Earth Month

Every year April 22 is celebrated as Earth Day!

It marks the anniversary of the modern environmental movement. In spring 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, created Earth Day as a way to integrate environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Following the first Earth Day celebration, President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency. In New York City, the first Earth Day was marked by thousands who participated in various events, Fifth Avenue was closed to traffic from Union Square Park to Central Park, and 14th Street between Third and Seventh avenues was transformed in to an “ecological carnival.” Earth Day continued to be marked during the 1970s and was resurrected in 1990 and again in 2000. Today, Earth Day is celebrated by billions of people, and it is one of the largest secular observances in the world.

Past Years

2020 Events

Brooklyn College Webinars

April 23, 1–2 p.m.
Raising Chickens in Brooklyn, Food, and COVID-19
with special guest Corbin Hill Food Project

  • Hosted by the BC Sustainability Club

Off-Campus Events

April 20, 12:30–1:40 p.m.
Book Talk: Harriet A. Washington, A Terrible Thing to Waste

  • John Jay College’s Office for the Advancement of Research is pleased to host guest author Harriet A. Washington to speak about her newest book, A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind.

April 20, 6–9 p.m.
Zero Waste NYC Workshop: Deep Dive Into Food on Earth Day

  • 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! In honor of Mother Nature’s big day, we’re teaming up with our friends at Rhodora Wine Bar, an incredible zero waste restaurant in Brooklyn, and Farm to People, a farmers market delivery service. Join us and learn about Rhodora’s sustainable business practices as well as Farm to People’s operations. We’ll also get a tour of Ironbound Farm in New Jersey and a chance to chat with Lauren Nagy, one of their talented farmers.

April 22, 8:55 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Earth Day Climate Presentation Webinar

  • Hosted by Cleo Institute

April 22, 11 a.m.
Earth Day: The Trees of Prospect Park

  • Hosted by NYC Parks

April 22, noon–7 p.m.
Earth Day With GreenThumb

  • Hosted by GreenThumb

April 29, 3–4:20 p.m.
Community Engagement in the Transition to Carbon Neutrality

  • Hosted by AASHE

May 6, 3–4 p.m.
Economics for Sustainability Studies: Pathways for Economic Change

  • Hosted by AASHE

May 13, 3–4 p.m.
Staff Engagement: Embedding Sustainability Into Campus Culture and Operations

  • Hosted by AASHE

May 14, 3–4 p.m.
COVID-19 and Sustainability Discussion: Recap and Reflection

  • Hosted by AASHE

2019 Events

March 30
GreenThumb 35th Annual Grow Together Conference

8 a.m.–4 p.m.
CUNY Graduate Center
365 5th Avenue, New York, NY

NYC Parks Green Thumb will host its 35th annual conference to kick off the city’s community gardening season.

April 2
Screening of Paris to Pittsburgh

6–8 p.m.
241 Library

Join us for the screening of Paris to Pittsburgh, a new film from National Geographic, produced by RadicalMedia in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies. This documentary focuses on the incredible actions taken by individuals, communities, businesses, and local government in the United States to combat the threat of climate change. The film is narrated by Emmy and Golden Globe Award–winning actress and activist Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Watch the trailer.

April 9
Sustainability Fair

Hosted by BC Sustainability Club; co-sponsored by Pre-Dental

Noon–2 p.m.
East Quad

Come learn about energy conservation, green choices, recycling, sustainable products, renewable energy, local and sustainable food choices, habitat restoration, and more! Join nonprofit organizations, city agencies, and others that will have tables with information about environmental conservation and sustainability.

April 9
Sustainability Lectures

2:45–5:15 p.m.
241 Library

Hear from organizations participating in the fair and join in the discussions on such topics as grassroots organizing, documentary making, horseshoe crabs, and resiliency in New York City presented in TED-style talks, and in facilitated discussions.

April 9
Supporting Sustainability Locally

5:30 p.m.
Hostos Community College
450 Grand Concourse
Faculty Dining Room

Enjoy a panel discussion about the Earth Day 2019 Protect Our Species project and our local sustainability issues.

April 9–10
Eco Festival 2019

Kingsborough Community College (CUNY)
2001 Oriental Boulevard, Brooklyn

Celebrate sustainability and civic engagement by participating in lectures, workshops, faculty panels, and the film screening of Plastic Paradise.

April 11
Sustainability Talks

Presented by BC Sustainability Club

12:30–3 p.m.
4411 Ingersoll Hall

Hear from organizations that participated in the BC Sustainability Fair and join in discussions on such topics as environmental education, environmental stewardship, horseshoe crab conservation, marine science, and more!

Special Guests
  • Dr. John Tanacredi, Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Studies, Molloy College
  • Rob DiGiovanni, Founder and Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society

April 15–17
EcoCinena Cafe Marathon Film Festival

John Jay College of Criminal Justice
524 West 59th Street
New York, New York

Enjoy a three-day marathon of award-wining films that not only entertain but also build awareness and inspire dialog and action.

