Events — UofL Sustainability

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
Jan. 19, 2026	MLK Day of Service 2026 Monday, Jan. 19th, 9:30am-2pm, Meetup in the SAC Ballroom MLK Day of Service is one of UofL's largest campus-wide service events of the year. The purpose of the event, organized by the Engage.Lead.Serve Board, is to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and serve the community UofL calls home. We hope to allow students to connect with each other, the UofL community, and the larger Louisville community. We hope you will come out and join us to better the community we call home. Gather in the SAC Ballroom at 9:30am on Monday, Jan. 19, to pick a site to serve, enjoy some complimentary breakfast, grab a T-shirt and hear from prominent leaders on UofL's campus. RSVP on Engage.
Jan. 20 - Feb. 3, 2026	Fix-A-Bike, Get-A-Bike Workshop Tuesdays, Jan. 20th, Jan 27th, and Feb. 3rd, noon-2pm OR 2-4pm, UofL Bike Shop (basement of the Urban & Public Affairs. 426 W Bloom St.) You are invited to UofL's inaugural Fix-a-bike event! Participants will learn how to choose a bike, parts of a bike, and introductory bike maintenance as well as bike etiquette and rules-of-the-road. At the end of the series, participants will keep the bikes they have been working on and we will go on a short bike ride to celebrate! You must be available and present for each session. This is intended as an introductory bike workshop. Registration required.
Jan. 21, 2026	Social Determinants of Health Panel Wednesday, Jan. 21st, 5pm, Humanities 205 This panel organized by ELSB will focus on the connection between health and environmental justice in Louisville. We will be exploring the concept of social determinants of health and how it effects the Louisville community. Our panelists will be Dr. Lauren Freeman from the UofL Philosophy Department and Dr. Ted Smith from the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. RSVP on Engage.
Jan. 22 - May 28, 2026	Spring Garden Gatherings 2026 Mondays, 4pm at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W. Bloom St., behind Bettie Johnson Hall) Thursdays, 12:30pm 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 spring (Jan. 22 - May 28) to plant, weed, water & harvest. Tools and gloves provided. Monthly hands-on Garden Workshops will also be offered at these times. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
Jan. 30, 2026	Dr. Geof Donovan: Trees As Public Health Infrastructure Friday, Jan. 30th, Cardiovascular Innovation Institute (302 Muhammad Ali Blvd) UofL is excited to welcome to campus, Dr. Geoffrey (Geof) Donovan, a nationally recognized environmental economist and former Senior Scientist with the USDA Forest Service. His research has helped shape how cities understand trees as critical public-health infrastructure. Dr. Donovan will be visiting the University of Louisville to share insights from his work linking urban tree canopy to physical health and community well-being. Learn more about Dr. Donovan's work. You will have two opportunities to hear from him: 10:00 – 11:00am Environmental Grand Rounds series: “Quasi-experimental Techniques for Studying the Relationship Between Trees and Health” 11:30am – 1:00pm Roundtable Lunch: “Trees are an essential part of our public-health infrastructure" Lunch will be provided, so please RSVP to Ted Smith.
Jan. 30, 2026	EcoReps Lunch & Learn Workshop: Using AI to Reclaim Our Humanity Friday, Jan. 30th, Noon-1pm, , Center for Belonging, Access & Engagement (Belknap Village North room 176) OR Join Microsoft Teams Meeting Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability and a free vegetarian lunch! This month, we're excited to welcome back Jason Delambre, a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) who holds bachelors degrees in History and Architecture, and a Masters of Community Planning. Jason lives in Frankfort, Kentucky and works with clients to maximize profitability through effective utilization of natural resources and the development of ground‐breaking energy efficiency and carbon reducing solutions. Throughout his career, Jason has developed a unique vision of the economic and energy efficiency synergies possible through innovative business, infrastructural, financial, policy, and community organizing strategies. In this workshop, Jason will be presenting on "Escaping the Grind: How AI Helped Me Reclaim My Humanity." We are often told AI will replace us. But what if it can liberate us? After 20 years of "grinding" through professional obligations and administrative exhaustion, Jason took a one-year sabbatical to see if he could rebuild his life. This presentation isn't about code or tech specs. It is the story of how Jason used AI to build a "digital scaffold" around his day-to-day life—handling the organization, the planning, and the details—so he could recover the bandwidth to focus on what matters: deep connection, creativity, and being present. Come see how shifting the "robotic" work of our modern responsibilities to a machine allowed Jason to become a more grounded human. The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to move students, faculty & staff beyond talk to action for a more sustainable UofL! We provide basic training & resources, service opportunities, and leadership positions as a point-person & peer-to-peer advocate for sustainability. More info on EcoReps website. Facebook Event.
