Lafayette celebrates Earth Month

By Madeline Marriott ’24

Photo by Matt Smith

On April 1, Lafayette College and the Office of Sustainability will kick off campus celebrations of Earth Month. The list of over 30 events will feature speakers, workshops, and service opportunities, culminating in the campus-wide celebration of EarthFest. 

The month expands on the national recognition of Earth Day, which has been observed both on campus and across the country since 1970. 

“Earth Month is an opportunity to try something new,” says Samantha Comas, outreach and engagement manager for the Office of Sustainability. “Until now, you may not have thought about the part you play in a sustainable campus, but Earth Month is a great way for the campus community to get involved and get interested in something that has an impact.”

Photo by Jasmin Lara ’28

Among the many opportunities to get involved, events include the return of favorites like the Eco Rep’s Trashion Show April 1, a documentary screening of Hearts of Glass in collaboration with the Dyer Center April 15, and the continuation of the Hanson Center for Inclusive STEM Education’s Woven Together series, which blends Indigenous culture and western science to find solutions to environmental problems. 

Opportunities for service include the yearly Karl Stirner Arts Trail cleanup and a city-wide Easton cleanup. For more events and information on the 30-plus activities throughout the month, visit the Earth Month website.

This year’s EarthFest, which features vendors, student groups, and local businesses on the Quad in a celebration for the whole community, falls on Earth Day, April 22. 

“EarthFest brings together so many different campus groups, and it’s a great way for clubs who aren’t normally tied to sustainability to get involved and see how the Earth connects to what they’re interested in,” says Ashley Cohen ’27, an outreach and engagement intern at the Office of Sustainability and lead on EarthFest planning. 

“We only have one Earth, and it’s important to see all the connections we have to it. Connecting people with nature and giving them the tools to become more sustainable will help us make it so generations after us can enjoy this beautiful Earth we have now.” Ashley Cohen ’27 | Photo by Jasmin Lara ’28

In addition to the typical food, games, vendors, and student demonstrations, this year’s event will feature a group butterfly release in a celebration of pollinators and natural biodiversity. 

“Whether or not you come to one of our Earth Month events, I encourage the campus community to deepen their learning and really consider their day-to-day actions and what you can implement in the future,” Comas says.