Past Events

A log of sustainability events at UofL which have already taken place.
Date Event
Oct. 25, 2021 Urban & Public Affairs Garden & Greenhouse Workday
Monday, Oct. 25th, 5pm, UPA Garden (426 W. Bloom St., behind Bettie Johnson Hall)
UPA Garden - Oct2013 Sweet Potato HarvestThe Student Sustainability Coalition and UofL Botanical Society invite you to discover the wonders of UofL's OTHER garden, behind the Urban & Public Affairs Building, along the brick alley behind Bettie Johnson Hall. The student-designed UPA Horticulture Zone has been growing food & community since the Urban & Public Affairs Student Organization broke ground in May 2013! What had once been an uninviting patch of grass that had to be mowed regularly with fossil fuels was transitioned into an inviting outdoor gathering space beside our historic apple tree. The space is used to grow fresh, delicious produce available to the community in our mini orchard (peach, apple, fig, and native serviceberry, pawpaw, hazelnuts, and maypops) and in four raised beds filled with rich, organic compost made by volunteers on campus from food waste collected both on and off campus. The site includes two compost bins, five rain barrels to capture water from the roof for irrigation, native shade-tolerant plants for areas under the canopy, nitrogen-fixing red clover no-mow areas, and a large, season-extending greenhouse with solar panels to power the ventilation fans. We'll be harvesting maypops (native passion fruits), tidying up the garden after a long growing season, planting cover crops, and getting the greenhouse ready for year-round growing!! Dress to get dirty. Tools and gloves provided. This event is rain or shine - in the event of rain,we will work mostly in the greenhouse. Facebook Event. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 25 - Dec. 10, 2021 Free Store logoUofL Free Store
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 11am-1pm, SAC W303C
UofL’s Free Store has finally settled into its new, more conveniently located home, in SAC W303C, just down the hall from the Cardinal Cupboard on the 3rd floor of SAC West! We've hired staff and will be open throughout the Fall semester on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 11am-1pm. All students & employees are welcome to "shop" for free clothing, shoes, accessories, linens, electronics, small appliances, household items, bath & beauty supplies, books & media, school & art supplies, and more. Reuse, reuse, reuse! Donations are accepted any time we are open or 24/7 in the red bins at the base of the driveway just east of Unitas Tower, off Cardinal Blvd. Help us keep useful stuff out of the landfill while helping those in need! Volunteers are always welcome to keep the store open and tidy while sorting donations. UofL promotes an inclusive environment for all, regardless of gender identity and/or gender expression. The Free Store is a Transgender-Friendly space. The Free Store is closed whenever the university is not in session. Follow the Free Store on Instagram or Facebook.
Oct. 23, 2021 Trees are planted in South Louisville for the UofL Green Heart Project, an ongoing assessment of the effects of neighborhood greenness on individual healthGreen Heart South Louisville Tree Planting
Saturday, Oct. 23rd, 9am-1pm, Meetup at Wyandotte Park (1104 Beecher St.)
Calling all volunteers as we dig into this season of tree plantings starting on Saturday, October 23! Help us increase the tree canopy in neighborhoods most impacted by the urban heat island effect. This planting will focus on the Taylor-Berry, Jacobs, Hazelwood, Beechmont, Oakdale, and Wilder Park neighborhoods in South Louisville. This October tree planting is in partnership with UofL’s Green Heart project, a first of its kind multi-year study. By taking a closer look at the relationship we have with our neighborhood trees and their affect on our mental and physical health, we can continue to grow greener, healthier neighborhoods. If you would like to learn more visit: greenheartlouisville.com. Thank you to our sponsors: Louisville Grows, UPS, Arbor Day Foundation, The Nature Conservancy Kentucky and U of L Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. Please contact Charlie at volunteer@louisvillegrows.org or 502-655-9830 with any questions or concerns. Register here. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 23, 2021 Women's Basketball Team Volunteers at Central Park Improvement Day 6-5-21Central Park Improvement Day
Saturday, Oct. 23rd, 8:30am-noon, Central Park
The Old Louisville Neighborhood Council and UofL Sustainability Council invite everyone to volunteer at the fall 2021 Central Park Improvement Day. Consider volunteering a few hours of your time to do light chores to spruce up this historic Olmsted Park near campus. Meet at the Visitors Center at 8:30 am for coffee, hot chocolate, and donuts and check-in. Councilman David James is providing a free pizza and chili lunch at noon for all the volunteers. Many thanks to Councilman James and our community partners Brightside, Metro Parks, and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 23-29, 2021 UofL Sustainability Week - Oct. 23-29, 2021
I Commit To... Campus Sustainability Day 2015A full week of events to celebrate, raise awareness, and engage your passions for environmental, social & economic justice! Events include:
UofL Sustainability Week is "crowd-sourced"! If you'd like to add an event to the calendar, please contact Justin Mog!
Oct. 19-20, 2021 Raise Some L - Support UofL's Sustainability Initiatives!
Tuesday, Oct. 19th 6:02pm - Wednesday, Oct. 20th 11:59pm
A lot has changed in 200 years—our commitment hasn't. Since 1798, the Cardinal family has dreamed big, worked hard and made a lasting impact on our community, commonwealth, and beyond.

Beginning at 6:02 p.m. on Oct. 19th, for 1,798 minutes, Cardinals everywhere will come together to celebrate who we are and Raise Some L. This is a Cardinal call to action to all students, alumni, faculty, staff, and fans to do two simple things:

  1. Make a gift to the Green Fund for UofL and support our sustainability initiatives! Donate here. Use your smart phone or computer to make a gift of ANY amount.
  2. Spread the word. Share your good deed with friends that day on social media using #RaiseSomeL.

Raise Some LYour donations can help us realize this vision by supporting initiatives such as:

We invite you to learn more about our on-going UofL sustainability initiatives and to explore the many ways you can get involved and help us create a better world right here, right now.
Oct. 19, 2021 Sustainability Roundtable: Lissa McCracken, Louisville Energy Alliance
Tuesday, Oct. 19th 4:00-4:50pm, virtual - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#)
Join the UofL Sustainability Council as we continue our Fall Sustainability Roundtable series on alternate Tuesdays from 4:00-4:50pm. Our speaker on October 19th will be Lissa McCracken, Executive Director of the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC) and Board member of the Louisville Energy Alliance. The Alliance promotes energy efficiency and conservation through ENERGY STAR programs and certifications. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, they offer educational events and programs to commercial building owners and managers, helping them access resources to improve energy efficiency, benchmark energy consumption, and obtain ENERGY STAR Certification. Lissa has over 20 years of experience in the environmental field and has been a KPPC team member since 1998, but was appointed Executive Director in 2015. Prior to joining KPPC, Ms. McCracken held positions as an environmental inspector, engineering technologist and enforcement specialist for the Kentucky Division of Waste Management. Facebook Event.http://www.louisvilleenergyalliance.org/uploads/4/4/4/8/44482843/published/homepage-banner-01_1.png?1602772587
We'll gather online: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#). No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Oct. 16, 2021 Society of Urban PerambulatorsIrish Hill Adaptive Reuse Walking Tour
Saturday, Oct. 16th, 11 am, WORK Architecture (1122 Rogers St)
The Society of Urban Perambulators, led by Patrick Piuma, Director of UofL’s Urban Design Studio, is hosting a walking loop with our field guide Mitchell Kersting of WORK Architecture + Design and friends around the Irish Hill neighborhood and some forays into adjacent Phoenix Hill. We will see some adaptive reuse, new infill and historic underground structures. We will meet at WORK Architecture at 10:45 am and begin the stroll at 11 am, on Saturday, October 16. From firehouses, cemeteries, alleys, beer caves and modern infill, Irish Hill offers something for everyone. Facebook Event.
Oct. 15 - Nov. 2, 2021 Anti-racism workshops for all staff and faculty
Friday, Oct. 15th - Tuesday, Nov. 2nd, Register here.
The UofL Center for Family and Community Wellbeing is conducting a research study which provides anti-racism workshops for all White and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) staff and faculty. Learn powerful and practical tools to effectively respond to interpersonal and systemic racism in your life, on campus and in the community. Workshops are once per week for 90 minutes each for three consecutive weeks. Register here. IRB # 21.0322
For more information, please visit the webpage. The staff group will meet Fridays, 9-10:30 a.m., Oct. 15, 22 and 29. Faculty groups will meet Tuesdays, 9:30 -11 a.m., Oct. 19, 26 and Nov 2.
Oct. 14, 2021 2021 Farm To Table Dinner posterFarm To Table Dinner
Thursday, Oct. 14th, 5-7pm, BAB Quad - Gottschalk Circle
Standard Ticket: $20 or 2 Meal Swipes
Cocktail Ticket $25 (for guests 21 and up)
Tickets available at any UofL Dining register or call 502-852-5211
Join us for Good Food and Live Music! UofL Dining is hosting this special event to help you reap the bounty of the harvest season and support local farmers! Join us for a celebration of farmers, local food and most of all, our Cardinal community. Each of our executive chefs has carefully crafted a locally sourced dish inspired by quality seasonal ingredients and Kentucky style favorites. At 6pm, we will be presenting the 2021 Josh Smith Memorial Sustainability Award  to a community member or group who has contributed to UofL's Sustainability Initiatives. Tickets are available for $20 (or 2 meal swipes) at any UofL Dining register with cash, card or Flex Points. Phone orders can also be placed at 502-852-5211. For those guests 21 and older, cocktail tickets are available for an additional $5. Support our local Kentucky farms and join us for an evening of flavor, culinary arts and community.
Oct. 1, 2021 Emissions by Protein Type (source = Harvard)Plant Power!
Friday, Oct. 1st, 11am-1pm, Ville Grill
The Office of Health Promotion and UofL Dining invite you to join them at UofL's 30% locally-sourced, zero-waste, all-you-care-to-eat dining hall to discover the power of plants on World Vegetarian Day! Join us to try some plant-forward meals that sideline the death, abuse, and environmental destruction that comes with a meat-based meal in order to center the health and light-living embodied in delicious, protein-rich vegetarian and vegan meals! Vegetarian entrees will be featured throughout the dining hall for lunch. Faculty and staff can get in for the all-you-care-to-eat $7 Meal Deal on World Vegetarian Day.
Oct. 1, 2021 Campus Tree Advisory Committee Fall 2021 Meeting
Friday, Oct. 1st, 10am-11:30am, Microsoft Teams
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 841 628 012#)
The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is open to all employees, students & community members interested in helping UofL protect & expand our tree population. We meet just once a semester. The agenda includes:
  • UofL Arbor Day 2016 Tree PlantingUpdates: recent/impending tree plantings, removals and maintenance plans
  • Updates/Maintenance of Belknap Tree Tour:
    - Digital Tour: Seeking comments: Branch Out Story Map and interactive map
    - Physical Tour: Tree Tour pamphlet and plaque replacements?
  • Update on Campus Tree Inventory & UofL Tree App
  • Planning for UofL Arbor Day Celebration 2021
    - Schedule for Friday, Oct. 29th?
    10am Planting at HSC?
    Noon EcoReps Arbor Day Lunch & Learn: Green Heart Project (Ekstrom 254 or online)
    1pm Arbor Day Tree Planting Workshop (Garden Commons, Strickler Hall)
    - What? Plant trees – what kind/where? Give away saplings? Offer fruit and tree-based smoothies? Other ideas?
    - Where at HSC? Potential planting location?
    - Who? Any volunteers to help out?
  • Tree-related Service Learning Projects
    - Prep: 2022 Maple-Tapping season
    - Any fall tree-planting volunteer opportunities on or off campus?
    - Any 2021-22 classes on offer which are/could integrate tree-related service learning?
  • Other items? Contact the Chair, Justin Mog at justin.mog@louisville.edu
Sept. 29, 2021 Race and Place: Understanding Race in Louisville, in Kentucky, and in the U.S. with UofL’s Dr. Kalasia S. Ojeh
Wednesday, Sept. 29th, 6:30pm, LFPL Main Library (301 York St.)
Dr. Kalasia S. OjehWhen was the last time your race played a role in your interactions with your colleagues, neighbors, and people you meet here in Louisville? In this talk, Dr. Kalasia S. Ojeh will give a history, definition, and description of critical race theory, and discuss race relations at the national level relative to our everyday localized experience. Dr. Ojeh is Assistant Professor in the University of Louisville's Department of Pan-African Studies, and a 2020-2021 Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society Faculty. She is editor of the Journal of Social Problems and the Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee for the College of Arts & Sciences. Learn more and register for this free fast class here.
Sept. 28, 2021 Sustainability Roundtable: Jacek Jasinski, Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research
Tuesday, Sept. 28h 4:00-4:50pm, virtual - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#)
https://www.faculty180.com/app_data/louisville/faculty/1616073/photo/photo.jpegJoin the UofL Sustainability Council as we continue our Fall Sustainability Roundtable series on alternate Tuesdays from 4:00-4:50pm. Our speaker on September 28th will be Jacek Jasinski, PhD, a Research Scientist and Materials Characterization Theme Leader focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying physical properties and functionality of technologically important device structures and materials. Dr. Jasinski earned his M.Sc. in Solid State Physics (1992) and doctorate in Physics of Semiconductors from Warsaw University (Poland) in 1997. In 2008, he joined the Institute for Advanced Materials and Renewable Energy at the University of Louisville Speed School of Engineering as Chief Scientist. In 2009, Jacek was appointed Theme Leader in Materials Characterization at the Conn Center. Jacek is author/co-author of 200 original research papers in refereed journals, over 40 articles in refereed conference proceedings, and is co-author of a book chapter in "Dilute III-V Nitride Semiconductors and Materials Systems." In his current position, Jacek collaborates with UofL and external faculty as well as industrial partners on a number of various materials development projects, mainly in the fields of energy, catalysis, and nanomaterials. In his research, he applies electron microscopy in combination with diffraction and spectroscopic techniques to study the relationship between material structures and their chemistry and physical properties to understand mechanisms underlying physical properties, functionality, and durability of technologically important materials and device structures. Facebook Event.
We'll gather online: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#). No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Sept. 28 - Nov. 30, 2021 Free SalesUofL Free Store FREE SALE!
Last Tuesdays, Sept. 28th, Oct. 26th, Nov. 30th, 11:30am-1:30pm, Red Barn plaza
These pop-up outdoor Free Sales are offered by the student-run UofL Free Store, recently relocated to SAC W303C. The space is like a thrift store where no money is exchanged and is run by students who help process donations and keep the store tidy and organized in support of the project to help keep useful items out of the landfill while meeting the needs of their peers. The Free Store is a space for the free exchange of clean, functional, durable items like clothing, shoes, electronics, small appliances, household items, bath & beauty supplies, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, and more. Donations can be made any time in the red bins at the base of the driveway just east of Unitas Tower, off Cardinal Blvd. Follow the Free Store on Instagram or Facebook.
Sept. 24, 2021 "Confronting Racism in City Planning and Zoning" by Joel Dock of Louisville Metro Planning and Design
Friday, Sept.24th at 3:30pm, Lutz Hall room 225
Story Mapping the Racism in Planning History | Planetizen NewsThis presentation is part of the Geographic & Environmental Sciences Seminar Series. It is crucial in planning for an equitable future that all citizens have access to fair and affordable housing. To do so, we must confront the past in order to move our land use practices forward for all. The themes presented throughout the interactive exhibit, “Confronting Racism in City Planning and Zoning,” focus on the discriminatory land use practices and ideas that have shaped Louisville, KY for over a century. The exhibit begins with a basic introduction to zoning and land use regulations, and then dives deeper into the specific policies, people, and methods that have shaped patterns of housing segregation in Louisville Metro. The exhibit serves as a historical framework to ongoing efforts to reform the Land Development Code.
Sept. 24, 2021 Squash The State. Hand Printed Patch.Workshop: Gardening as Resistance
RESCHEDULED: Friday, Sept. 24th, 12-1pm, Garden Commons (SW Corner of Strickler Hall)
Join us in UofL's organic, student-managed garden for a conversation about how growing our own food collectively is an act of resistance to the dominate, capitalist, greed-driven culture. This workshop will be facilitated by Garden Intern, Ashton Lange and is part of our fall Garden Commons Workshops series which continues next month with workshops on: Medicinal Plants (Oct. 15th); Trees (Oct. 29th); and Holiday Wreathmaking (Nov. 19th). The Garden Commons is 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! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
Sept. 24, 2021

