Earth Week Celebrations Return to the UW

The Office of Sustainability is celebrating the 48^th annual Earth Day with a dynamic week of events. And they aren’t doing it alone: several organizations on campus are working together, including the Sustainability Committee of the Associated Students of Madison, the Multicultural Student Center, F.H. King Students for Sustainable Agriculture, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc., Wisconsin Bike Fed, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Students, staff, and the general public are invited to join in on all the activities—from planting succulents, learning the art of composting, and discussing environmental justice, to riding Madison’s fantastic network of bike paths. Earth Week will commence on Monday, April 16^th and end with the Nelson Institute’s Earth Day Conference on Monday, April 23^rd, so mark your calendars! To sign up for activities, see our Facebook page here or click on the individual event pages below.

Monday, April 16

Meet the Office of Sustainability Location: Library Mall, East Campus Mall Time: 10:30am-2:30pm Meet and greet interns and staff from the Office of Sustainability! Stop by our tables to learn more about our sustainability initiatives and programs, sign up for our newsletter, and pick up some fun swag. Composting Workshop with F.H. King Location: MSC Lounge (Red Gym) Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm F.H. King’s very own Master Composters, Sam Srok and Erin Brenner, will present a full-fledged composting workshop. Here’s your chance to learn the ins and outs of composting—the process and techniques for good composting, its importance for sustainability, and what can and cannot be composted. By the end of the presentation, you’ll be prepared to compost right here on campus! Facebook event page here.

Tuesday, April 17

Earth Day Lunches Location: Gordon Avenue and Four Lakes Market Time: 11:00am-2:00pm Menu: Tortellini alfredo (ft. RP Pasta); local cheese and charcuterie plate (ft. Roth Cheese and underground Meats); white fish, asparagus, and corn mush Is Sustainability Color-Blind? Race and Class in Environmentalism Location: MSC Lounge (Red Gym) Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm Sustainability means different things to different people, and it’s not accessible to everyone. How can we make sustainability more accessible for people across the spectrum of race and class? Join the Office of Sustainability and the Multicultural Student Center in exploring how race and class affect the way we think about sustainability, as well as the campus resources that can help sustainability to become more available for all. Facebook event page here.

Wednesday, April 18

Earth Day Lunches Location: Gordon Avenue and Four Lakes Market Time: 11:00am-2:00pm Menu: Four grain salad with cilantro yogurt dressings and feta cheese; butternut squash ravioli with sweet corn cream Sustainability on a Budget Location: MSC Classroom (Red Gym) Time: 5:00pm-5:45pm Worried about the price of going green? Living an eco-friendly lifestyle can be easy and surprisingly affordable! Hear about some tips and tricks of living sustainably without breaking the bank from the Office of Sustainability interns. Facebook event page here. How to Go Zero Waste Location: MSC Classroom (Red Gym) Time: 6:00pm-6:45pm Come learn what “zero waste” is all about and how you can apply it to your everyday life. The Office of Sustainability interns offer concrete advice for this ambitious and rewarding goal. Facebook event page here.

Thursday, April 19

Earth Day Lunches Location: Gordon Avenue and Four Lakes Market Time: 11:00am-2:00pm Menu: Gourmet grilled cheese; caprese antipasto plate

Friday, April 20

ASM Clothing Swap Location: Caucus Room (Student Activity Center, 4^th floor) Time: 1:00pm-5:00pm Clean out your closets and donate your gently used clothes to swap with fellow Badgers. Go green and reuse instead of buying new! Facebook event page here. Badgers Go Biking Location: In front of the SAC, East Campus Mall Time: 2pm-4pm Bring your helmets for a group ride around the UW! We’ll learn about the campus bike paths, traffic safety, and make a stop at a coffee shop for some refreshment. Be sure to RSVP at our Facebook page, as total participants are limited to 20. See event page for details about helmets and bikes. Facebook event page here. Paint a Pot and Plant a Succulent! Location: Wheelhouse Studios – Memorial Union Time: 6:00pm-9:30pm Paint a Pot and Plant a succulent at the Wheelhouse Studios to celebrate Earth Week. This event is limited to 200 people, so make sure you RSVP at the Facebook event. Cost is $2 per person.

Saturday, April 21

Dane County Farmer’s Market Location: Capitol Square Time: 6:15am-1:45pm Grab your family, friends, and your reusable shopping bags to enjoy a Madison tradition! Support local farmers by buying cheese curds, fresh produce, apple cider, artisan cookies, and much more. Environmental Racism Film Screening & Panel Location: Student Activity Center, Caucus Room Time: 5:00pm-7:00pm Join the Office of Sustainability and Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. for a documentary screening of Slawomir Grünberg’s “Fenceline: A Company Town Divided.” The film explores the idea of environmental racism and social justice by focusing on a refinery town in Louisiana whose residents have drastically different takes on local illnesses. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring graduate students Becca Dower and Pearly Wong, as well as Ida Jammeh of the Midwest Environmental Justice Association. Facebook event page here.

 EARTH DAY: Sunday, April 22

Earth Day Volunteer Event with the Lakeshore Nature Preserve Location: UW parking lot 129 Time: 9:00 am-12:00pm Beautify the Lakeshore Nature Preserve by removing invasive plants, planting native plugs, maintaining trails, collecting trash, and cleaning fire circles. Students can meet at the UW parking lot 129 at the entrance to Picnic Point. Larger groups can contact Bryn Scriver, the Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator at bryn.scriver@wisc.edu. Facebook event page here.

Monday, April 23

Nelson Institute 12^th Annual Earth Day Conference Location: Monona Terrace Time: 9:00am-5:00pm Communities across the country and world are finding themselves faced with opportunities that require novel approaches and collaborative problem-solving, especially as they strive to develop inclusive and sustainable environments. Creativity and innovation, supported by technology and advanced via passionate grassroots engagement, are the tools that are making a difference. Leadership and vision are not tied to geography, income, race, education, or sector. People around the world, of all ages and abilities, are imagining new solutions and affecting real change. The 2018 conference, Up for the Challenge: Innovation for People, Places and the Planet, will explore challenges and solutions through local and global lenses. Register here by Thursday, April 19^th at 12:00pm.