Earth Fest, hosted by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Office of Sustainability, will be held April 21-29. The fest is for all members of the community: students, alumni, faculty and friends. Attendees can dive into groundbreaking research, dig in the dirt to pot their own plant, filter recyclables, make career connections or master sustainable techniques for home.

CALS faculty, students and locations are involved in events during the fest. You can find the full schedule on the Earth Fest website. The full schedule will be updated as new events are added.

Plants for the Apocalypse III
April 21, 2025
3:30 ­– 5:00 p.m.
D.C. Smith Greenhouse
What kind of plants would you want around for the end of the world? Plants are our partners in life and in death. They signal the coming of the apocalypse, heal us and harm us, provide nourishment through extreme experiences, or help us cope with our mental health in challenging ecological times. We will explore the entanglements of plant-human-environment relationships through the lenses of the four horsemen of the apocalypse: death, war, famine, and plague. Drop in to hear from UW-Madison community members about these multi-dimensional perspectives that can affect the health of humans and non-humans alike.

UW-Madison Cannabis Conference
April 22, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Union South, Third Floor
The UW-Madison Cannabis Conference is a dynamic, multidisciplinary event aimed at expanding awareness, fostering knowledge exchange and bridging gaps in cannabis research, education and policy. Featuring four key sessions — Health & Research, Science & Horticulture, Business & Innovation, and Policy & Regulation — the conference brings together experts, students and industry leaders. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of cannabis science, industry and regulation.

Allen Centennial Garden’s Plant Give Away, Swap, and Plant Pot Swap
April 22, 2025
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Allen Centennial Garden
Drop by Allen Centennial for a plant and pot swap. What to bring? An old plant needing a slightly bigger pot. An old plant you’d be willing to swap, share or divide. Extra old pots you have and are willing to swap. A mug or other container you’d like to turn into a pot like a bowl, or cup. The garden will have: 150 baby plant-lets; leftover pots (most will be 3 inches by 3 inches); extra soil to pot up; and a drill to put holes into repurposed containers. Holes can be drilled into glass, ceramic and plastic, but not metal.  All items available while supplies last. Each person limited to either one new plant or a one pot up.

Sustainability Research Networking Event
April 22, 2025
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Memorial Union, Tripp Commons
All UW-Madison faculty and staff are welcome to join the Sustainability Research Hub for a networking event, where researchers, faculty and sustainability staff will come together to explore critical challenges. This interactive session will foster innovative ideas and valuable collaborations, emphasizing the deep connections between RISE-EARTH, RISE-AI, and RISE-THRIVE. Through round table discussions, participants can examine how AI-driven solutions and human-centered approaches to well-being and equity intersect with environmental sustainability. Thought leaders from all three RISE areas will share insights on how technology, policy, and community engagement can drive transformative change.

Eco-Fashion: Plant-Based Dyes
April 24, 2025
11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
D.C. Smith Greenhouse
Join design studies students from Textile Design: Print and Dye I & II for an exhibition of naturally dyed textiles and a live indigo dye demonstration. Learn how various parts of dye plants — berries, flowers, leaves, bark and roots — can create a rainbow of color on fabric. Enjoy a range of colorful print and dye techniques on view, including naturally dyed silk scarves, hand-bound swatch books, indigo resists, and block printed and painted samples. Imagine exciting applications for creating color with plants (and some insects!) for sustainable, earth-friendly textile and fashion design! Everyone is welcome to participate in our indigo demonstration. Small samples of cotton for dipping and clamps for folded resists will be provided. Dress for mess.
Hosted by the Department of Design Studies — Textile and Fashion Design

Global Learning, Green Traveling: Sustainable Study Abroad
April 24, 2025
1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Virtual (Zoom)
This event highlights the importance of sustainable travel. Attendees will learn how travel impacts local communities and the environment, and how small changes can significantly reduce global footprints. We will showcase some of UW–Madison’s study abroad programs focused on sustainability and feature student testimonials on how sustainable practices enhance travel experiences and make a positive impact. Register 
Hosted by International Academic Programs

Pollinators and Sustainable Gardening
April 24, 2025
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Leopold Residence Hall
This event highlights the benefits of home gardening for both personal health and local biodiversity. Participants will learn how gardening supports ecosystems and promotes a healthier environment. As a hands-on activity, attendees will build mini bee houses to take home, designed to attract pollinators and enhance local gardens or native areas.
Hosted by the GreenHouse Learning Community

Cultivating Curiosity: A Taste of Wisconsin’s Perennial Crops
April 24, 2025
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Allen Centennial Garden
Attendees will learn about perennial food crops grown in Wisconsin for food, sustainability, and health. There will be free samples of perennial crops grown in Wisconsin to try. Crops will include hazelnuts, aronia berry, black currant, honeyberry, elderberry and/or Kernza. (Note that hazelnuts are a tree nut allergen and will be present at the event.) In case of inclement weather, the event will be held at the Babcock Hall entrance (corner of Linden and Babcock Drive).
Hosted by the Department of Food Science, Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, and Savanna Institute

Bee Hotel and Little Free Library Celebration
April 24, 2025
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Allen Centennial Garden
Stop by Allen Centennial Garden to see the newly installed solar little free library and bee hotel. Pick up some free seeds from the seed library, build your own miniature bee hotel to take home, enjoy tasty snacks and learn more about the new additions to the garden.

How Sustainable and Healthy is Our Food? Global Food Production and Health Poster Session
April 25, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
3250 Helen C. White Hall
Learn about where your bananas, coffee, rice, oats, and avocados come from, and how sustainable the farms are that produce them. Students from the Agronomy 377: Global Food Production and Health course will present posters on sustainability and health assessment of different farming systems from around the world.
Hosted by the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences

Volunteering at the Allen Centennial Garden
April 25, 2025
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Allen Centennial Garden
Join us at the Allen Centennial Garden to help get the garden ready for spring. Be prepared to work outside and get a little dirty. This event is open to UW–Madison students only. Register
Hosted by the Morgridge Center for Public Service

Civil Rights Activism and Agriculture: A Family That Kept the Land
April 29, 2025
5:00 p.m.
Discovery Building, DeLuca Forum
The scholarship on the Great Migration concentrates on those who left the south, yet millions of African American farmer families stayed. Their voices have been overlooked. One family that chose to stay in the south and live on the land as farmers is the Paris family. George H., the first Black USDA loan officer and civil rights activist taught his sons, George M. and Wendell, the power of combining agriculture and activism. They offer us a lens to understand social movement activism across the lifespan, intergenerational activism and how agriculture was used as a strategy of resistance and resilience.