Events

Events

Sustainability events are happening year-round at UofL! Don't miss out!

All UofL Sustainability events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. What did I miss?! Check out our Past Events log.

Date	Event
May 15 - Aug. 8, 2026	Summer Garden Gatherings 2026 Fridays, 7pm at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W. Bloom St., behind Bettie Johnson Hall) Saturdays, 2pm at the Garden Commons (northeast of the Baptist Center) UofL’s organic campus gardens are great places to relax, reconnect, learn, and savor the sweet taste of sustainability! Students, faculty, staff, and the public are all welcome to come experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers. Stop by anytime to sample the goodness and help us keep things watered and weeded. We will gather weekly at both of our campus food gardens throughout the summer to harvest, weed, water & plant. Tools and gloves provided, but bring bags to harvest into! Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
May 1-31, 2026	Bike Month Challenge *May 1st – 31st, 2026* May is perfect for pedaling! Saddle up and ride for Team UofL in the Bike Month Challenge! Bike Month 2026 is a fun, free, and friendly challenge that’s open to riders of all levels. Whether you’re just getting back on a bike or you’re an avid commuter, everyone is invited! Reap the rewards of a healthy lifestyle, show your support for sustainable transportation, and help improve cycling in our community. Register for the Bike Month Challenge as an individual and join Team UofL on Strava to log your rides and encourage/compete against your peers. One top rider on Team UofL who is a current UofL student or employee will win a $50 shopping spree from our local sponsor, Middle of Town Cycling! This is not merely a mileage competition. The winner will be the rider who performs the best in terms of number of days ridden, number of bike trips, number bike commutes, and miles ridden for fun, fitness and transportation. So get out there and discover new ways to ride! Simply log your trips by bicycle for fun, fitness, or transportation. Check out our online resources for UofL Bicyclists - with handy maps, videos, and tips for getting around town care-free and car-free! Get Healthy Now monthly premium incentive program participants can earn 200 points toward their 2027 $40 GHN monthly incentive for participating in the Bike Month Challenge! In order to be eligible, simply complete this short form.
Every Sunday	UofL Community Composting Volunteer Days Every Sunday, Noon-2pm (Add to your Calendar) 251 E. Bloom St. (block north of Cardinal Blvd. between Brook & Floyd Streets, map) Come help us turn “trash” into treasure as we manage UofL’s volunteer-powered community composting operation. Dress to get dirty. Tools provided. Learn about worm composting and becoming a UofL EcoRep! All participants are welcome to haul home some rich UofL compost for gardening projects in your own containers/vehicle. This is a weekly service opportunity throughout the year. Contact: Brian Barnes, 502-338-1338.
June 3, 2026	S.M.A.R.T. SummerFest 2026 Wednesday, June 3rd, 11:30am to 1:00pm, HSC Courtyard Stop by the UofL Sustainability Council / HSC Green Team's booth at the 5th annual S.M.A.R.T. (School of Medicine Advancement, Retention, and Training) SummerFest and earn your way toward a free ice cream cone! SummerFest is designed to be an engaging and informative experience for School of Medicine staff and everyone at HSC is welcome! In addition to a resource fair, attendees can enjoy music, a dessert social, door prize giveaways, and interactive activities. It's a fantastic opportunity for networking, learning, and community-building!
June 3 - July 23, 2026	The Exchange: Data Centers 101 This summer, the Green Heart Project and the Superfund Research Center at UofL’s Envirome Institute will kick off a new initiative – The Exchange: Data Centers 101. Through 6 virtual webinars (June 3 - July 8), The Exchange will examine data center impacts in areas such as health and the environment. Then, on July 23, a culminating session will feature a film screening, followed by a panel discussion. Community interest in understanding more about the potential impacts of data centers led to the focus on this topic. All sessions take place at 12:00 pm ET. Registration required here. Sessions include: • June 3: What is a Data Center? Speaker: Mohana Gutta of the University of Louisville Speed School of Engineering will lead the discussion. She will define the modern data center and demystify the infrastructure that powers artificial intelligence. • June 10: Data Centers and Health. Speaker: LaTricea Adams, founder of Young, Gifted & Green, will lead a discussion on the health