Feb. 1 - March 28, 2026	Ecolympics 2026 February 1st - March 28th Two fun sustainability competitions to get you engaged in saving our one green planet! Post your sustainable actions and tag @UofLSustainable or submit them through our online form to win the Grand Prize, or one of the fabulous weekly prize baskets! Campus Race To Zero Waste! - February 1 - March 28, 2026 A friendly annual competition among North American universities. During this 8 week period, UofL will compete to reduce waste, increase recycling & composting, and raise conservation awareness across all three campuses! Keep up with the Cards progress at the Campus Race website. REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE! Help the Cards to victory by *avoiding disposables* (bring your own mug, bottle, plate, etc.), donating useful stuff to the UofL Free Store instead of throwing it away, and fully utilizing UofL’s amazingly easy, single-stream recycling system that lets you recycle everything in the same bin, everywhere on campus: all types of *plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass! Details on what you can recycle at UofL here. COMPOST!* Turn trash into treasure just by composting your food scraps and soiled paper products in the compost bins at the Garden Commons next to the Baptist Center and the Urban & Public Affairs Garden behind Bettie Johnson Hall. Request a compost caddy for your room through our online request form! If it came from a plant, we want to compost it: *fruit & vegetable wastes/peels/rinds/seeds, baked goods, grains, tea bags, coffee grounds/filters, and all kinds of soiled paper products (tissues, towels, napkins, plates, cups, etc.). We are always collecting food wastes for composting from The Ville Grill, SAC Marketplace, and other campus dining locations and will be adding those numbers to UofL's organics recycling totals in the Campus Race to Zero Waste. RECYCLE E-WASTE!* Don't send your old electronics to the landfill! We will have special collection points set up in the following locations Feb. 11 - March 11: BAB (1st floor lobby) SAC W310 Duthie Center at Speed School of Engineering (1st floor Study Area, SE corner) HSC Kornhauser Library (1st floor lobby behind elevators) >> There will also be a special Drive-up Drop-off Collection on Thursday Feb. 26th, 8am-11am on the south side of the Clinical & Translational Research Building at HSC (505 S Hancock St.), by the elevators for the 620 Garage. The contact for the Drive-up Drop-off is Skip Hurley (502) 599-6228. Stop by any time to drop off any of the following types of electronics for recycling: all computers, monitors, televisions, printers, copiers, scanners, servers, networking equipment, fax machines, telephones and cellphones, RAM/memory, hard drives, battery backups, and peripherals such as keyboards, mice, speakers, AC adapters, and mixed computer cables/wires. Separate bins will also be available for recycling of any type of batteries, lamps/bulbs, or ink/toner cartridges. Resident Race! - February 9 - March 1, 2026 *Live on campus? Win with conservation!* UofL residence halls will compete among each other to see who can reduce electricity use the most over three weeks. The winning hall will earn a pizza party, sponsored by RHA! All you have to do is stop wasting energy! Turn off lights, fans, space heaters, TVs, game consoles, etc.; unplug anything you're not actively using (especially empty refrigerators); skip the elevator for the stairs; close windows tightly; wait until you have a full load to do laundry & wash with cold water; dry clothes on a rack/line; take shorter showers or shower with solar power at the SRC; etc. Keep up with the Race on UofL's Building Dashboard, where you can see how much electricity your hall is using and learn how you can conserve! Halls in the competition include: Bettie Johnson Hall Community Park (real-time data!) Kurz Hall (real-time data!) Louisville Hall (real-time data!) Unitas Hall (real-time data!) University Tower Apartments (UTA) Belknap Village North Belknap Village South Prizes: Weekly prizes: At the end of each of the eight weeks of Ecolympics 2025, one person who has shared their sustainable action(s) will receive a themed gift basket! Grand Prize: One impressive Cardinal who takes the most sustainable actions during Ecolympics 2025 will take home our grand prize: a bicycle and helmet. Post your sustainable actions and tag @UofLSustainable or submit them through our online form throughout February & March to be entered into the competition! New winners will be picked each week! Enter as often as you can! Ecolympics Events: Upcycled Valentine Workshop Tuesday, Feb. 10th, 12:30-2:30pm, SAC W118
Every Sunday	UofL Community Composting Volunteer Days Every Sunday, Noon-2pm (Add to your Calendar) 250 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.
