Each year, UVA Sustainability partners with organizations on Grounds and across the Charlottesville-area community to host Earth Day Every Day, a month-long celebration of our shared environment. Earth Day Every Day includes dozens of events and activities -- something for everyone -- including volunteer litter clean-up days, workshops, art-making, tours, career fairs, and much more. 

Below is the 2023 line-up. See you out there! 

 

All April

Green Up Your Food Game - All UVA students
Take the punch-card challenge for a just and healthy planet! Select from 30+ fun activities, earn points, win prizes – all while learning about the importance of shifting our food system to be more ecologically sustainable and socially just. Sign up today -- ends May 1.

#PlasticFree2023 - All UVA staff, students, faculty
Take the Plastic Free 2023 pledge and help UVA reduce its climate impact! The pledge is a commitment to reduce and eventually eliminate single-use plastics on Grounds and beyond. The Office for Sustainability will support you by providing ideas and resources throughout the year to help you take small, yet impactful actions to reduce your plastic waste footprint. 

Previous 2023 Earth Day events

April 1 (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) and April 2 (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

House Plant Swap at Dogwood Refillery 
Dogwood Refillery is kicking off Earth Month by hosting a house plant swap! This is a free and open hours event, come anytime to drop off or pick up any cuttings, babies or full-grown plants. 

April 2, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Corner Cleanup, Madison Hall
Join in for a Corner Cleanup, a fun way to help keep our environment healthy and beautiful. The Office for Sustainability will provide all pickers, bags and gloves. And Bodo's for all volunteers! 

April 7, 2 - 3:30 p.m.

Black Bear Compost Facility Tour (Crimora, VA)
Join us for a tour of Black Bear Compost facility to see how our food waste and yard scraps get transformed into nutrient-rich soil!

April 8, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Baby Animal Day at Bellair Barn 
We’ll have lots of baby and adult farm animals for you to visit. Kids will get to walk up to the pens but holding and touching may or may not be allowed; we will make sure all our babies stay stress-free! $10 per carload.

April 8, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Annual UVA Powwow
Join us at the UVA Amphitheater for the 4th Annual UVA Powwow. Free admission and open to the public. 

April 8, 2 - 4 p.m.

Plant to Plate at Morven Kitchen Garden
Join UVA Sustainability at Morven Kitchen Garden for a workday and cooking demonstration. We’lll be getting our hands dirty in the garden, learning about sustainable agriculture and cooking with freshly-picked produce. Please register. (600 Morven Drive)

April 11, 9 - 10 a.m.

UVA Recycling Sort Facility Tour
Join us for a tour of UVA's Recycling facility and meet our Recycling Department. See how recyclables are sorted on Grounds and get answers to your questions.

April 12, 6 p.m - 7 p.m.

UVA Sustainability Alumni Night 
Curious about a career in sustainability? Hop on this Zoom call to hear from UVA alumni working in sustainability, learn about their careers, how they landed their current position, what a career in sustainability looks like and more.

April 13, 1-2 p.m.

UVA Recycling Sort Facility Tour
Join us for a tour of UVA's Recycling facility and meet our Recycling Department. See how recyclables are sorted on Grounds and get answers to your questions.

April 14, 7 8 p.m. 

Paul Bogard: Solastalgia – in Conversation With Leah Naomi Green
Join us for a reading with author and editor Paul Bogard, who will read from his new anthology, Solastalgia: An Anthology of Emotion in a Disappearing World. A reading and conversation with author Leah Naomi Green will follow. This powerful anthology features 34 educators, journalists, poets and scientists to share their emotions in the face of an environmental crisis. (New Dominion Bookshop)

April 14, 7:30 - 9 p.m.

Sustainable Community Iftar
Come to Booker T. Washington Park for the 3rd Annual Sustainable Community Iftar, hosted by UVA organizations the Muslim Institute for Leadership and Empowerment, Environmental Justice Collective, Taste of Home and Muslims United at UVA. Food will be cooked by three local Muslim women chefs and available on a sliding scale starting at $10. Any non-Muslim attendees who would like to fast in solidarity are welcome to join!
 

April 15, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Early Spring Bird Walk (Bellair Farm)
Bellair Farm is a wonderful place to bird. Andy will lead a guided amble around the farm and point out some of our early Spring avian residents. Bring binoculars if you have them and good walking shoes; be prepared for potential mud. Tickets are $20 and can be pre-ordered or purchased at the Barn the morning of the walk.

