This year's Earth Day theme is "Our Power, Our Planet." There are loads of ways to get involved on and around campus this April.
Check out the schedule below! It will be updated as the month progresses.
Have an event to share? Email us.
All Month
Survey: Help Shape a Zero Waste Campus at UMN!
Survey: What Could a UMN Climate School Be?
Tuesday, April 1st - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025
Campus Conservation Challenge - Organized by the UMN Office of Sustainability, compete between residential halls from April 1 - April 22, 2025 (Earth Day) to win a trophy for your hall, as well as INDIVIDUAL PRIZE PACKS with UMN merch, tech gadgets and school supplies for 10 lucky participants!
Thursday, April 3rd, 2025
10:00-11:00am: Sustainability & Art - Bird Strike Mitigation with Christine Baeumler, Erin Jordahl, and Jolie Schrage. This session will explore a new art installation that aims to prevent bird strikes on campus! Each year, one billion birds in the US die when they collide with glass windows and doors. These collisions occur because birds have trouble perceiving glass as a solid object and often fly into it when habitat or sky is either reflected or is visible through glass on the other side. Join us to explore creative potential solutions to decreasing bird strikes on campus. Learn more about our bird safety initiatives on campus.
Friday, April 4th, 2025
9–10:30 pm: April Star Party at the Bell Museum for FREE! Outside, they'll have telescopes set up to observe deep space objects (weather permitting). Inside, you can explore hands-on activities, and travel through the night sky in our planetarium.
Sunday, April 6th, 2025
3-6:00pm: Movies Made (right) Here: Little Big League at Nicollet Island Pavilion, 40 Power Street, Minneapolis. Free entry and free parking for all ages!
Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
11:00am-5:00pm: Nutritious U free pantry at Coffman Memorial Union (Room 103A)
Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
11:00am-5:00pm: Nutritious U free pantry at Coffman Memorial Union (Room 103A)
6:30pm-8:00pm: Pop-Up Dance Party at Bryant Square Park
Friday, April 11th, 2025
11:00am-4:30pm: Sustainability Symposium (hybrid), cohosted by UMC Center for Sustainability, UMD Office of Sustainability, UMM Office of Sustainability, UMR Raptor Trails, UMTC Office of Sustainability, and the Institute on the Environment.
5:30pm-9:00pm: Wall-E; A Clean and Green Movie Night at Longfellow Park. Address: 3435 36th Ave South Minneapolis MN 55406. $5 resident/ $10 non-resident.
Saturday, April 12th, 2025
8-10:00am: Sensory Friendly Saturday at the Bell Museum. Experience their Minnesota Journey gallery, temporary exhibits, the Touch & See Lab, and a brief planetarium show—all with lowered lighting, quieter sounds, and fewer visitors.
Sunday, April 13th, 2025
3:00pm-6:00pm: Dancing in the Pavilion: Salsa with Erika Cianciaruso at Nicollet Island Pavilion. Address: Nicollet Island Park 40 Power St Minneapolis MN 55401.
Monday, April 14th, 2025
3:00pm-7:30pm: Spring Garden Seed Giveaway at Elliot Park. Stop in the building at Elliot park for some free seeds to start your garden! We'll have a variety of vegetables and flowers available. There is a limit of 10 packets per person, and we'll give away until they're gone. Free for all ages!
Tuesday, April 15th, 2025
6-8:00pm: Bell Museum Petri Dish – Extinction: How did we end up in a world with only a single human species?
Explore issues surrounding treatments and research of rare disorders with a panel of University of Minnesota experts in the field.
Wednesday, April 16th, 2025
12:00pm: Webinar: Science, emotions, and climate action: Project Drawdown is hosting a webinar on the emotional toll of climate change and how taking care of your mental health is essential for moving from apathy to action. Attendees will hear the latest from experts on climate science, health, and education, including Kate Marvel, Ph.D., Larissa Dooley, Ph.D., and Project Drawdown Managing Director Elizabeth Bagley, Ph.D. Register now to attend live or be notified when a recording is available.