EcoReps Lunch & Learn: Health Equity
Friday, Sept. 24th, Noon-1:00pm, Ekstrom Library 254

Watch video recording.

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Louisville Ky ImageJoin us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability and a free vegetarian lunch! We continue our fall series on last Fridays at noon with Rebecca Hollenbach, Executive Administrator at Louisville Metro's Center for Health Equity. The Center for Health Equity is dedicated to public service and participatory research that is community-based and focused on the elimination of disparities in health due to race, gender, age, socioeconomic status, or geography. Rebecca has been working for Louisville residents as part of Louisville Metro Government since she moved here in 2016. In her time at the Center for Health Equity, she has led key projects such as the 2017 Health Equity Report and the community health needs assessment. She also helped transition the Center for Health Equity from 5 employees to 40, with a focus on root causes, data and policy. She currently coordinates policy and planning work for the COVID-19 response and is managing the 2021 Health Equity Report. Rebecca founded LouEval, a network of Louisville evaluators and is a graduate of Louisville Metro’s leadership program, Executive Fellows. Rebecca’s passion is working towards a Louisville where all residents can live long, healthy, and happy lives. This means addressing the ways systems of power, like racism, impact our society and creating solutions that will move us closer to equity.
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. This fall, we continue our series of workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. All are welcome. Facebook Event.
Sept. 22, 2021 SSC Arts + Crafts Social, 9/22/21 3pm Garden CommonsStudent Sustainability Coalition Arts & Crafts Social
Wednesday, Sept. 22nd, 5-7pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
Get to know the members of the Student Sustainability Coalition and find out what we are all about. We’ll have free food & materials, all you need to bring is yourself! (You can bring your own art stuff if you want, but that’s not required.)
This event is rain or shine, as there will be a tent to protect us.
Sept. 18, 2021 https://se-images.campuslabs.com/clink/images/d612f099-cf19-4962-8c28-092bd5ab6f9e577a3a90-c416-482f-96b6-9ee30718e0e1.png?preset=large-wUofL Botanical Society Garden Workdays
Saturday, Sept. 18th, 8am-noon west of Life Sciences
The UofL Botanical Society invites volunteers to join us for a workday at two different campus gardens that really need the help of plant people like you!
We'll start out, from 8am-10am in theKorfhage Native Plant Garden next to the Life Sciences building! Help us create an even more inviting habitat for pollinators on campus. Please RSVP here.
Then, from 10am-noon, we'll move over to the Latin-American & Latino Studies (LALS) Serenity Garden in the northwest corner of Stevenson Hall. Please RSVP here.
Participants can come to just one or both and are encouraged to bring: plenty of water, a snack, gardening gloves, a hat, long pants, sunscreen. We will not hold the workday if it is raining, above 90 degrees F, or is otherwise hazardous conditions.
Sept. 14, 2021 Tamara Sluss with the Sustainability Living Learning Community at the Ohio RiverSustainability Roundtable: Dr. Tamara Sluss
Tuesday, Sept. 14th 4:00-4:50pm, virtual - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#)
WATCH VIDEO RECORDING
Join the UofL Sustainability Council as we continue our Fall Sustainability Roundtable series on alternate Tuesdays from 4:00-4:50pm. Our second speaker will be Dr. Tamara Sluss, Director of UofL's Interdisciplinary Masters in Sustainability and a professor in the Dept. of Urban & Public Affairs. Dr. Sluss is originally from Ashland, Kentucky, but she considers herself a Louisvillian. Dr. Sluss earned her Ph.D. in Biology at UofL studying the ecohydrology of the Ohio River with Dr. Jeffrey D. Jack. She has served as biology faculty at Kentucky State University for thirteen years as the program leader and taught fourteen hours per semester while conducting research with undergraduates on water quality, stream fish and macroinvertebrate communities, biofuel production on marginal lands, and invasive plant species. For service and teaching, her major areas include: aquatic ecology, freshwater sustainability, environmental policy, climate change, small-scale, local agriculture and sustainable business operations including the distilled spirits industry. Personally, Tamara loves to be outside hiking, climbing, or SUP on Floyd’s Fork.  Her research interests include: Water resource quality and accessibility, parks and recreational usage and planning, agroecology, urban ecology. Facebook Event.
We'll gather online: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#). No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Sept. 10 - 29, 2021

Antiracism Workshops for all students, faculty & staff
Sept. 10th - 29th, online - register here
 Join UofL's Anti-Racism Movement! White and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) students, faculty & staff are all invited to learn powerful and practical tools to effectively respond to interpersonal and systemic racism in your life, on campus, and in the community. Workshops are provided by the UL Center for Family and Community Well-Being, funded through the UL Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research. These workshops are part of a research study and will be held once per week for 90 minutes each for 3 consecutive weeks. The workshop schedule is as follows:

  • Students: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:30am, Sept. 15th, 22nd & 29th,
  • Staff: Fridays, 9:00-10:30am, Sept. 10th, 17th & 24th
  • Faculty: Tuesdays, 9:30 -11:00am, Sept. 14th, 21st & 28th.
More info and registration here.
Sept. 10, 2021 https://se-images.campuslabs.com/clink/images/b6662229-e1ee-4ef8-8479-7cd43295b8e7ba365934-8641-433b-a230-ff581f81fca6.png?preset=large-wUofL Botanical Society First Fall Meeting
Friday, Sept. 10th at 6pm in BAB 325
The goal of the Botanical Society is to share the love of plants with the world through service, education, and community. We love plants and we do all kinds of work that deals with plants. If you like plants, have plants, want to learn more about plants, want to garden for fun, or even just hang out with some really awesome people, then you are going to fit right in!!
WE HAVE SO MUCH FUN STUFF PLANNED! We have hikes, gardening, seminars, plant swaps, plant sales, and cool crafty stuff planned and it’s going to be super-duper awesome!!
We are going to talk about all we have planned, talk about what BoSo is all about and all that jazz. We will have snacks!! RSVP on Engage.
Sept. 9, 2021 UofL's Justin Mog is a beekeeperWhat’s the Buzz?!
Thursday, Sept. 9th, 10:30am – 2pm, Davidson Quad
UofL Dining Services invites you to join us for a local showcase of honey and meet our new Sustainability Coordinator, Lindsay Klingenschmidt! Bring your reusable mug as they will be serving free tea with local honey! Around noon you'll have a chance to learn about UofL's new apiary at our Community Composting Project, just a block north of campus and how you can get involved in some (small) animal husbandry! Facebook event. Event details.
Sept. 3, 2021 Workshop: Cool Weather Gardening
Friday, Sept. 3rd, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
(See Photos. Watch Video.)
Sweet Potato Harvest 2017 at Garden CommonsWe kick-off our fall workshop series in UofL's organic Garden Commons with a focus on how to extend your growing season into the much more pleasant shoulder seasons when water, weed, and insect pressures wane. Fall is an often overlooked gardening season, and we are here to help you take full advantage of it! In fact, early September is the best time to rejuvenate your garden and make it produce vegetables through Christmas! Planting cole crops in late summer allows them ample time to grow before the first frosts, but because they are so frost tolerant, they continue soaking up the sun's rays and continue growing, albeit slowly through December. In fact, gardeners often have better luck growing fussy vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower in fall than in spring because you don’t have to worry as much about insect pests, weeds, or bolting. And the cooler temperatures also make for sweeter and less bitter greens. Root vegetables are also perfect for fall gardening. You don’t have to pick them before frost. Things like carrots can be left in the ground, mulched with straw or leaves, and dug as you need them. In this workshop, we'll focus on frost tolerant plants, like cole crops and lettuces, and how to protect them. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, lettuces, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, and mustard greens are all varieties good for planting in fall. Other plants can be left in the garden over winter to be harvested in the spring, like onions and garlic.
Join us in the Garden Commons to learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we gather together every Friday at noon throughout the fall (Aug. 20 - Dec. 10) to harvest, weed, water, plant, and learn. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. Upcoming special workshops include: 9/17 Gardening as Resistance; 10/15 Medicinal Plants; 10/29 Tree Planting (UofL Arbor Day); and 11/19 Wreathmaking. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
Aug. 31, 2021 Sustainability Roundtable: Louisville Climate Action Network
Tuesday, Aug. 31st 4:00-4:50pm, virtual - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#)
Louisville Climate Action Network - Building economic, social and environmental sustainability LouisvilleCAN.orgJoin the UofL Sustainability Council on August 31st as we kick-off our Fall Sustainability Roundtable series on alternate Tuesdays from 4:00-4:50pm. Our first speaker will highlight the work of the Louisville Climate Action Network (LCAN). This non-profit envisions a net-zero Louisville in which our needs are met by energy efficiency and renewable energy. LCAN offers customized programs showing ways to reduce Louisville's carbon footprint, and advocates for smarter public policies to reduce carbon pollution and cut costs. LCAN has three main functions: 1. Action inspiring education through our web site, e-newsletter, videos, book club and classes—from free, customized programs to dependable B4UBuy Workshops; 2. Strategic advocacy for smarter public policies to reduce carbon pollution and cut costs, because changing light bulbs alone won’t suffice, plus civic education; and 3. Experienced based, energy efficiency services to other area non-profit organizations. Facebook Event.
We'll gather online: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 930 044 957#). No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Aug. 31, 2021 Women's Equality Day
Tuesday, Aug. 31st, 11am-1pm, Red Barn
August 26th is the Anniversary of Women Winning the Vote! Are you ready to celebrate? Join the UofL Women’s Center in the celebration! Women’s Equality Day is celebrated in the U.S. on August 26 in recognition of women winning the right to vote. In addition the Voting Rights Act of 1965 will be celebrated. There will be voter registration, informational booths and refreshments in the Red Barn. Come out and learn more about Women’s Equality Day! Masks required while in the Red Barn. per the University's requirement for masks in public, indoor spaces for all university and community members.
People often forget that women could not vote throughout the U.S. until 1920. This August 26th is the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote through passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act was also celebrated this year. Both women and men owe a great deal to the brave suffragists who persevered over seventy years until they succeeded. They were led by outstanding American patriots like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Susan B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells, Carrie Chapman Catt, Alice Paul, and many others. We remember them all - speakers, field workers, political organizers, strategists, demonstrators, and prisoners - and honor their love of democracy on Equality Day, August 26. This 95th anniversary also marks the start of the drive to recognize the final five years of this great civil rights movement, leading up to its centennial in 2020. New efforts like the campaign to put a woman on the $20 bill and placing statues of suffragists in New York and Tennessee show that exciting activities have already begun. Since women in every state were involved, it can be very rewarding to learn about that part of local history. This year, celebrate women's vital victory for democracy. Remember, women won their political independence with the help of supportive men and their success made the U.S. a more complete democracy. Like the Fourth of July, Women's Equality Day is a day for all of us to celebrate.
Aug. 31, 2021 Betsy Ruhe 2016 (UofL's 1st Masters in Sustainability student)HRtalks Wellness Workshop: Active Transportation
Tuesday, Aug. 31st, 11am, online - Register here
Join Get Healthy Now to learn how to transform your commute from a polluting, unhealthy, frustrating part of your day into a clean, satisfying workout! Get fit just by getting around! Join the UofL Get Healthy Now team for this fun virtual learning workshop that will support your overall wellbeing and give you the opportunity to earn 200 points toward your 2022 $40 GHN monthly incentive. Get Healthy Now will be teaming up with the Sustainability Council on Aug. 31st to discuss the health benefits of active transportation and help you learn techniques that will transform your daily commute. All faculty and staff are welcome. Register here.
Aug. 30 - Sept. 30, 2021

Cards Commuter Challenge 2021Cards Commuter Challenge 2021
August 30 - September 30, 2021. University-wide
UofL wants you to save money, burn calories, put an end to pollution, and win prizes…all by simply choosing to get to campus in a new way! Record your trips on Cardinal Directions throughout the Cards Commuter Challenge (August 30 - September 30) and each week you'll have the chance to win one of the $50 weekly prizes or the $250 Grand Prize! One student and one faculty/staff member will win each week! Any trip by means other than driving alone increases your chances of winning!

Step 1: Join the Challenge online!

Step 2: Challenge yourself (and your friends!) to get to campus differently!
Try these life-affirming alternatives to the expense, road-rage, pollution, and parking hassles of driving alone:

  • BUS: Ride any TARC Airport RouteTARC route free with UofL ID (just swipe your card as you board - any time, anywhere).
  • CARDpool: Organize your own carpool with friends, family, colleagues, or classmates; or find rides & offer rides online through Cardinal Directions.
  • WALK, SKATE, or BIKE: Get your workout just by getting where you need to go under your own power! If you don't have your own bike, borrow one free from UofL Bikeshare or join LouVelo citywide bikeshare for half-price with your @louisville.edu address ($7.50/month gets you unlimited trips of up to one hour without any additional charges).LouVelo BAB Station
  • VANPOOL: Employees can get in on a vanpool, get your ride home guaranteed, or enter to win additional monthly prizes with Every Commute Counts.
  • SKIP THE COMMUTE: Work or study from home for maximum convenience, savings, and safety!