April 15, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

EcoHacks: Reduce, Reuse, Rehack (Rice Hall)
It’s a “hackathon” for people of all backgrounds, especially first-time hackers and those underrepresented in computer science. Participants can work in teams to create innovative projects and win prizes. The submissions have to be coding-based or engineering-based. Workshops, speakers, and mini-activities throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner catered from places like Chipotle for those who sign up! 

April 15, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Beta Bridge Clean Up
Join in for UVA's annual Beta Bridge Cleanup – meet in the Westminster Presbyterian Church south parking lot and then pick up trash along the stretch of railroad tracks that run underneath Beta Bridge. All volunteers will be provided with trash grabbers, gloves, bags, and free Bodo's bagels.

April 15, 12 noon - 1 p.m

Bioblitz, Bagels and Bonsais with the SAs
Gather at the O-Hill outdoor plaza with the Sustainability Advocates and learn to use iNaturalist to foster awareness of the biodiversity of and endangered species on Grounds. Explore the O-Hill trails to identify as many species as possible. Panera bagels provided for all, and bonsai kits as prizes for the participants with the most observations, most species, most native species, and best picture. 

April 15, 1 - 3 p.m.

Hollymead Sustainability Fair
A family event for residents on how to practice sustainability in the home and neighborhood. Folks from Black Bear Composting, the Green Grannies and the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont will be on hand. Face-painting, craft-making, chair yoga, and free herbs. Location is Hollymead Swimming Pool Parking Lot.

April 16 , 7:30 p.m.

The Paramount Theater Presents: "Our Planet: Live in Concert"
The film combines breathtaking cinematography with music by Oscar-winning composer Steven Price performed by a live orchestra and featuring narration by legendary broadcaster David Attenborough.

April 17, 12 noon - 1 p.m.

PVCC Earth Day Extravaganza
Come celebrate spring and our wonderful planet at the first ever PVCC Earth Day Extravaganza!  Activities include a trivia event, interactive recycling center, and scavenger hunt. Open to students, faculty, staff and the general public. (Bolick Center)

April 18, 12 noon - 3 p.m.

Green Labs Resource Fair
The free event is hosted by UVA Green Labs to celebrate Earth Month. Sustainability offerings from lab supply vendors and key resources from the Green Labs Program. Organizations attending include Polycarbin, Eppendorf, Priorclave, Millipore Signma, LabRepCo, Cintas, ThermoFisher, Quartzy, as well as Environmental Health and Safety, UVA Recycling, and other UVA groups. Snacks, beverages and giveaway items. (Pinn Hall 2ABC)

April 19, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

A Conversation with Ira Wallace
Ira Wallace is a seed saver, an educator and the essential intellectual and physical energy behind Southern Exposure Seed Exchange—one of the country’s best known and most respected sources for heirloom and open-pollinated seeds. Food provided at this event. (Clark Hall, Room 102)

April 19 - 23

Botanical Garden of the Piedmont Spring Events
From tours, to T’ai Chi, to Floral Workshops to Nature Arts, there’s something for everyone and every age. Save your spot for reservation-only sessions. 

April 20, 10 a.m. - 12 noon

Community Service Project: Cultivate Charlottesville
Roll up your sleeves and come volunteer in the garden! Cultivate Charlottesville’s Urban Agricultural Collective invites you to help fight food injustice in our community by helping with important seasonal tasks that in turn help provide hundreds of local families experiencing food insecurity with free access to fresh produce. (848 West Street)

April 20, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

CVille Tech Treks: Apex Clean Energy 
Apex Clean Energy is an independent renewable energy company focused on bringing utility-scale generation facilities to marke. See Apex’s facilities, discuss full-time and internship opportunities, and walk through a day-in-the-life of an employee. (120 Garrett Street Suite 700)

April 20, 1– 4 p.m.

Sustainability Career Fair at the CVille Tom Tom Festival 
Interested in a career combatting climate change? Meet with potential employers at UVA's Environmental Resilience Institute to explore how various companies and organizations are engaged in this challenge – and how you can be a part of it! The event is sponsored by ERI, UVA Career Offices and the UVA Office for Sustainability, and is one of several locations of the larger Cville Tom Tom Festival Career Expo featuring over 20 organizations at several locations. Check the Tom Tom site for more info. 