5:30-7:00pm Environmental Policy & Advocacy Workshop: Building a Greener Future, hosted at the St. Paul Student Center by Undergraduate Student Engagement's Government and Legislative Affairs Team. This engaging event is designed to educate and inspire students as we explore advocating for environmental policy and its effective outcomes. The event will include a local lobbyist, a student panel on environmental policy, and fun hands-on activities. Register
Thursday, April 17th, 2025
11:00am-5:00pm: Nutritious U free pantry at St. Paul Student Center (Harvest Room)
5:00-7:00pm: Earth Month Sustainability Research & Technology Student Forum in the UMN RecWell Beacon Room. Join us for an Earth Month conversation and panel discussion hosted by the Undergraduate Student Government and the UMN Office of Sustainability! Hear from local professionals in the fields of sustainability, climate, and clean energy including UMN alumni. The event is open to all UMN students. Food provided! Network with professionals and peers, connect with sustainability focused student groups, learn about career opportunities, and explore USG sustainability opportunities. REGISTER | Poster
Panelists:
- Shane Stennes (UMN Chief Sustainability Officer)
- Nina Axelson (Founder & President, Grid Catalyst; UMN alum)
- Dr. Annabel Watts (Managing Director, NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers, UMN)
- Zahra Lliff (CEO of Vessyll; UMN alum)
- Andrew Jones (CEO & Co-Founder, Carba)
7:00-8:30pm: Community Sing-A-Long at Loring Park. Address: Loring Park 1382 Willow St Minneapolis MN 55403
Friday, April 18th, 2025
2:30pm: Grab tickets for a limited, special showing of Secrets from a Forest. The Bell Museum is excited to share Secrets from a Forest, the original planetarium production, has received the Best Feature Film at the 2025 Best of Earth Fulldome Film Awards. The show invites audiences to experience the connection between sound and nature as they travel through the Paneveggio Forest, home to the “singing” spruce and source of wood for the Stradivarius Violin.
Saturday, April 19th, 2025
9:30am-12:00pm: Earth Day Cleanup at various sites in Minneapolis. The Earth Day Clean-Up has become the largest community service project in Minneapolis and takes place at more than 40 clean-up sites throughout the city. Since 2008, more than 23,000 residents have removed more than 165,000 pounds of garbage from parks and waterways. Learn more here!
Monday, April 21st, 2025
5:00-6:00pm: Earth Day Fest 2025, hosted on Zoom by the UMN Center for Climate Literacy (Register)
6:00-7:00pm: Earth Day Walk Along the Mississippi River with UMN ESA
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025
11:00am-5:00pm: Nutritious U free pantry at Coffman Memorial Union (Room 103A)
4:00-7:00pm: Environmental Student Association & UMN Outdoors Club: Trash pickup, clothing swap, outdoor games, snacks, and more at East River Flats. More info
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025
11:00am-5:00pm: Nutritious U free pantry at Coffman Memorial Union (Room 103A)
12:00-3:00pm: UMN Arbor Day 2025 at The Lawn, St. Paul Campus. A hands-on tree planting event in one of the largest green spaces on the St. Paul campus! UMN Landcare, UFOR Lab, the Forestry Club, Tree Ascension Group (TAG), and the Science and Engineering Student Board will team up to plant trees and demonstrate best practices. Students from Urban Forest Management (FNRM 4501/5501) will lead a "bioblitz" to collect tree data for UMN Landcare’s inventory, and TAG will host tree climbing opportunities open to all. Come watch, help plant, or give climbing a try!
Thursday, April 24th, 2025
5:30pm-7:30pm: Spring Family Night at Harrison Park. Come as a family to enjoy spring activities together at the rec center! Play kickball, enjoy double dutch, decorate a cookie, paint rocks and more! Fun for the whole family!
Friday, April 25th, 2025
4:00pm-8:00pm: Arbor Day event at Kenny Park! Celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree or participating in tree-related activities! More information here!
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
All day: Free entrance to all Minnesota state parks! One of the four days each year that all Minnesota state parks and state recreation areas offer free admission to everyone - no vehicle permits needed.
10:00am–2:00pm Bell Museum New exhibit: Imagine the Future Opening celebration.