* NOTE: Though certainly better than driving, getting around via lazy, coal-powered electric scooters does not qualify for this Challenge. Skip the dirty electricity and use your muscles to qualify!

Explore all of UofL's Sustainable Transportation Options.

Step 3: Log your trips to win!
The only way to be in the running for prizes is to log your commute trips online with Cardinal Directions.

Connect with us, trash-talk, and post about your commute on Facebook here.

And be sure to join us for our weekly themed events to get you engaged in the Challenge! The schedule is:

  • Tuesday, Aug. 31st, 11am - HRtalks Wellness Workshop: Active TransportationCards Commuter Challenge 2021 Event Schedule
  • Tuesday, Sept. 7th & Wednesday, Sept. 8th, 1-3pm
    Join us at the SAC Clocktower for some free Bike Blender Smoothies and Bike Tune-ups!
  • Friday, Sept. 17th - Carpool Challenge
    We challenge you to find a carpool…to school, work, restaurants, movies, etc....on 9/17. Use hashtag #CardsCommuterChallenge to share your Carpool Karaoke moments!
  • Thursday, Sept. 23rd, 5pm - Historic Walking Tour (meet at Humanities Quad)
    UofL Archivist and local historian, Tom Owen, will provide an educational walking tour of Belknap Campus and Old Louisville. Come talk a walk with us and learn from a UofL staff member (and former Metro Council Chair) who continues to walk, bike, take the bus, and carpool everywhere he goes!
  • Hunter TurnbullWednesday, Sept. 29th, 5pm - Skating Night (meet at Blue Lot across from The Ville Grill at 3rd & Brandeis)
    Skateboard, rollerblade, or roller skate on over to the lot across from The Ville Grill for a fun night of skating together! We'll end the roll with ice cream at Comfy Cow!

FINAL RESULTS:

We are thrilled with our collective accomplishments: From Aug. 30 – Sept. 30, participants logged 1,094 trips on foot, bike, bus, or car/vanpool, covering 11,246 miles, preventing 8,137 pounds of carbon pollution, saving $5,505, & burning 101,600 calories.

2021 Cards Commuter Challenge Grand Prize Winner - Valeryia KukharskayaCongratulations go out to ULPD staff, Jessica Stivers, who logged the most trips (71 bus rides!) and to our Grand Prize $250 raffle winner: Valeryia Kukharskaya, a REACH student assistant from the Class of 2023, who logged 416 miles over 32 carpool commutes, preventing 169 pounds of carbon pollution.

Here are the final standings:

Rank Name Trips
1 Jessica Stivers 71
2 Jolisha Hines 66
3 Justin Mog 64
4 Tonja Craig 62
5 M. Ruth Dike 61
6 Rachel Singel 50
7 Sophia Anner 46
8 Laura Frost 46
9 Tara McKinley 44
10 Cathy Carter 44
11 Joanna Mroczkowska 42
12 Shirley Wu 42
13 Michael Purcell 40
14 Sonja Faul 40
15 Steffany Gayton 34
16 Elizabeth Riesser 34
17 Ryan Lloyd 34
18 Valeryia Kukharskaya 32
19 Alicia Fox 32
20 Chad White 32
21 Wyn Garfinkle Plymesser 25
22 Pat Smith 22
23 Tammy Green 18
24 David Hoetker 17
25 Nicholas Richter 16
26 Jim Warner 15
27 Avery Kolers 13
28 Victoria Levy 12
29 Ethan Johnson 8
30 Lenore Hoyt 6
31 Rachel Roberts 6
32 Darla Samuelsen 4
33 Jill Wegenast 4
34 Chelsea Giovacchino 4
35 Amber Willetts 2
36 Kathy Moore 2
37 Jelayna Williams 2
38 Sean Roth Roth 2
Aug. 27, 2021 EcoReps Lunch & Learn Workshop: Student Leadership for Sustainability
Friday, August 27th, Noon-1:00pm, Ekstrom Library 254
(watch recording)
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
EcoReps T-shirtJoin us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability and a free vegetarian lunch! We'll kick off our fall series with a panel of student leaders from around campus. Together, we will facilitate a conversation about student priorities and perspectives for improving campus sustainability and how students can collaborate to advocate for and organize around these priorities.
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. This fall, we continue our series of workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. All are welcome. Facebook Event.
Aug. 24-26, 2021

Take the Cards Go Green Pledge!Student Involvement Fairs
Tuesday-Thursday, Aug. 24th-26th, 11am-1pm, Red Barn plaza
Sustainability only happens when students GET INVOLVED! So come explore the many sustainability-related student organizations and campus groups at UofL while enjoying some free food! Stop by the UofL Sustainability table on Tuesday or Thursday to find out how you can make a difference!

  • Take the Cards Go Green! Pledge and earn some green goodies!
  • Explore your sustainable transportation options and learn how you can win big in the Cards Commuter Challenge 2021!
  • Bring your bike for a free bike tune-up and learn how to use UofL's bike fixit stations!
More about the Fairs is available on Engage.
Aug. 19-22, 2021

Sustainability in Welcome Week 2021
Aug. 19th - 22nd, 2021
The UofL Sustainability Council will welcome new students to campus with a variety of events designed to engage your passion! Events include:

  • Salsa PartyThursday, Aug. 19
    Garden Commons Salsa Party
    3:00 - 4:00pm
    Garden Commons (southwest corner of Strickler Hall)
    Stop by UofL's organic, student-run Garden Commons to sample some of the delicious fresh produce we've grown together over the summer and discover how you can get involved and learn how to grow your own food right here on campus! Sponsored by the UofL Sustainability Council and the Office of Health Promotion.     Photos. Video.
  • Thursday, Aug. 19
    Cardinal Frenzy
    7:00 - 11:00pm
    BAB Quad
    Stop by the UofL Sustainability Council booth for some fun, engaging activities designed to inform and inspire your green living on campus! Bring your bike for a free bike tune-up! Photos.
  • Garden Commons raised bedFriday, Aug. 20
    Garden Commons Workday
    12pm-1pm
    Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
    All are welcome at our weekly group workdays in UofL's organic Garden Commons! Join us to learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we gather weekly to plant, weed, water, and harvest together. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram.
  • Lighten Your Load Free Stuff SwapFriday, Aug. 20
    Sustainability Shopping Spree!
    5:00 - 7:00pm on the SAC South Plaza
    The UofL Free Store and Cardinal Cupboard will be holding a pop-up shop where everything is FREE. These student-run services are available year-round to help keep useful stuff out of the landfill while lowering your bills. The Free Store is a place for free exchange of clothing, shoes, accessories, linens, kitchen & housewares, cleaning & school supplies, and much more. The Cardinal Cupboard is our on-campus food pantry offering both fresh and packaged foods whenever you need. Photos.
  • Saturday, Aug. 21 - S.O.U.L. Service Projects
    9:30am - 1:00pm, Meetup SAC Multipurpose Room
    By volunteering at SOUL, you’ll have the opportunity to help local community organizations that benefit the environment, nature, houseless populations, youth, and many more groups and communities. The Sustainability Council is offering on-campus volunteer sites for SOUL, including the Garden Commons and UofL Community Composting project, in addition to the many other community service projects! Get to know fellow students and UofL faculty and staff while exploring diversity on campus and in the Louisville community. Discover how to make the most of UofL service and leadership opportunities, then work alongside those you met to learn first-hand about the many facets of our “Possibility City.” Register to volunteer here.
  • Saturday, Aug. 21
    Sustainable Louisville Bike Tour    Welcome Week Sustainability Bike Tour
    2:00 – 4:00pm meet up outside the SRC. Photos.
    Take a fun afternoon bike ride with the Student Cycling Coalition and UofL Sustainability Council! Explore your new community through the lens of environmental stewardship and social justice. Don’t have a bike? Check one out from the SRC through UofL’s Bikeshare Program or take a spin on a LouVelo bike for the day. Check out our route here.
  • Sunday, Aug. 22
    UofL Community Composting Volunteer Day
    Every Sunday noon-2pm (250 E. Bloom St. just one block north of Cardinal Blvd. between Brook and Floyd Streets)UofL Community Composting
    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!
Aug. 18, 2021 HRtalks Wellness Workshop: Simple Steps to Going Green
Wednesday, Aug. 18th, 11am-noon, online - register here
Join Get Healthy Now to talk about Sustainability and Simple Steps to Going Green and earn points towards your $40 GHN monthly incentive! All faculty and staff are welcome. Register here. Video recording.
July 17, 2021 https://se-images.campuslabs.com/clink/images/53a62571-da63-495c-9137-b7dfafad4a376d7fbd8c-8bdf-48a4-92f5-87694e7793d5.png?preset=large-wPollinator Garden Workday
Saturday, July 17th, 8am-10am, west of Life Sciences
The UofL Botanical Society invites volunteers to join us for a workday at the Korfhage Native Plant Garden next to the Life Sciences building! Help us create an even more inviting habitat for pollinators on campus. Participants are encouraged to bring: plenty of water, a snack, gardening gloves, a hat, long pants, sunscreen. We will not hold the workday if it is raining, above 90 degrees F, or is otherwise hazardous conditions. Please RSVP here.
July 8, 2021

Film/Panel: The Race To Save The World
Thursday, July 8th, 5:15pm, online. Purchase $10 tickets here.

The Race to Save The World is a climate documentary with a uniquely optimistic approach. It follows passionate activists whose single-minded focus is the creation of a sustainable world for future generations. These climate warriors, ages 15 to 72, are in the trenches fighting for a livable future, regardless of the personal cost. Emmy award-winning filmmaker Joe Gantz brings an urgent and intimate portrait of the protests, arrests, courtroom drama, and family turmoil these activists endure as they push for change. The Race to Save The World is an energizing call-to-action that inspires viewers to quit waiting on the sidelines and start making their voices heard. This screening and panel discussion is being organized by Extinction Rebellion Kentucky, who act with peace and ferocious love in our hearts for these lands, for life. 

We hope you will watch with us at 5:15 p.m (Eastern Time) on July 8th for a virtual 'Watch Party' (but you are welcome to watch the film any time after purchase and before the panel), then join us for the live panel event immediately following at 7 p.m.

About our panel: Bringing a local perspective to the strategic conversation on how to run The Race, is Louisville's own Justin Mog. Dr. Justin Mog has served since 2009 as the University of Louisville’s Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives. He earned his B.S. in Environmental Studies & Geology from Oberlin College (OH) and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Land Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Institute for Environmental Studies. Justin was a Fulbright scholar to the Philippines in 2001, where he did his dissertation research on developing and applying a framework for evaluating sustainable rural development programs. Before coming to Louisville, Justin served three years in Peace Corps - Paraguay where he and his wife worked with farm families and NGOs to promote sustainable rural prosperity. After 25 years working in community radio around the world, in 2017, Justin helped launch Louisville’s progressive, grassroots Forward Radio WFMP 106.5fm, where he can be heard hosting the weekly program Sustainability Now! He seeks an Earth restored and lives his life accordingly, as a car-free, TV-free, vegetarian, beekeeping, gardening, urban foraging Quaker with a fully solar-powered home.

The Race to Save The World has won best documentary at the Soho International Film Festival, and it also won best documentary at the Indian Cine Film Festival in Mumbai. It was accepted into the Paris International Film Festival and the Dumbo Film Festival (Dumbo as in Brooklyn). It was also accepted into the Cannes Independent Film Festival, the North Dakota Environmental Film Festival, and the London Eco Film Festival. 

