Earth Week

UW-Stout's Earth Week Celebration 2023
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Earth Week Events Schedule

We have some great events to celebrate Earth Week! 

April 18th // The Biggest Little Farm Film Screening & Discussion from 6:30-8:30pm

April 19th // Waste Basketball from 11am-1pm 

April 20th // Sustainability Council Tabling Event from 12-2pm

April 20th // CANCELED Earth Week Challenge Course Open House from 3-5pm 

April 20th // BDP - The Lorax from 6-8pm

April 22nd // Menomin Park Walk with GreenSense from 12-1:30pm

Earth Week in University Dining

Plant-Forward, Local, and Culturally-Inclusive Earth Week

University Dining is honoring Earth Week with a number of plant-forward eating options, local ingredients, and new culturally-inclusive flavors. Keep updated on what about what they will be offering each day via their Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Social Distance Sustainably

You can be sustainable and socially distance!

  • Plan and plant a garden to grow your own food. Use your own yard, a (socially distanced) community garden space, or try container gardening! Growing your own food is a great way to have fresh, healthy food without having to set foot in the store.
  • Go for a walk or hike! Just be sure to keep 6+ feet apart from people you meet in the outdoors.
  • DIY! Make some of your most commonly used items with sustainable ingredients like detergent or dish soap.
  • Take a virtual yoga class or work out at home. Not going to the gym or the yoga studio saves gas, which saves on carbon and money.
  • Cook your own sustainable meals. Use ingredients from local farmers, the local food co-op, or organic and fair trade ingredients. And use smaller pots/pans because they require less energy.
  • Take a bike ride on the Lake Menomin Loop (or any route that suits you)! Make sure your tires are adequately pumped before heading out.
  • Turn your living room into a movie theater. Watch a movie in the dark with some popcorn. Keeping the lights low or off saves energy. And while you’re at it, grab a blanket and turn down the thermostat a bit. You save 1% of your total heating bill for every degree you reduce your thermostat.
  • Meditate! Take some time to breathe. There are lots of apps to help you get started with meditation, including some with student discounts.
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Our Favorite Sustainability Films

Movies are great for social distancing! Check out the favorite films of UW-Stout sustainability experts and advocates.
Read List
Katie Ankowicz, UW-Stout student, displays her sustainability pledge.

What's Your Sustainability P

Share your photo on Facebook or Instagram and tag @sustainablestout! Or email us your pic and we'll share it on social.
Submit Your Photo
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Our Favorite Sustainability Books

Looking for a good read? Check out book recommendations from UW-Stout sustainability experts and advocates.
Read List

Free Energy Savings Kit for Off-Campus Students

Students living in an off-campus apartment or residence in Wisconsin can order free LED light bulbs and other items!
Gaylord Nelson

Gaylord Nelson: A Vision for the

Learn more Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day.
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How to pump up your bike tire

Hop On Your Bike

A quick lesson in bike tire maintenance from UW-Stout's Sustainability Office.
Watch Video
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Sustainable Stout on YouTube

Our YouTube Channel has some great tips and tricks for being more sustainable.
Browse Channel
Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Nelson / U.S. Senate Historical Office

Wisconsin's Proud
Earth Day Roots

This year marks the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day, an event founded by Wisconsin's own Gaylord Nelson. Nelson served as Wisconsin's 35th Governor and became nationally known as "the Conservation Governor" for his efforts to protect natural resources and waterways, create environmental jobs, and increase Wisconsin's outdoor recreation infrastructure.

In 1962, Nelson was elected to the United States Senate. Noticing an absence of environmental consciousness at the federal level, he worked for years to push for laws that protected the environment. In spite of a growing public concern about the planet, many of Nelson's arguments were not popular with his fellow lawmakers. But in the late 1960s, Nelson started to urge for a "national day for the environment" and on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was born.

Gaylord Nelson was originally from Clear Lake, Wisconsin, just 41 miles northwest of UW-Stout. Following his time in the U.S. Senate, he continued to fight for our planet. In 1995, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his work for the environment. As Wisconsinites, we are proud to call him one of our own.