April 20, 4:15 - 5 p.m.

EcoHack Winners
Join the UVA Environmental Resilience Institute to hear from the winners of the UVA Women in Computing Sciences EcoHacks Hackathon, a 10-hour event to design, build and create apps, tools and websites to positively impact our planet. The winners from each of the six categories will present their design process, ideas and ultimate solutions. Reception following. (201 W. Main Street, on the Downtown Mall)

April 21, 9 - 11 a.m.

E-Bike Demo Day
Anyone who identifies as “e-bike curious” is invited to come test ride a selection of electric bikes in celebration of Earth Month. Blue Ridge Cyclery, Blue Wheel Bicycles, Charlottesville E-Bike Lending Library, and the Piedmont Environmental Council will all be in attendance.  Coffee, bagels, and helmets will be provided. (Location: Zehmer Hall Conference Room C/D + Upper Parking Lot)

April 21, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Climate, Tech Infrastructure, and Political Influence
This Miller Center conference session examines U.S.-China relations and the role technology plays in this dynamic relationship. Panels feature scholars and practitioners with experience in government, the private sector, journalism, and academia, allowing for wide-ranging dialogue on complex issues. (The Miller Center and online)

April 21, 12 noon to 3 p.m.

Eco-Fair at the UVA Amphitheater
Celebrate our shared planet with UVA and community partners. Electric vehicle demo * Cav Man * Lawn games * Food vendors * Zero waste *  No UVA affiliation needed – any citizen of planet Earth is welcome! 

April 21, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Movement Together: Earth Conscious Dance Party
Join a special community dance in celebration of life, peace and well-being for the Earth and all beings. This event with Common Ground Healing Arts & the Cville Dance Co-Op will open with a guided group compassion practice and flow into conscious dance with earth-honoring music. (McGuffey Arts Center)

April 21 and 22, 9 a.m - 2 p.m.

Household Hazardous Waste Days 
The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority accepts hazardous substances — such as antifreeze, paints, solvents, batteries, CFLs, pesticides and more – and ensures that they are properly categorized and directed to a permitted off-site hazardous substance management location. (Ivy Materials Utilization Center)

April 22, 7:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Protecting Health in a Changing Climate
This conference will help equip people interested in health-care sustainability with the knowledge and resources to work for change to reduce our carbon footprint. The agenda is built around the action steps outlined in the Health Care Without Harm Global Road Map for Health Care Decarbonization. 

April 22, 9 a.m. - 12 noon

Earth Day at Bellair
Join the crew at Bellair Farm (5290 Bellair Farm, Charlottesville) as we celebrate Earth Day with a seed, garden supply, and clothing swap. We're also hosting local food vendors, local eco-friendly business partners, and more. Free and open to the public.

April 22, 9 a.m. - 12 noon

Earth Day Community Tabling
Local environmental organizations will be tabling at the IX Farmers Market and also on the Downtown Mall near the Paramount Theater. Take a stroll between locations and learn about urban tree canopy, ideas for making the City’s bus fleet more sustainable, walkable/bikeable city initiatives, and the clean energy transition in our community. 

April 22, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Plant Swap and Seed Library Launch
Bring a healthy (pest-free) plant or cutting to swap, take a look at Gordon Avenue’s new Tiny Seed Library and learn how to start seeds and propagate plants from Piedmont Master Gardener experts. Don't have something to swap but want to adopt a new plant? Stop by! Due to the generosity of our participants, there are usually plenty of extra plants for those without a plant to contribute. (Gordon Ave Library)

April 22, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
In support of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, UVA Health is offering a safe way for everyone to dispose of unwanted or unused prescription medications. Drop off unused medications for safe disposal. No questions asked. (Location: 1240 Lee Street, outside the Education Resource Center)

April 22, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Student Day and Beekeeping Mural at Morven 
The UVA Sustainability Lab is holding a very special “Earth Day” Morven Student Day! All UVA students are invited to explore, experience and enjoy Morven’s unique landscape. Use our indoor and outdoor spaces to study and relax. At the Morven Kitchen Garden, students can “leave their mark” by participating in a beekeeping mural. We will also be providing free snacks, coffee, and a variety of programming throughout the day. Limited transportation available.