Purchase $10 tickets here. After unlocking, you'll have 20 days to start watching. Once you begin, you'll have 20 days to finish watching the film. The July 8th at 7:00 pm EDT livestream can be viewed anytime until August 20th at 3:00 pm.
June 27, 2021 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/244e3726-196a-444d-96f7-f424c68bd2884442dc31-8056-4c48-b5d6-a6e73e8478ec.png?preset=large-wIdlewild Butterfly Farm garden workday
Sunday, June 27th, 8-10am, 1100 Logan St.
The UofL Botanical Society welcomes all who love butterflies and want to keep our little friends happy and well during this summer time for a special workday. The Botanical Society will be providing a garden maintenance service to our local butterfly farm called the Idlewild Butterfly Farm. Known for their eastern black swallowtails and monarchs, our job is going to be ensuring the host plants are growing well and healthy and not growing to excessively. There are possible chances to learn about caterpillar farming as well, and many more things to learn! Things to bring: Light clothing (shorts and tees), Hats, Sunscreen, Water bottle, Light snack, and Garden gloves. RSVP on Engage.
June 26, 2021 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/771b468c-f187-4782-af3d-7007511a5ec15659ba49-f9a0-4679-b0de-1803644b33a1.png?preset=large-wScott's Gap Hike and Trash Cleanup
Saturday, June 26, from 10:00am–1:00pm
Jefferson Memorial Forest, Scotts Gap Trailhead, 13473 Scotts Gap Rd, Louisville
Join the UofL Botanical Society for a fantastic summer hike and trash cleanup! We will be tackling the Scotts Gap Shortcut Trail. Come prepared! You should bring: Plenty of water, hiking shoes/boots, bug spray, long pants, a hat, a snack or two, a camera, and field guides. We will be meeting in the parking lot by the trailhead marker at 10 o'clock. If you need a ride/carpool, email mrmcco07@louisville.edu. BoSo will provide you with bags and gloves for trash cleanup as we hike. RSVP on Engage.
June 21, 2021 Join the Conversation: Becoming Antiracist - Failure, Success & Survival
Monday, June 21st, 5-7pm, online
Moving beyond Conversations about racism and into antiracist action by building a shared understanding of what it means to be an antiracist and how to take appropriate action as individuals and collectively to foster a more equitable and inclusive community. Conversation topics are based on Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's Bestselling text, "How To Be an Antiracist". Reading is not required for participation. Panelists: President Neeli Bendapudi, Shauntrice Martin, Representative Attica Scott, Shameka L. Parrish-Wright. Sponsored the Office of Diversity Education & Inclusive Excellence, Office of the President, Senior Associate Vice President for Diversity & Equity, and Louisville Alumni. Register here.
June 21, 2021 The Taboo of Race: Color-blind Racism and the Violent BrainThe Taboo of Race: Color-blind Racism and the Violent Brain
Monday, June 21st, noon, online
Dr. Oliver Rollins is a sociologist who explores the ways race, racism, and other social processes of inequality impact the making and use of neuroscience. His book, Conviction: The Making and Unmaking of The Violent Brain (Stanford University Press, July 2021), traces the development of neuroimaging research on criminal behaviors, with special attention to the limits of this controversial brain model when dealing with aspects of social difference, power, and inequality. Currently, he is working on two new projects, one that examines the challenges, consequences, and promises of the neuroscience of implicit racial bias, and another that focuses on the politics of and potentials for social justice orientated mind and brain sciences. Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity & Equity and the Black Faculty/Staff Association. For more information and to register, RSVP to Diane Whitlock at dlwhit01@louisville.edu.
June 15, 2021 Learning Cafe: Juneteenth - The Cost of Independence. The history of what it really means to be free.
Tuesday, June 15th, noon-1pm, virtual - Register here.
Join us to learn the importance of Juneteenth and why we recognize it. Lamont Collins, founder of the Roots 101 African American History Museum located in downtown Louisville, will discuss Juneteenth, including its history and why it matters today. Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Equity and the Black Faculty/Staff Association. Register here.
June 14, 2021 Melissa Harris-PerryJuneteenth: A Long Time Coming
Monday, June 14th, noon, SAC Ballroom or online
The Office of the President and the Black Faculty/Staff Association present the inaugural Juneteenth lecture series "Juneteenth: A Long Time Coming" in virtual and in-person formats. The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Melissa Harris-Perry, the Maya Angelou presidential chair with Wake Forest University. Professor Ricky L. Jones, graduate director and chair, UofL department of Pan-African studies, and Brigitte Burpo, clinical assistant professor with the UofL department of health and sport sciences, will serve as co-moderators. Please register here.
June 12, 2021 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/64a8e95e-d182-43ca-90a2-3ed42225c92c6fbd3f11-ec06-404e-ac5b-45b352bc6885.png?preset=large-wPollinator Garden Workday
Saturday, June 12th, 10am-noon, west of Life Sciences
The UofL Botanical Society invites volunteers to join us for a workday at the Korfhage Native Plant Garden next to the Life Sciences building! Help us create an even more inviting habitat for pollinators on campus. Participants are encouraged to bring: plenty of water, a snack, gardening gloves, a hat, long pants, sunscreen. We will not hold the workday if it is raining, above 90 degrees F, or is otherwise hazardous conditions. Please RSVP here.
June 5, 2021 Central Park Improvement DayCentral Park Improvement Day
Saturday, June 5th, 8:30am-noon, Central Park
The Old Louisville Neighborhood Council and UofL Sustainability Council invite everyone to volunteer at the spring 2021 Central Park Improvement Day. Consider volunteering a few hours of your time to do light chores to clean up this historic Olmsted Park near campus and get ready for a variety of free summer events. Meet at the Visitors Center at 8:30 am for coffee and donuts and check-in. Councilman David James is providing a free barbecue lunch at noon for all the volunteers. Many thanks to Councilman James and our community partners Metro Parks and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy.
June 4, 2021

Serviceberry Foraging Workshop
Friday, June 4th, noon, Garden Commons (SW of Strickler Hall)
Serviceberry ForagingBring 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 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 them all! 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. Masks will be required and we’ll practice physical distancing to keep everyone safe. Facebook Event.

For inspiration, read Robin Wall Kimmerer's deeply insightful essay, The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance.

View Photos.
May 24, 2021 Becoming Anti-Racist: Color, White & Black
Monday, May 24th, 5pm, Zoom - Register here
Move beyond conversations about racism and into antiracist action by building a shared understanding of what it means to be an antiracist and how to take appropriate action as both individuals and collectively in order to foster a more equitable and inclusive community. Conversation topics are based on Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's Bestselling text, "How To Be an Antiracist". Reading is not required for participation. A collaborative effort between the Office of Diversity Education & Inclusive Excellence, Office of the President, Senior Associate Vice President for Diversity & Equity, and Louisville Alumni. Register here.
May 20, 2021 UofL Music Dean Teresa Reed: A Way Forward on Race
Thursday, May 20th at noon, hosted online by the Filson Historical Society
https://cdn.simpletix.com/db8cc0ac-093d-4ebb-ba8f-72d26215171a/shows/888/TeresaReedheadshot.jpgThis talk will explore the patterns and habits that often make race a difficult topic to discuss. Reading excerpts from her forthcoming book, You're Likely Not a Racist: Answers for Curious White People, Teresa Reed will share both data from research and insights from her own life experience. She will explore the paradigm that perpetuates racial tension and will argue for a new paradigm that can bring understanding, healing, and hope. She will also address some of the awkward, but honest questions about race that White people are often afraid to ask. The outcome of her talk will be the sense that there is a path forward for all who seek diversity, equity, inclusion, and understanding. Teresa Reed holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University, where she studied in Music Theory, Music History and Literature, and African American History. She spent twenty-five years at The University of Tulsa, serving there as Professor of Music, Director of the School of Music, Associate Dean, and Director of the African American Studies Certificate. She has authored three books, two of which have won national awards. She currently serves as Dean of the School of Music at the University of Louisville. Her fourth book, You're Likely Not a Racist: Answers for Curious White People, is forthcoming later this year. Register for free online.
May 1 - Sept. 30, 2021

Emily Coleman + new bike (2019 NBC winner)2021 National Bike Challenge
May 1st to September 30th, 2021
Saddle up and ride for Team UofL in the 2021 National Bike Challenge! Show your support for a healthy lifestyle and sustainable transportation. Register for the National Bike Challenge and Join Team UofL as an individual to compete against your peers. Simply log your trips by bicycle for fun, fitness, or transportation. Your miles and days cycled will qualify you for great prizes through Get Healthy Now, including the grand prize of a $400 voucher to a local bike shop, co-sponsored by UofL's Sustainability Council! The National Bike Challenge is open to everyone, however the Get Healthy Now competition is restricted to UofL employees, retirees, and their spouses/qualifying adults. Check out our online resources for UofL Bicyclists - with handy maps, videos, and tips for getting around town care-free and car-free!

FINAL RESULTS:

https://dgalywyr863hv.cloudfront.net/pictures/athletes/2182008/4395371/3/large.jpgTeam UofL had a blast and made an impact in the 2021 National Bike Challenge, co-sponsored by Get Healthy Now, and UofL's Sustainability Council.

Together, from May 1st through September 30th, we rode 36,689 miles on 2,333 rides, including 2,850 miles of bike commuting that prevented 1,831 pounds of carbon pollution.

Faculty Workgroup — Digital HumanitiesCongrats to our Grand Prize winner, DJ Biddle, Director of UofL's Center for GIS, who rode 2,655 miles over 109 rides (including 2 days of bike commuting) to earn a $400 voucher to a local bike shop!

Honorable mentions go to last year’s winner, Kamila Bujko, who has since left UofL, but logged 4,092 miles over 163 trips this year; and to our Top Bike Commuter, UofL’s Sustainability Coordinator, Justin Mog, who finished as the 7th Top Commuter in the nation with 1,677 miles of bike commuting over 123 days.