impacts of data centers. She will identify the health impacts of rapid data center development and expansion. • June 17: Data Centers and the Community. Speaker: Abre’ Connor, director of the Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP, will lead the Data Centers and the Community Session. She will analyze the effects data centers have on surrounding communities. • June 24: The Economics of Data Centers. Speaker: Dr. Michael Cork, environmental health scientist at Harvard University and founder of EmPower Analytics Group, will lead the Economics of Data Centers session. He will evaluate the economic impacts of data center development. • July 1: Data Centers and the Environment. Speakers: Dr. Mathy Stanislaus is the Vice Provost and Executive Director of The Environmental Collaboratory at Drexel University; Naghmeh Ghalamsiah is a PhD Student at Drexel University. They will lead a discussion on the environmental impacts of data centers. • July 8: Data Centers and Policy. The final virtual session will focus on Data Centers and Policy. Dr. Adrienne Hollis, Vice President of Environmental Justice, Health, and Community Resilience and Revitalization for the National Wildlife Foundation, will lead a discussion about policy and legislative considerations surrounding data centers. • July 23: Film Screening and Panel. In person event (details forthcoming) Registration required here.
June 4 - Sept. 24, 2026	Gray Street Farmers Market *Thursdays, June 4th – Sept 24th, 2026*, 10:30am‒1:30pm NEW LOCATION FOR 2026: LOUMED Commons (316 E Chestnut St) With many unique local vendors and food trucks, you'll find the finest in farm-fresh products, including locally grown produce, honey, jams, pickles, granola, baked goods, desserts, crafts, grab-and-go lunch items, and more. Cash, debit cards, SNAP benefits, and Senior Vouchers accepted! Open rain or shine, lunch-time on Thursdays, June - September. The market is operated by UofL's School of Public Health and Information Sciences in partnership with Catholic Charities’ Common Earth Gardens. The market is designed to increase access to fresh healthy food and offers several programs: SNAP Double Dollars -- This program makes healthy food more affordable for individuals who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Using SNAP Double Dollars is simple. Customers visit the GSFM information booth, decide how much they want to spend, and swipe their SNAP cards. The market then matches this amount and gives them wooden tokens to spend directly with GSFM vendors. We match spending by the SNAP customer up to $20 per week. Customers can use the tokens to purchase any food for the household, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, breads, canned foods, and more. >> On the first Thursday of each month, the GSFM will TRIPLE SNAP Dollars. FreshRx -- The GSFM offers the FreshRx program in partnership with the Community Farm Alliance. The program serves expectant moms who receive Medicaid. After signing up, FreshRx participants get $26 in tokens each week to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from GSFM vendors. Passport to Produce -- Qualified Medicaid recipients can receive complimentary fresh food and produce directly at the market. Inquire at the info booth or email Mateo Barnett at mbarnett@archlou.org. Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SrFMNP) -- Seniors (60+) who qualify are provided with $50 loaded onto a debit card to purchase fresh, unprocessed, locally grown fruits, honey, vegetables and herbs at approved farmers markets. Individuals can sign up for these benefits at Louisville's Neighborhood Places, the L&N Building on Broadway, and at the Nulu/Phoenix Hill Farmers Market. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture serves as the lead agency for SrFMNP. The GSFM also has double dollar vouchers for the SrFMNP. Ride Smart, Get Rewarded** -- Earn $2 in weekly Market Tokens for Biking or Riding TARC to the market. More info: GSFM website; contact Market Manager, Amir Hussein, amhussein@archlou.org, (502) 910-0675; or follow on Facebook.
