Have you seen the British Petroleum ads on TV, the one where people have no idea what an ecological footprint is, let alone the size of their own?

Well, there is a calculation to estimate how much of the planet’s productive land it takes to support a person’s lifestyle. If you’re curious how big an impression your choices of food, shelter and transportation might leave on Mother Earth, the Sweet Briar College Environmental Club can help.

To celebrate Earth Day — which is April 22 — the club will host educational events on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22. Admission is free and open to the public.

Friday’s activities include informational displays on the aforementioned footprint, gardening and recycling. Tables will be set up from noon to 2 p.m. in the courtyard near Prothro Hall and from 3 to 8 p.m. in front of Memorial Chapel. Also on Friday, SBC student and faculty musicians plan to jam through the afternoon, and present a concert at 5:30 p.m.

From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday Tim Kasper will lead a tour of Sweet Briar’s Community Garden and answer questions about growing organic produce. Kasper, an environmental educator, is the garden director and a co-sponsor of SBC’s Earth Day celebration.

Although SBC faculty have long cultivated individual plots and shared community crops such as corn and hot peppers on the nearly 1-acre plot, it wasn’t until last fall that Kasper began experimenting with year-round production.

“I’ve been learning the ropes through trial and error, and picking up information by reading newsletters, magazine articles and several books,” Kasper said of his experiences as garden’s director for the past few years. The fall and winter plantings have been a pleasant surprise.

“Plain plastic hoop houses have been pretty productive for lettuce and spinach, and the broccoli and cabbage did really well in the open,” he said.

He’s been busy putting in spring plants — carrots, peas and dark green leafy vegetables such as collards. Berries and fruit trees also grow on the property, including peach, fig and apple trees, which everybody pitches in to tend. Although the produce isn’t certified organic, Kasper and his fellow community gardeners use organic pest control and fertilization methods.

Kasper initially conceived Saturday’s tour to show the SBC community what’s been growing this winter, but he welcomes anyone who’s interested in cool-season or organic gardening. He’s not planning an in-depth workshop, but it’s a good opportunity to ask questions and to network, he said.

The garden is near the old dairy, to the right of the road. For more information about SBC’s Earth Day activities, e-mail papaleo@sbc.edu or
tkasper@sbc.edu or call (434) 381-5851.