Feb. 5, 2026	History & Science Forum Thursday, Feb. 5th, Reception: 5:15 pm, Panel: 6:00 pm, Roots 101 African-American Museum (124 N 1st St) Please join us for the third installment of the “& Science” Forums organized by UofL's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. During History & Science, we will celebrate community heroes and hear from an expert panel on the key intersections of history and science. The panel will discuss historic infrastructure affecting environmental health disparities; examine the policy and legal frameworks that shape local climate and environmental conditions; and encourage widespread participation in strengthening Louisville's environment. Please RSVP here. The evening will feature: "& Science" Trailblazer Awardee: • Dr. Kevin W. Cosby (Senior Pastor, St. Stephen Baptist Church; President, Simmons College of Kentucky) Speakers: • Dr. John Chenault (Associate Professor, Director of Anti-Racism Initiatives, UofL) • Ms. Hannah Drake (Cultural Strategist; Co-Executive Director, IDEAS xLab; Co-Founder, (Un)Known Project) • Dr. Swannie Jett (Chief Executive Officer, Park DuValle Community Health Center) • Dr. Lynn Pohl (Archivist, The Filson Historical Society) • The Honorable Attica Scott (Former Kentucky State Representative for District 41; Director of Special Projects, Forward Justice Action Network) • Dr. Monica Unseld (Founder and Executive Director, Until Justice Data Partners) Also Featuring: • Dr. Natasha DeJarnett (Assistant Professor, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, UofL) • Dr. Ricky L. Jones (Professor and Past Chair, Pan-African Studies; Baldwin-King Scholar-in-Residence, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, UofL) About the Series: The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is hosting this quarterly health forum called “& Science". The third installment of the series will focus on History & Science, featuring leaders from different historical 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, art & science. If you missed Faith & Science, watch it here.
Feb. 9, 2026	Winter Orchard Care Workshop Monday, Feb. 9th, 4-6pm, Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W. Bloom St.) Come learn some simple tricks for taking advantage of the dormancy period to improve the health and productivity of fruit trees! Winter is the perfect time for pruning orchard trees to reduce disease and increase fruit production. Our friends from the Urban Agriculture Coalition will be joining us to offer guidance as we all learn together in this hands-on workshop designed to improve the health of our mini-orchard at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden, which features cherry, apple, peach, mulberry, fig, and native pawpaw, persimmon, serviceberry, and hazelnut trees! This is part of the spring series of Garden Workshops hosted by the Garden Commons, a shared, collectively-managed space, open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Sign-up to volunteer here. Facebook Event.
Feb. 10, 2026	Upcycled Valentine Workshop Tuesday, Feb. 10th, 12:30-2:30pm, SAC W118 Want to surprise that special someone in your life? Join us in the SAC West room 118 for a bit of fun as we hand-make some creative valentines your boos and besties are sure to love. We will be using recycled materials to create handmade valentine cards and gifts. This is an Ecolympics 2026 event! Take a selfie at the event and be sure to post your sustainable actions and tag @UofLSustainable or submit them through our online form to be entered to win the Grand Prize, or one of eight fabulous weekly prize baskets throughout Ecolympics from Feb. 1 - March 28! Can't wait to see you all! XOXO, UofL Sustainability. Facebook Event.
Feb. 27, 2026	EcoReps Lunch & Learn Workshop: Topic TBA Friday, Feb. 27th, Noon-1pm, Center for Belonging, Access & Engagement (Belknap Village North room 176) OR Join Microsoft Teams Meeting Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability and a free vegetarian lunch! Our speaker and topic for February will be announced soon. The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to move students, faculty & staff beyond talk to action for a more sustainable UofL! We provide basic training & resources, service opportunities, and leadership positions as a point-person & peer-to-peer advocate for sustainability. More info on EcoReps website.