April 16
Mounding Fatbergs and Melting Icebergs

10:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
LaGuardia Community College (CUNY)
Room E-500, E Building
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, New York

Join representatives from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for a presentation about how to dispose of hazardous household waste, follow by LaGuardia’s faculty panel discussion on human activity and global climate change.

April 17
Recycle Your E-Waste

Noon–3:30 p.m.
LaGuardia Community College (CUNY)
E Building Atrium
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, New York

Recycle your e-waste during the college’s Earth Day celebration and learn mote about environmental activism and going green.

April 17
BMCC Sustainability Fair 2019

Noon–4 p.m.
Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY)
Richard Harris Terrance/South Lobby
199 Chambers Street
New York, New York

Enjoy hands-on sustainable activities, exhibits, food, community organizations, prizes, the screening of This Changes Everything, and much more.

April 18
ECOFest 2019

11 a.m.–4 p.m.
City Tech
Library Building
300 Jay Street
Brooklyn, New York

ECOfest is a college-wide event and Earth Day celebration. It is a forum for the campus community to share ideas about City Tech and environmental sustainability and have fun in the process.

April 22
Earth Day

April 27
Car-free Earth Day

9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Broadway, Washington Heights, all five boroughs

This annual event is held the Saturday after Earth Day. It opens 30 blocks of Broadway from Times Square to Union Square for people to explore on foot.

April 29–May 3
Hunter Goes Green Week

Hunter College (CUNY)
695 Park Avenue
New York, New York

This weeklong event engages the CUNY community in issues related to the environment. Every day will have a different theme, including food, energy, biodiversity, etc. There will be games, giveaways, and plenty more.
Anthony Bourdain.

2018 Events

April 9
refashionNYC Bin

A refashionNYC bin will be permanently installed in the Boylan Hall cafeteria. Every year, New York City residents throw away approximately 200,000 tons of clothes, towels, blankets, curtains, shoes, handbags, belts, and other textiles and apparel. refashionNYC is the city’s official clothing reuse program, in partnership with the New York City Department of Sanitation and Housing Works, to make textile donations as easy as possible through a convenient in-building service. Call extension 5400 for more information or to report a bin issue.

April 11
Farm2Campus

Brooklyn College is bringing a weekly farm share to campus, in partnership with Corbin Hill Food Project. For only $15, you can subscribe to a farm share of six to eightitems featuring fresh, healthy, locally grown vegetables and fruits. Signing up online is easy, and flexible payment options make it easy for you to cancel at any time. Be sure to sign up (make sure to select “BKC – Brooklyn College”) one week in advance to guarantee pickup for the following week. Credit cards, checks, EBT, and Health Bucks are accepted. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to access fresh, high-quality produce grown in the Northeast. Our distributions are Wednesdays, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. in the Boylan Hall Cafeteria. E-mail us for more information.

April 19
Magner Center Sustainability Careers Event

12:30–2 p.m.
Occidental Lounge, fifth floor, Student Center

Panelists include:

  • Project Lead, Infrastructure Planning (a Brooklyn College alumnus), Con Edison
  • Sustainability & Energy Liaison (a Brooklyn College alumna), Queens Public Library
  • Associate Director of Environmental Education, City Parks Foundation
  • Chief Environmental Engineer, Capital Program Management, NYC Transit
  • Sustainable Project Coordinator, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
  • Higher Education Niche Manager, Triumvirate Environmental

April 21
11th Annual National Grid Earth Day Celebration

Weeksville Heritage Center, 158 Buffalo Avenue
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts presents the 11th Annual National Grid Earth Day Celebration. Enjoy live music, arts and crafts, and street performers at this free community festival, where interactive family activities highlight the need for creating a more sustainable future and caring for the earth.

April 24
Sustainability Fair

Noon–2 p.m.
West Quad

More than 20 organizations will have tables with information about environmental conservation and sustainability. Hosted by the Geology Society, STAT (Students for a Sustainable Today and Tomorrow), the Urban Sustainability program, and the Campus Sustainability Council.

April 24
TED-style Talks and Workshops

2:15–4:15 p.m.
Penthouse, Student Center

Organizations participating in the fair will deliver lectures and facilitate discussions.

April 25
Walking Tour

10 a.m.
Front steps of Ingersoll Hall

Assistant Professor of Philosophy Michael Menser leads a tour of the Brooklyn College campus. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the college’s head landscaper as well as a local native plants gardener.

April 26
Bike Commuting 101 With Bike New York

2:15–2:15 p.m.
4428 Ingersoll Hall

April 28
NYC Student Sustainability Conference

Noon–3 p.m.
Hunter College (CUNY)
695 Park Avenue
New York, New York

This conference will help bridge communication between the undergraduate student club The Sustainability Project with other sustainability-minded faculty and students in an effort to network through discussion about past and present sustainability efforts on New York City campuses.

May 1
Bike Repair and Pump Station

12:30 p.m.
West Quad, between James Hall and the security gate

A short ribbon-cutting ceremony will open up this convenient service on campus.

May 3
Wasted! The Story of Food Waste

12:15 p.m.
Boylan Hall Cafeteria

Join Professor of Sociology Tammy Lewis for a viewing of the film Wasted! The Story of Food Waste.

Brooklyn. All in.