Earth Fest, hosted by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Office of Sustainability, will be held April 19-26. The fest is for all members of the community: students, alumni, faculty and friends. Attendees can dive into research or dig in the dirt to pot their own plant. Make career connections for the future or master sustainable techniques for your home.

A number of CALS faculty, students and locations are involved in events during the fest. You can find the full schedule on the Earth Fest website.

Spring Fest
April 21, 2024
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Eagle Heights Community Garden (The People’s Farm plots)
Check out The People’s Farm at Eagle Heights with some fun art activities, live music, and food! Drop in whenever you are able between 1 and 5 p.m. to celebrate the start of the spring planting season.

Natural Dyes – Color from Plants!
April 22, 2024
1:45 pm – 3:15 pm
D.C. Smith Greenhouse
Join students from DS 227 – Textile Design: Print & Dye for a showcase of their natural dye experiments. See how bark, leaves, and flowers can be transformed into a rainbow of color for textile and fashion design! Attendees can also join the fun with a hands-on indigo demonstration. Dress for mess!

How Good Food Goes Bad: Understanding and Preventing Food Waste
April 22, 2024
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Preventing food waste is a top environmental concern. The USDA and EPA has set a goal to cut food loss and waste in half by 2030. This interactive session will help participants understand the reasons why good food goes bad, help decode “best by” dates, and develop strategies to reduce food waste. Hosted by the Department of Food Science.

The Big Splash: Aquaponics Open House and Hydroponics Workshop
April 22, 2024    
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
D.C. Smith Greenhouse
Attend an open house from 4 to 5 p.m. and learn about the recently completed aquaponics system where fish and hydroponic plants grow symbiotically. Eat tasty food, see the system in action, talk with the students who designed it, and learn how faculty and staff using it. A workshop from 5 to 6:30 p.m. will allow attendees to build and bring home a small hydroponics system to grow food on your windowsill. Hosted by the Office of Sustainability Green Fund, Engineers for a Sustainable World, and Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences.

Rising Methane Emissions from Boreal-Arctic Wetlands
April 23, 2024    
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Virtual (Zoom)
Speaker: Min Chen, assistant professor, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
In a recent study, Chen and colleagues found an alarming increase in methane emissions from boreal wetlands over the past two decades, driven by warmer temperatures and increased productivity of wetland ecosystems. Current models used to predict methane emissions failed to capture the magnitude of these emissions and their increasing trend. This event will be held virtually via Zoom. Register to attend. Hosted by the Center for Ecology and the Environment.

Flocking Together: Evening Walk and Discussion with the BIPOC Birding Club
April 23, 2024
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Dejope Hall, Lakeshore Path, Picnic Point
Flocking Together: Evening Walk and Discussion with the BIPOC Birding Club will be hosted by the Office of Sustainability Social Sustainability Coalition in collaboration with the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin. Join us for a presentation from the BIPOC Birding Club before we head outside for a guided tour observing birds in the area. Everyone is welcome to attend this no-cost event, and snacks will be provided.

How Sustainable and Healthy is Our Food? Global Food Production and Health Poster Session
April 24, 2024
10:00 am – 12:00 pm 
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.

Supporting the Vitality of Rural Communities Through the Wisconsin Rural Partnerships Institute
April 26, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Union South or Zoom
The Wisconsin Rural Partnerships Institute (RPI) supports the state’s rural communities. Panelists will discuss the overall RPI mission and its three major components: “Wisconet” monitoring stations, the Wisconsin State Climatology Office, and community research and outreach projects with rural stakeholders. After the panel, UW students will host an open house and demonstrate some of the standard measurements used in meteorology. In-person and virutal (Zoom) options. Register for the livestream. Hosted by the Center for Climatic Research.