March 2, 2026	Seed-Starting Workshop Monday, March 2nd, 4pm, Urban & Public Affairs Greenhouse (426 W. Bloom St.) Get a jump-start on your food garden this year! Join us in the greenhouse at the garden behind Urban & Public Affairs, 426 W. Bloom St. (west of Bettie Johnson Hall) to learn about starting seeds to save money, get better results, and make the most of the growing season. Learn how and why to start seeds early with this hands-on workshop. Feel free to bring your own seeds to start and take home to your windowsill, or help us start some seeds to be planted out in our Campus Gardens. This is part of the spring series of Garden Workshops hosted by the Garden Commons, a shared, collectively-managed space, open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Facebook Event.
March 9-25, 2026	Great American Road Trip - Mount Rushmore and the Black Elk Wilderness March 9th-15th, 2026, Keystone, South Dakota, $120 per person. Join Campus Recreation for a multi-day road trip to Mount Rushmore National Monument and spend time hiking and camping in the Black Elk Wilderness. This trip involves primitive camping, hiking, and spectacular views of National Monuments. Registration required.
March 26, 2026	Environment & Governance in China *Thursday, March 26th, TENTATIVELY: 1pm, Ford Hall 305* As part of their spring speaker series, UofL's Center for Asian Democracy proudly presents professor Iza Ding of Northwestern University, who will be lecturing on Environment & Governance in China. Full details TBA.
March 27, 2026	EcoReps Lunch & Learn Workshop: Topic TBA Friday, March 27th, Noon-1pm, Center for Belonging, Access & Engagement (Belknap Village North room 176) OR Join Microsoft Teams Meeting Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability and a free vegetarian lunch! Our speaker and topic for March will be announced soon. The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to move students, faculty & staff beyond talk to action for a more sustainable UofL! We provide basic training & resources, service opportunities, and leadership positions as a point-person & peer-to-peer advocate for sustainability. More info on EcoReps website.
March 28, 2026	Mountain Biking Saturday, March 28th, 9am-3pm, Cherokee Park 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. Free and all equipment provided, but spots are limited. Registration required.
April 4, 2026	Three Bridges Trail Hike Saturday, April 4th, 9am-5pm, Olive Hill, KY, $20 per person. Join Campus Recreation for this Appalachian hike! At just over three miles in length, Three Bridges Trail in Carter Caves State Resort Park is a fantastic trail with beautiful, interesting rock formations. The route stops by three of the park's natural rock bridges: Smoky Bridge (the largest), the Raven Bridge, and the Fern Bridge. Registration required.
April 17, 2026	EcoReps Lunch & Learn Workshop: UofL Maple Syrup & Honey Pancake Party! Friday, April 17th, Noon-1pm, Location TBD OR Join Microsoft Teams Meeting Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability and a free vegetarian lunch! We'll wrap up the year with our annual celebration of our sweet sustainability harvests on campus, as we sample some of this year's maple syrup and honey harvests! Come enjoy some pancakes with our very own local sweetness. All are welcome. You'll also learn about tapping UofL maple trees to make syrup and raising honeybees on campus! The Sustainability Council’s EcoReps program is designed to move students, faculty & staff beyond talk to action for a more sustainable UofL! We provide basic training & resources, service opportunities, and leadership positions as a point-person & peer-to-peer advocate for sustainability. More info on EcoReps website.
April 22, 2026	Earth Day 2026 Wednesday, April 22nd, 11am-1pm, Red Barn Plaza The Student Activities Board and UofL Sustainability Council invite you to celebrate the end of the semester and the 57th anniversary of Earth Day! Full details TBA, but you can expect sustainable prizes, farm to table food, potted plants to take home, and great information about how to get engaged in the movement to save ourselves by saving Mother Earth!
May 21, 2026	Serviceberry Foraging Workshop Thursday, May 21st, 12:30pm, Garden Commons (NE corner of Baptist Center) Bring a pail or Tupperware and get ready to load up on the sweetest "secret" right under our noses! Serviceberries (aka Juneberries) are native to Kentucky (and 48 states!). They are planted all over the city as a common, low-maintenance street tree. The fruits are ripe for only two weeks around June 1st. They are similar to blueberries but a little bit nutty (the trees are in the almond family!). UofL's campus boasts many loaded serviceberries and during this special workshop, we will walk around to visit many of them! Pick and take home as many as you can. Enjoy them fresh or freeze them for pies and smoothies year-round! Meetup at the Garden Commons and we'll go from there. For inspiration, read Robin Wall Kimmerer's deeply insightful essay, The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance . Facebook Event.

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

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