April 22, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Nature for Everyone
Here’s an opportunity to get outside and take part in nature-themed activities, engage in citizen science, gain valuable conservation knowledge, and meet some interesting animals. There’s something for everyone – plants, bees, trees, soil, air, amphibians, reptiles and more. Location is the Greene County Visitor Center.

April 22, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Earth Day Passport Event at McIntire Plaza
Enjoy an Earth Day Passport Event and explore six local reuse and upcycling stores in Mclntire Plaza! Collect a stamp from all six stores and turn your passport in for a chance to win an Ultimate Reuse Gift Bundle valued at $300! (McIntire Plaza Shops)

April 22, 1 - 3 p.m.

Trash Pickup at Meadow Creek
Get outside with The Nature Conservancy for the 53rd celebration of Earth Day with a watershed cleanup at Meadowcreek. Trash pickers and bags will be provided. Wear comfortable clothing. (Meadow Creek off Michie Drive)

April 23, 10 a.m. - 12 noon

Garden Workday at Visible Records
Join the Common Field crew and UVA Sustainability for a garden workday and a great opportunity to learn about mutual aid and transformative justice and get involved with the Charlottesville community. Transportation can be provided for all participants. (Visible Records, Common Field Garden)

April 23, 3 - 4 p.m.

How to Get Involved in Environmental Advocacy
Learn how you can get involved and make a difference here in Virginia. Join Conservation Director, David Sligh, and Habitat Connectivity Director, Courtney Hayes of Wild Virginia for a discussion highlighting the ongoing fight against the Mountain Valley Pipeline and the challenges state agencies face as they work to maintain  water quality and wild habitat in Virginia. (LightHouse Studios).

April 25, 5-7:30 p.m.

Naturalist Wander with Hub Knott
Take a wander in the springtime woods with the founder of Living Earth School. Open to what nature presents and learn about plants, animals, landscape, survival/living off the land, ecology and more. (North Rivanna Trail, 2804 Huntington Rd)

April 26, 12 noon - 4 p.m.

Cville Market on Grounds 
Join us at the Cville Market at the UVA Amphitheater to enjoy food from local farmers and vendors!  

April 27, 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Community Climate Collaborative Open House
Every spring, C3 opens its doors and welcomes the public to its office to share their current projects and talk about anything and everything climate!  Beverage and light snacks will be served. (415 8th Street, NE, Charlottesville)

April 28, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Sustainability in Your Studio & in Your Art (2nd Street Gallery)
Startup Studio is delighted to engage artists Michelle Gagliano and Andrea Ruedy Trimble in a conversation about the importance of increasing sustainability both in your studio and in your artwork. They will discuss how to create and use more earth-friendly materials and how they reflect the importance of these values in their studios, practice and finished artwork. A hands-on art-making activity will follow. Registration required.

April 28, 7 - 8 p.m.

Nature Trail Stories
Join us for an evening with Shannon McLeod who will read from her new short story collection, Nature Trail Stories, which interrogates humans’ desperation for and struggle with connection, highlighting the power of solitude as an agent of personal alchemy. A conversation with author Katharine Schellman will follow. In-person, free and open to the public. (New Dominion Bookshop)

April 29 , 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kid*Vention at the TING Pavilion
The annual event hosted by the Virginia Discovery Museum inspires children to explore the world around them with all their senses. Investigate biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, physics, zoology and more. Free to the public with a suggested donation of $10 per family. 

April 29, three times throughout the day

Kayak Cleanup with UVA Outdoors
Join IM-REC and UVA Sustainability for a trash cleanup at Ragged Mountain Reservoir followed by a free boat ride! We’ll provide all of the equipment (boats, PFDs, and cleanup gear), just show up and bring a friend! Transportation can be provided. This event is intended for UVA students only. 
10 a.m. - 12 noon
12 noon - 2 p.m.
2 - 4 p.m.

April 29, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Bike Parade at 11:55 a.m)

Cvle Bike Fest
Gear up for the 2nd Annual Cvle Bike Fest. It will be a high-speed (thrills and chills) race with numerous spectator-friendly laps on a closed street. It’s like the Formula1 of cycling. (Preston Avenue near the Dairy Market. 

April 30, 11 a.m - 4 p.m.

Earth Month Festival
Join the team at Dogwood Refillery for a parking lot takeover! In addition to the refills and low-waste swaps that Dogwood Refillery offers, there will be eight local eco-friendly vendors joining in the celebration, from food and reusables to gifts. (190 Zan Road Charlottesville)