment," said Pratham Singh Benipal, outgoing President of the SRC. "Any way we can promote a greener environment across the campus community – that's what matters."
Robbie Durling, the incoming President of the SSAA, says there are many benefits of promoting Earth Day principles for athletes.
"If we don't have clean air or clean drinking water, there's a lot of environmental factors that go into athletics that people don't really think about," said Durling. "So as long as we can continue to do our part and making sure that our environment is safe, we can continue to host great athletic events, not only for students, but for the community at large."
After the tree planting, eco-friendly vendors filled up the Student Life Centre and Cafeteria alcoves to promote their businesses to students.
"We're here during Earth Week with our members to promote sustainability organizations and products that are available in Windsor-Essex," said Elizabeth Elias-Hernandez, the founder of YQG Green.
"We must think of the people that are coming after us, our kids, our grandkids, and future grandkids. Because what happens is when we're gone, if we don't take care of the planet now, they're going to be suffering," she said. "We don't want to be selfish – we've got to start now."
