Green Intern turning "Earth Day" into "Earth Month"

By John Stevenson

The Memphis Botanic Garden wants to change "Earth Day" to "Earth Month," and is doing so with the "Earth Day Every Day" event this month. The intern enlisted to help plan and coordinate the month-long celebration is University of Memphis student Cheryl Ramey, a participant in the Green Internship Program.

Ramey explains that her responsibility as an intern at Memphis Botanic Garden is to "assist with the planning and preparation of their Earth Day Every Day events in April.

“I'm involved with all aspects of planning, from contributing ideas and meeting with presenters to creating flyers and volunteering at the events," she said.

Ramey's other responsibilities include maintaining the Memphis Botanic Garden Facebook page and using computer programs to create flyers for the Earth Day Every Day events.

Ramey says that she enjoys interning at Memphis Botanic Garden.

"I work at a beautiful place with great people. I have learned more about advocacy and education of green initiatives. Memphis Botanic Gardens tries to promote ideas for sustainability that people can use in their daily lives."

Ramey says that the internship and the involved tasks and responsibilities have presented her with "opportunities one does not usually have in class."

After her internship concludes, Ramey hopes to continue working with the Memphis Botanic Garden.

Ramey is one of 28 U of M students working green internships this semester, which are funded by the University’s Green Fee. Other students are working at the Memphis Zoo, International Paper, Smith and Nephew, Shelby County Office of Sustainability, the Memphis Greenline, the Barbara K. Lipman School and Research Institute, and various departments within the U of M, including the TIGUrS Garden project and the Office of Sustainability.

For more information on obtaining a green internship through the U of M’s internship office, contact Kathy Tuberville at 678-3105 or ktbrvlle@memphis.edu.

Visit http://www.memphisbotanicgarden.com/ and http://memphisbotanic.sitewrench.com/default.aspx?p=86596&evtid=63337&date=4/1/2012 for more information on the Memphis Botanic Garden and its “Earth Day Every Day” events throughout April.