Save the date for the opening day celebration of our redesigned Imagine the Future gallery. The new exhibition invites visitors to learn about climate change in Minnesota and find hope—and inspiration—in the ways people are taking action to foster a better tomorrow.
10:00am–2:00pm Arbor Day at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Rain or shine!
- 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tree Discovery Zone | Great Hall
- 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Art in the Arboretum | Reedy Gallery
- 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Herb Society Pop-up
- 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Scavenger Hunt for All Ages | Info Desk
- 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tree Giveaways | Dahlberg Welcoming Terrace (Weather Backup: Great Hall)
- 10:30-11 a.m. StoryTime | Andersen Horticultural Library
- 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guided Tree Walks | Dahlberg Terrace
- 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Arbor Day Indoor Picnic | Rootstock
Sunday, April 27th, 2025
10:00am-4:00pm: Nicollet Island Spring Market at Nicollet Island Pavilion. Discover 50 local vendors offering handcrafted goods, artisan foods, and one-of-a-kind treasures perfect for springtime.
4:00pm: Annual Stormwater Cleanup with Campus Cleanup Crew
The Office of Sustainability and Parking and Transportation Services launched our new hybrid electric buses with fall festivities! You will see three of the hybrid electric buses around campus currently, with five more coming this winter. We are always working to lower emissions as part of our Climate Action Plan. 🔋🔌 These buses are about three to four times more efficient overall than the standard campus buses. They use EV mode in more congested areas on campus and they recharge with regenerative braking between Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses and in less congested areas. Take a ride to see for yourself! 🚌 Read more
Two Spring Break study abroad programs are now open for students interested in sustainability and global health. Spend March 6–15, 2026 exploring Green Chemistry in Guatemala or The Intersection of Health and the Environment in Ecuador. Both programs connect to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and include an on-campus course. Apply by December 1, 2025, with a $1,000 fee reduction for the first 10 confirmed students per program. Learn more
We’re hiring a Student Sustainability Communications Assistant! Open to undergrads passionate about sustainability, social media, writing, and graphic design. Help advance campus sustainability and engagement through communications! 👉 Apply: Search Job ID: 370820 in the Student Job section.
The Office of Sustainability is rethinking how we engage our campus—and we need your perspective. Spend 2 minutes on this quick survey to help us create impactful events and programs that reflect what you care about. Take the survey.
Join us on Wednesday, November 5 for the official launch of our new hybrid electric campus buses! Stop by on Church St. outside Morrill Hall from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. for games, prizes, and cider. Take a guided tour of one of the new buses and learn about University of Minnesota sustainability initiatives, the Climate Action Plan, and campus bus routes. See you there! 🍁🎉🔋🔌🚌 Add to calendar
For the first time, the University of Minnesota's Huntington Bank Stadium achieved zero waste–recovering an incredible 90% of waste (46,000 pounds) generated during the Farm Aid 40 concert. Learn about Gopher Athletics sustainability efforts
Join us for conversations on campus sustainability and climate action! This fall, we’ll explore two timely topics:
- Electrifying our Fleet – Wed, Oct 15 · 10–11am
Hear from UMN experts about recent progress and future plans for electrifying campus vehicles. - Net Zero Buildings – Tue, Nov 11 · 9–10am
Learn from UMN leaders and Darcy Solutions about designing and building net zero facilities, including the new Collections Facility powered by solar and a geothermal Darcy Well.
Free and open to the public on Zoom. More info
Is your lab interested in participating in the next cohort of the Green Labs Certification Program? Want to learn more about the program? Curious about how to operate your lab more sustainably? Join the informal, one hour info session on Zoom! Reach out to Carley Rice, Sustainability Coordinator, with any questions.
Zoom Info Session: Wednesday 9/17/25, 12:00-1:00pm
Students, staff, and faculty: Share how you are experiencing the UMN campus in the face of climate change. We are looking for focus group participants to interview to understand what hardships you may be facing due to environmental changes.
Email [email protected] with questions.
New online training is available for staff, faculty, instructors, and student employees! Whether you're new to sustainability or already an everyday sustainability hero on campus, you can learn how to contribute to the University's systemwide sustainability goals for the future in under 30 minutes. Be part of the U's community working to build a sustainable future together!