Celebrating Earth Month

By: Madeline Marriott ’24

April 1 kicks off Earth Month, and with it comes a month of celebrations across campus. The Office of Sustainability will be hosting numerous events in partnership with campus organizations throughout the month. 

The monthlong celebration is an extension of Earth Day, which falls on April 22 each year and has been celebrated on college campuses, including at Lafayette, since 1970. This year’s global theme is “Planet vs. Plastics” with a focus on plastic pollution and advocating for plastic reduction. With Lafayette’s goal of diverting 40% of waste from the landfill by 2030 and 60% by 2035 as outlined in our Climate Action Plan, this theme is a perfect way to bring our community together in our combined efforts to reduce waste.

Over 15 campus departments, clubs, and local partners will host dozens of events throughout the month, including community cleanups, planting events, a screening of The Lorax on the Quad, and more.

Yearly events also will make their returns to campus, such as the Trashion Show hosted by the Eco Reps Leadership Program and student favorite EarthFest.

EarthFest, an outdoor festival featuring local vendors, campus organizations, and student presentations will be held on the Quad April 18, 1-5 p.m. 

According to Samantha Smith, Office of Sustainability’s outreach and engagement manager, EarthFest is a chance for all community members to come together in the name of sustainability. 

“What excites me the most is that we’re bringing together folks who you might not traditionally think are sustainability-related, but really are,” she says. “All of us have a part to play, and no matter what our passion is, there’s a way to relate it to sustainability, whether that’s social, environmental, or economic, so these events really showcase the diversity of sustainability, activism, and education on campus.” 

The month’s programming will close with a workshop and keynote address by Clementina Martinez-Masarweh on April 30. Martinez-Masarweh’s talk, titled “Where Art, Fashion, and Activism Intersect,” will focus on her transition from the world of fast fashion to sustainable fashion and zero waste art. 

The Office of Sustainability has been focused on this intersection of art and activism too— Hazel Yang ’27, a communications intern for the office, has been involved in the design of the logo for the month’s celebrations. 

“I wanted to reflect how Earth Month is a time of celebration, so I wanted to create a lively logo,” Yang says. “I hope that the bubbly font, color gradients, and rounded shapes give the design a sense of unity while also being eye-catching.” 

Learn more about the schedule of events on the calendar.