June 11, 2026	Food & Science Forum Thursday, June 11th, 4-7:30pm, Bates Memorial Baptist Church (620 Lampton St.) During Food & Science, a health forum hosted by UofL’s Envirome Institute, we will celebrate community heroes and hear from an expert panel on the key intersections of food & science. The Envirome’s “& Science” series is a quarterly health forum and this fourth installment of the series will focus on Food & Science, featuring leaders from different agricultural and scientific backgrounds. The “& Science” series provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Together we will: Explore key intersections of nutrition, health and wellbeing; Identify drivers of food insecurity in Louisville; Discuss overcoming barriers that promote access to healthy food; and Envision a food secure future for all of Louisville. Schedule: Community Block Party (Farmers Market+Community Fair): 4:00 - 6:00 pm Panel: 6:00 - 7:30 pm "& Science" Champion Awardee: Taylor Ryan (Founder and Executive Director of Change Today, Change Tomorrow) Speakers: Cassia Herron (Healthy Communities Fellow, Aspen Global Innovators Group) Vincent James (President and CEO, Dare To Care) Taylor Ryan (Founder and Executive Director, Change Today, Change Tomorrow) Dr. Wayne Tuckson (Kentucky Health Host, Kentucky Educational Television, retired Colon and Rectal Surgeon) Dr. Kim Williams (Chairman of Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine; Professor, University of Louisville School of Medicine) Also Featuring: Farmers Market hosted in collaboration with the South End Community Market Community booths featuring the work of many non-profits tackling food and health issues: Feed Louisville, West Jefferson County Community Task Force, NAACP Louisville Branch, Catholic Charities - Common Earth Gardens, Food Literacy Project, Feeding Kentucky, Ag in the City, Greater Louisville Food Council/Food In Neighborhoods, and UofL's Trager Institute, Louisville Clinical &Translational Research Center, School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, and more About the Series: The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is hosting a quarterly health forum called “& Science". The fourth installment of the series will focus on Food & Science, featuring leaders from different agricultural and scientific backgrounds. The “& Science” series provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Topics explored throughout the first year of the series include communication, faith, history, food & science. For more information, please contact Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, natasha.dejarnett@louisville.edu or (502)852-9354. This event is free, but please register here.
Aug. 17 - Nov. 23, 2026	Fall Garden Gatherings 2026 Mondays, 5pm at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W. Bloom St., behind Bettie Johnson Hall) Wednesdays, 3pm at the Garden Commons (northeast of the Baptist Center) UofL’s organic campus gardens are great places to relax, reconnect, learn, and savor the sweet taste of sustainability! Students, faculty, staff, and the public are all welcome to come experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers. Stop by anytime to sample the goodness and help us keep things watered and weeded. We will gather weekly at both of our campus food gardens throughout the fall (Aug. 17 - Nov. 23) to harvest, weed, water & plant. Tools and gloves provided, but bring bags to harvest into! Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
Nov. 21, 2026	Pop-Up Drop-Off Community Recycling Event Saturday, Nov. 21st, 10am-2pm, UofL Shelby Campus (440 N Whittington Pkwy) Pop-Up Drop-Offs are free recycling and large item disposal events for residents of Jefferson County. Accepted Items: Up to 3 electronic items (recycled) Metal & appliances, no refrigerators or any items containing coolant (recycled) Up to 4 passenger tires (recycled) Household recyclables, follow curbside rules (recycled) Yard waste, follow curbside rules, wooden pallets (composted) Documents for shredding (recycled) Prescription medication (disposed properly) Gently used shoes will be collected for WaterStep - every 3 pairs of shoes collected provides safe water for 1 person for life! NEW! Gently used textiles and household items (donated to Goodwill Kentucky) Items must already be separated into categories for easy off-loading so as much can be recycled as possible. This event sponsored by: Department of Public Works and Assets and the Louisville/Jefferson County Waste Management District . More info .
Fall 2026	Mountain Biking in Cherokee Park POSTPONED UNTIL FALL 2026, details TBA Join Campus Recreation and the UofL Sustainability Council on a morning bike ride to Cherokee Park and explore the mountain biking trails within the Park. Riders are encouraged to bring their own mountain bikes as our supply is limited, but if you need a bike, this ride is free and all equipment will be provided. Spots are limited. Middle of Town Cycling is sponsoring this ride and will be offering a $20 gift card to the first 10 riders to register and all participants will receive free water bottles and hats! Registration required.

What did I miss?! Check out our Past Events log.

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UofL Sustainability

Items must already be separated into categories for easy off-loading so as much can be recycled as possible.