Earth Month 2024

Staff members participate in Campus Beautification Day
Students participate in Student Garden Day

UNC Charlotte celebrates Earth Month throughout April, leading up to Earth Day on April 22. In 2020, an entire semester, “Earth Semester,” was celebrated to honor the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. In 2024, the Office of Sustainability is excited to host more on-campus Earth Month events than ever, including the Earth Day Festival, a Film Series, a Tour Series, and the inaugural UNC Charlotte Campus Beautification Day! Click here to view the 2024 events announcement and the full list of events below.

For more information about Earth Month, or to suggest an event, email sustainability@charlotte.edu.

For past event examples, see the following announcements: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

EARTH MONTH 2024:

Earth Month Film Series

Thursday evenings in April, various locations across campus.

Join the Office of Sustainability and partners for a series of film screenings and panel discussions focused on a variety of environmental topics – including environmental justice, climate change, and public health.

The Ants and the Grasshopper, April 4th, 5-7pm, CHHS 376, featuring panelists:

  • Maria Gandy, Western NC/SC Program Coordinator, Society of St. Andrew
  • Tina Katsanos, Senior Lecturer, UNC Charlotte Dept. of Religious Studies
  • Meg Fencil, Director of Engagement & Impact, Sustain Charlotte
  • Honore Missihoun, Assistant Teaching Professor, UNC Charlotte Dept. of Africana Studies

The Smell of Money, April 18, 5-7pm, Halton Reading Room, featuring the panelists:

A series of films from WILD HOPE focused on biodiversity conservation, April 25, 5-7pm, CHHS 376. Featuring panelists:

Earth Month Tour Series

Thursdays at Noon in April, various locations across campus.

Join the Office of Sustainability and campus partners for a series of campus tours highlighting services and services on campus supporting sustainability efforts. Tour topics/locations will include:

  • Toby Creek Restoration
  • Recycling and Waste Management at UNC Charlotte
  • UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, April 25th.

Registration is free but required for each tour. Space is limited, so make sure to claim your spot today!

Earth Day Festival

Wednesday, April 3, 10am – 2pm. Belk Plaza

A celebration of Earth Month featuring on and off-campus organizations focused on environmental stewardship in the Charlotte region.

Student Garden Day

Friday, April 12, 9am – 3pm. Various campus locations (rain date April 19)

Volunteers will repair, rejuvenate, and plant the volunteer garden areas on campus. Food and refreshments will be provided to volunteers.

Undergraduate Research Conference

Friday, April 12, 8:30am – 4pm., Popp Martin Student Union.

There is a Sustainability Award for sustainability related research, and a student panel discussion at 12:30 on “Amplifying Local Voices in Climate Change Solutions”.

UNC Charlotte STEAM Expo

Sunday, April 14, Noon – 4pm, Quads near Mebane, CHHS, and SAC.

Join the UNC Charlotte Center for STEM Education for fun and interactive science learning events, including hands-on activities, science talks, lab tours, nature experiences, expos, exhibits and performances.

2024 Women + Girls Research Alliance Women’s Summit

Wednesday, April 17th, 5:30pm – 8pm, The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City

The Women’s Summit is a celebration of the strength, resilience, and achievements of women from all walks of life. It serves as a platform for meaningful discussions, insightful workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities. At this year’s summit, join the Women + Girls Research Alliance to delve into the critical issues facing women today, exploring avenues for progress and empowerment.

Campus Beautification Day

Wednesday, April 17, 9am – 2pm, Northeast Recreation Fields

A new event at UNC Charlotte, hosted by the Office of Sustainability, Facilities Management Grounds Department, and University Recreation. Volunteers needed for planting, litter collection, and other beautification projects for this campus gateway.

Swipe Out Hunger

Monday, April 22 – Friday, April 26 10am – 2pm, SoVi and Social 704 dining halls

Swipe Out Hunger is a nation-wide program that partners with colleges to help put an end to student hunger and assist those who struggle with food insecurity. Donate your meal swipes at tables outside of SoVi and Social 704 to fight hunger on campus.

Party for the Planet

Monday, April 22, 5pm – 7:30pm, Belk Plaza.

A celebration for the planet! Join student organizations for an evening of fun and various activities centered around environmental sustainability, social and cultural diversity, and health and wellness.

Stop Food Waste Day

Wednesday, April 24, 11am – 2:30pm

Stop Food Waste Day is an annual global awareness day. To celebrate, SoVi will have station take-overs featuring creative menu items that highlight reducing food waste.

Wear, Care, Repair: A Clothes Mending Workshop

Wednesday, April 24, 1pm – 3pm, Atkins Library Makerspace – Area 49.

Hosted in partnership with Area 49 Makerspace and the Office of Sustainability, drop by to repair and repurpose your old clothes. Sewing machines, hand sewing materials, buttons, patches, and basic instructions will be provided to help you give new life to your old clothes.

Center for Applied GIScience Seminar Series: The Effectiveness of “Greening”

Thursday, April 25, 2:30pm – 3:30pm, McEniry 116

The Center for Applied GISCience (CAGIS) will host Landscape Ecologist Dr. Li An from Auburn University who will discuss his research on the effectiveness of “Green Initiatives” – governmental or NGO programs designed to conserve the environment or reduce pollutants – and his team’s recent study that highlights the potential for greater environmental progress if initiatives are designed to work together.

Sustainability Scavenger Hunt

Friday, April 26, 9am – 12:30pm, Student Gardens and campus-wide.

Compete with fellow students to find the most sustainability-related items around campus! Participants will receive the item list at 9am on 4/26, and will have until 12:30pm to find as many items as possible. Participants should plan to meet for judging a the Student Gardens (behind Storrs and Robinson). Pizza will be provided to all participants, and the winner will win a prize!

OFF CAMPUS 2024 EARTH MONTH Events:

2024 Virtual Carolina Advocates for Climate, Health, and Equity (CACHE) Symposium: Embracing Health and Equity – Educating Ourselves, Our Patients, and Our Communities

Fri. April 12, 12:30 – 4:15, Virtual

Hosted by CACHE and Southern Regional Area Health Education Center (AHEC), this free virtual symposium will convene a community of invested health care workers and allies to examine the relationship between climate change, health, and equity.

Belmont Pollinator Garden Beautification Day

Fri. April 12, 9am – 12pm, 700 Parkwood Ave Charlotte, NC 28205

Join City of Charlotte Landscape Management & Keep Charlotte Beautiful to clean up and plant native perennials and wildflowers in the City of Charlotte’s urban pollinator habitat.

Charlotte Earth Day 2024

Sat. April 20, Noon – 4pm, Charlotte Museum of History

Hosted by CleanAIRE NC, Charlotte Earth Day 2024 will bring together communities for a family-friendly celebration of our environment and the local groups that work to improve it.

Treetops & Tombstones: Charlotte’s Super Natural Arboretum

Sat. April 27, 1pm – 3pm (rain date April 28), Elmwood Cemetery, 264 North Cedar Street, Charlotte, NC 28202

Join City of Charlotte arborists and the cemeteries manager for a walking tour of Elmwood Cemetery, a Charlotte center-city gem and a certified arboretum, for tips on how to identify trees and a discussion the City of Charlotte’s meticulous stewardship of its iconic tree canopy.

TreeFest

Sat. April 27, 1pm – 5pm, location TBD

Hosted by TreesCharlotte, TreeFest is a free, family-fun tree celebration that includes tree friendly arts and crafts, live music, and food truck. TreesCharlotte will give away at least 300 seedlings and offer their seedling potting station for anyone who would like their tree potted for them.