Celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22, by Joining in Environmentally Focused Activities

Throughout the week, the U of A hosts a diverse range of events for students, faculty, and staff to engage in environmentally conscious efforts.

Visit the full calendar of events.

On Wednesday, April 22, Earth Day will celebrate its 56th anniversary, with an estimated 192 countries and over a billion people worldwide participating. This remarkable milestone underscores the enduring dedication of the diverse Earth Day movement, which has remained steadfast in its mission to unite people for a brighter future. For five decades, Earth Day has spearheaded global efforts to raise awareness and take decisive action on pressing environmental concerns. Our unwavering commitment lies in advocating for the well-being of our planet, encompassing the health of our air, oceans, soil, ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.

"Earth Week presents an ideal platform to recognize our progress while simultaneously educating our community about the challenges that lie ahead," said Eric Boles, director of the Office for Sustainability.

Monday

Compost Food Scraps at the Union

Earth Week will kick off on Monday, April 20, with the Union Sustainability Team's lunch compost crew from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Union Food court. Volunteers will help collect food scraps to be composted. This is followed by a Union Sustainability Team dinner compost crew session from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Union Food Court.

Tuesday

Compost Food Scraps at the Union

Tuesday will be another opportunity to participate in the Union Sustainability Team dinner compost crew from 5:30-7:30 in the Union food court. Already in 2026, these events have diverted over 1,000 pounds of food waste, demonstrating the immense success in their waste diversion efforts.

Wednesday – International Earth Day

Solar Panels Ribbon Cutting

International Earth Day kicks off with a Solar Energy Ribbon Cutting hosted by the Office for Sustainability. This will be held at a recently completed solar farm in west Fayetteville on U of A Division of Agriculture land, which will be supplying all the energy needs for the Arkansas Research and Technology Park. The ribbon cutting ceremony will be from 11:00am-12:00 p.m. with remarks, light lunch and a tour of the facility. If you plan on attending, email your RSVP to sustain@uark.edu.

Sustainability Minor Program Presentations

Back on campus, a presentation of Sustainability Capstone posters, created by the Sustainability Minor program, will be on display from 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. in the Union Flag room. These posters will reflect the student's sustainability research in their chosen topic and will showcase ideas for moving towards a more sustainable world.

ASG Earth Day Hangout

Associated Student Government is hosting an Earth Day Hangout on Old Main Lawn from 1-4 p.m. There will be refreshments, games, plant give-a-ways, and bouquet making!

Compost Food Scraps at the Union

The Union Sustainability Team dinner compost crew will host their last collection for the week from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Union food court.

Denim Day Fashion Show

Lastly, the Sustainable Fashion Club is hosting its second annual Denim Day Fashion Show. The event will bring advocacy and creativity together for an evening of fashion with a purpose. This impactful runway show will feature designs from over 20 local and student designers, each using donated denim from Goodwill to create unique looks and raise awareness about sexual assault and sexual violence.

Thursday

Jalapeno Planting Event

Spice up your Thursday and join the Union Sustainability team to plant jalapenos on the rooftop garden at the Arkansas Union. All materials will be provided. Come wearing proper gardening clothes and be ready to have fun!

Compost Food Scraps at the Union

Thursday will also be the final Union Sustainability Team dinner compost crew for the week, and it will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Union food court.

Friday

Earth Week Celebration

Finish your Earth week by joining the Office for Sustainability, the Union Sustainability Team, and the ECO Coalition for an Earth Week Celebration. This event will showcase what a sustainable event looks like on campus, as well as tabling from sustainable registered student organizations and potted plant give-a-ways. This event will be held from 9a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Union Mall.

Garden Bed Preparation at Office for Sustainability

The Center for Community Engagement and the Full Circle Food Pantry are hosting a garden bed preparation workday from 2-4 p.m. at the Office for Sustainability. They will be preparing newly built beds to be planted with produce that will be grown for the Full Circle food pantry.

About the Office for Sustainability: The mission of the University of Arkansas Office for Sustainability (OFS) is to motivate, facilitate, and coordinate responsible practices through partnerships with students, faculty, and staff across all campus departments. The OFS uses the campus as a living laboratory by overseeing the implementation of the University of Arkansas environmental goals.