Events
Events with a sustainability focus occur year-round. If you have an event idea or wish to collaborate, please email sustainability@charlotte.edu. The most concentrated and coordinated periods are celebrations of Campus Sustainability Month (October) and Earth Month (April).
All upcoming events hosted by the Office of Sustainability are also listed on our Niner Engage page. View additional off-campus community events and opportunities on the Community Opportunities page.
Need a reminder? Subscribe to the Sustainability Events Google Calendar here to see all upcoming events hosted by the Office of Sustainability all in one place, updated in real time.
upcoming
Zero Waste Crew Sorting Days
Dates: Saturday, October 31; Sunday, November 15; Sunday, November, 29; all 9am – 1pm
Location: Jerry Richardson Stadium between Gates 3 and 4, Mac Everett Way N, Charlotte, NC
Jerry Richardson Football Stadium operates as a zero-waste facility, which means as much waste as possible from the stadium is diverted from the landfill. As a Zero Waste volunteer, you will work with university staff to sort trash items the day after the game into compost, recycling, and trash. This opportunity is open to all UNC Charlotte students, staff, and faculty. Registration is required, and spots fill up quickly! Please click on the corresponding sign up form for the date you would like to volunteer below.
October is campus sustainability month!
Transportation Fair
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 10am – 2pm (rain date October 21)
Location: Cauble Quad
Join Parking and Transportation Services (PaTS) and the Office of Sustainability for the annual Transportation Fair! This event will feature community organizations and campus groups showcasing their work in providing transportation services, alternative transportation options, and research at UNC Charlotte and in the Charlotte region.
Student Sustainability Summit
Date: Saturday, October 17, 1pm – 4:30pm
Location: Cone 210
Join the Student Government Association, CGI, and the Office of Sustainability for the biannual Student Sustainability Summit! This semester, we’re diving deep into sustainable careers. Connect with campus and community sustainability leaders, and get insider advice from the UNC Charlotte Career Center. Whether you’re looking for networking opportunities or long-term career development, this summit is your launchpad.
Reuse Rodeo: Clothing Swap
Dates: Tuesday, October 20 and Wednesday, October 21, 10am – 2pm
Location: Belk Plaza
Saddle up for the Reuse Rodeo, a campus event series dedicated to sustainable sharing and refreshing your stash without spending a dime! Bring items you no longer need and trade them for new-to-you treasures. Clean out your closet, clear your bookshelf, and drop by to give great items a second life!
Campus Beautification Day
Date: Thursday, October 22, 9am – 2pm (rain date October 29)
Location: Snyder Deck Silver Line Bus Stop, 9100 Robert D. Snyder Rd, Charlotte, NC
Join the Office of Sustainability and Grounds staff for a day beautifying a piece of campus! Volunteers will clean up litter and plant trees in a designated area on campus. Equipment provided; registration required!
Reuse Rodeo: Book Swap
Dates: Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28, 10am – 2pm
Location: Belk Plaza
Saddle up for the Reuse Rodeo, a campus event series dedicated to sustainable sharing and refreshing your stash without spending a dime! Bring items you no longer need and trade them for new-to-you treasures. Clean out your closet, clear your bookshelf, and drop by to give great items a second life!
Click the link below for more details about dropping off your used books!
Holiday Remix Demo Kitchen
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 12pm – 1pm
Location: UREC Demo Kitchen
Prepare now for new ways to eat holiday leftovers! Learn the basics of turkey soup and a fresh idea with turkey tacos. Think corn tortillas, shredded turkey, crisped-up stuffing, and mole sauce.
Limited to 15 people. Registration opens 72 hours before event.
TEDxUNC Charlotte 2027: The Difference Is…
Date: Saturday, February 20
Location: McKnight Hall, Cone Center
This year’s theme is uniquely grounded in our home institution: “The Difference Is…”
This theme is both an acknowledgment and a celebration. It is an acknowledgment that the ideas the speakers bring to the TEDx stage are actively making a difference, reshaping our understanding, challenging our assumptions, and providing innovative solutions in the Charlotte community and far beyond. It is a celebration of the unique “Charlotte perspective” that drives exploration and community impact.
Off Campus Events
Many groups in the Charlotte region host events and programs throughout the year that are open to anyone interested in getting more involved with sustainability in the community. Community events scheduled for Summer 2026 are listed below. If you are interested in more events and opportunities hosted by community groups, visit the Community Opportunities page.
Biketoberfest 2026
Date: Sunday, October 11, 11am – 6pm
Location: Triple C Brewing Co., 2900 Griffith St, Charlotte, NC 28203
Biketoberfest is Sustain Charlotte’s signature event—and your chance to explore the city on an epic, family-friendly scavenger hunt!
Now in its 12th year, this fun, family-friendly event invites hundreds of people to experience the joy of navigating Charlotte by bike or on foot. Through a lively, scavenger-hunt-style adventure, participants explore the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, greenways, and small businesses — discovering just how fun and empowering it can be to get around without a car.
Leave Your Leaves Education Workshop
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: 701 Tuckaseegee Rd., Charlotte, NC
Join the City of Charlotte Landscape Management team for a fun, informative workshop on easy fall yard care that helps pollinators and other wildlife thrive. Learn how rethinking fall cleanup helps to create winter shelter for insects, leaves seed heads for birds, and offers nesting spots in stems for solitary bees. Learn how “leaving your leaves” can boost soil and plant health while giving moths, butterflies, and other wildlife a cozy place to overwinter. Open to all Charlotte residents who want to make their yards more wildlife-friendly!
Halloween Park, Street and Stream Cleanup
Date: Saturday, October 31, 10am – 12pm
Location: 715 Charlottetowne Avenue, Charlotte, NC , 28204
Pollution is Scary! Kickstart your Halloween festivities by volunteering to keep our streets and streams clean! This is a joint cleanup effort where volunteers will tackle litter pickup on the surrounding greenways, streets and in Little Sugar Creek. Anyone who comes in costume will win a small gift! Volunteers will be cleaning up Little Sugar Creek at Metropolitan. Please register by October 30th, 2026.
Pollinator Pitstop Garden Fall Workday
Date: Saturday, November 14, 9am – 12pm
Location: Veterans Park, 2136 Central Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205
Central Carolinas Master Naturalists and the North Carolina Wildlife Stewards Charlotte Chapter return to lead another volunteer workday at the Veteran’s Park Pollinator Pitstop, located just down from the Carolina Panthers Fitness Court. Volunteers will install new plants and continue removing weeds from the pollinator garden! Please bring your favorite pair of gardening gloves and, if you have one, your favorite weeding tool – some tools may be available.
Creek ReLeaf Program
Date: Saturday, November 21, 9am – 12pm
Location: Long Creek Greenway, 7824 Trotter Rd., Charlotte, NC
The Creek ReLeaf Program is a collaborative effort of the Charlotte Public Tree Fund, Charlotte Mecklenburg Storm Water Services, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, and dedicated volunteers to plant trees in riparian areas (floodplain and stream buffers) of Mecklenburg County.
CleanAIRE Academy
The CleanAIRE Academy offers specialized online courses for community leaders, professionals, students, and everyday individuals. Gain actionable insights and the tools to make a real impact, regardless of your background. Current courses include Air Quality 101 and Advocacy in Action, and upcoming classes in 2026 include Air Pollution & Your Health, Environmental Justice, AirKeeper Dashboard, and Community Science & Air Monitoring.