This year’s Challenge may have ended, but it is never too late to pick up some healthy, sustainable two-wheeling habits! Check out our online resources for UofL Bicyclists - with handy maps, videos, and tips for getting around town car-free and care-free!

FINAL TEAM UofL RESULTS:

Top Riders (Most Miles)

Name

Miles

Trips

1st

Kamila Bujko

4,092

163

2nd

DJ Biddle

2,655

109

3rd

Juan David Tabares

2,603

90

4th

Yoshi Saito

2,342

86

5th

Robin Houze

2,104

32

6th

Justin Mog

1,913

141

7th

Joseph Turner

1,736

126

8th

Taylor Smith

1,566

61

9th

Jason White

1,057

42

10th

Katlyn McGraw

1,053

39

11th

Michael Taylor

949

46

12th

Jason Naylor

864

87

13th

Melissa Miller

784

102

14th

Kendall Soule

771

30

15th

Mikus Abolins-Abols

496

33

16th

Ryan Lloyd

390

52

17th

Elijah Humble

377

75

18th

Johnny Wise

367

18

19th

Mike Marquette

362

20

20th

Rachel Singel

324

73

21st

Whitney Theis

170

20

22nd

Allison Smith

166

16

23rd

Heather Turner

106

4

24th

Benne Holwerda

93

46

25th

Kenny Conrow

92

4

26th

al futrell

60

14

27th

Shirley Wu

45

35

28th

Jared Koopman

40

3

29th

Elana Nance

40

1

30th

Natalie Harper

37

3

Top Riders (Most trips)Justin Mog

Name

Miles

Trips

1st

Kamila Bujko

4,092

163

2nd

Justin Mog

1,913

141

3rd

Joseph Turner

1,736

126

4th

DJ Biddle

2,655

109

5th

Melissa Miller

784

102

6th

Juan David Tabares

2,603

90

7th

Jason Naylor

864

87

8th

Yoshi Saito

2,342

86

9th

Elijah Humble

377

75

10th

Rachel Singel

324

73

11th

Taylor Smith

1,566

61

12th

Ryan Lloyd

390

52

13th

Michael Taylor

949

46

14th

Benne Holwerda

93

46

15th

Jason White

1,057

42

16th

Katlyn McGraw

1,053

39

17th

Shirley Wu

45

35

18th

Mikus Abolins-Abols

496

33

19th

Robin Houze

2,104

32

20th

Kendall Soule

771

30

21st

Mike Marquette

362

20

22nd

Whitney Theis

170

20

23rd

Johnny Wise

367

18

24th

Allison Smith

166

16

25th

al futrell

60

14

26th

Amanda James

14

9

27th

Heather Turner

106

4

28th

Kenny Conrow

92

4

29th

Jared Koopman

40

3

30th

Natalie Harper

37

3

Top Commuters (Most days riding to work)

Name

Miles

Days

1st

Justin Mog

1,677

123

2nd

Rachel Singel

320

67

3rd

Shirley Wu

45

25

4th

Ryan Lloyd

95

17

5th

Jason Naylor

81

17

6th

Elijah Humble

28

8

7th

Whitney Theis

36

7

8th

Melissa Miller

23

5

9th

Kamila Bujko

12

5

10th

Allison Smith

39

4

11th

al futrell

12

4

12th

Yoshi Saito

9.6

4

13th

Joseph Turner

18

3

14th

Benne Holwerda

4.0

3

15th

DJ Biddle

8.6

2

16th

Katlyn McGraw

1.4

1

Top Male Rider (Most Miles)

Name

Miles

Trips

1st

DJ Biddle

2,655

109

2nd

Juan David Tabares

2,603

90

3rd

Yoshi Saito

2,342

86

4th

Robin Houze

2,104

32

5th

Justin Mog

1,913

141

6th

Joseph Turner

1,736

126

7th

Taylor Smith

1,566

61

8th

Jason White

1,057

42

9th

Michael Taylor

949

46

10th

Jason Naylor

864

87

11th

Mikus Abolins-Abols

496

33

12th

Ryan Lloyd

390

52

13th

Elijah Humble

377

75

14th

Johnny Wise

367

18

15th

Mike Marquette

362

20

16th

Benne Holwerda

93

46

17th

al futrell

60

14

18th

Jared Koopman

40

3

19th

John Vonhandorf

17

2

20th

Tim Followell

16

3

Top Female Rider (Most Miles)

Name

Miles

Trips

1st

Kamila Bujko

4,092

163

2nd

Katlyn McGraw

1,053

39

3rd

Melissa Miller

784

102

4th

Kendall Soule

771

30

5th

Rachel Singel

324

73

6th

Whitney Theis

170

20

7th

Allison Smith

166

16

8th

Heather Turner

106

4

9th

Shirley Wu

45

35

10th

Elana Nance

40

1

11th

Natalie Harper

37

3

12th

Amanda James

14

9

Top Male New Rider

Name

Miles

Trips

1st

Benne Holwerda

93

46

Top Female New Rider

Name

Miles

Trips

1st

Shirley Wu

45

35

2nd

Amanda James

14

9


Love To Ride banner
Fridays, Apr. 30 - Aug. 20, 2021 Garden Commons Summer Workdays
Fridays, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
Garden Commons raised bedAll are welcome at our weekly group workdays in UofL's organic Garden Commons at the southwest corner of Strickler Hall, east of the Speed Art Museum Parking Garage, and across the walkway from the Biology Department's Korfhage Native Plant Garden! Join us to learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we'll gather together every Friday at noon throughout the summer (Apr. 30 - Aug. 20) to plant, weed, water, and harvest. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. Face masks and physical distancing required to keep everyone safe as we emerge from the pandemic. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
April 26, 2021 Joining the Conversation: Becoming Anti-Racist - Ethnicity, Culture, Behavior & Space
Monday, April 26th, 5:00 - 6:30pm, online - register here
Moving beyond conversations about racism and into anti-racist action requires building a shared understanding of what it means to be an anti-racist and how to take appropriate action as individuals and collectively to foster a more equitable and inclusive community. The conversation topics to be used during Monday’s event are based on Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's best-selling text, "How To Be an Antiracist," but reading is not required for participation.
Panelists: Karina Barillas, Minda Honey, Ramona Lindsey, Renesha Martin.
A collaborative effort between the Office of Diversity Education & Inclusive Excellence, Office of the President, Senior Associate Vice President for Diversity & Equity, and Louisville Alumni.
Register here.
April 22, 2021 Employee Success Center Learning Café: Five Ways You Can Live Green While Working Remote
Earth Day, Thursday, April 22nd, 11am, virtual - Register here.
GO Self Assessment Tool - Facilities & ServicesThe Sustainability Council is partnering with the Employee Success Center to offer a free Learning Cafe training for all UofL staff who are interested in exploring how to "green" their work environments through sustainability practices that can save money, minimize our environmental footprint, empower people to take ownership of space, and build community. If you've always wondered what you can do to live more lightly on the Earth and to center social, economic, and environmental stewardship in your day-to-day work, then this is for you! Join us on Earth Day 2021 to support sustainability and explore “living green” in these 5 domains: food, transportation, conservation, zero waste, and closing the loop. Bring your burning questions! This training will be facilitated by UofL's Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives, Dr. Justin Mog, UofL EcoReps Director, Dr. Brian Barnes, and Delphi Center Sr. Associate Director, Dr. Patty Payette. Register here.
April 17, 2021 UofL students, faculty & staff participated in the Old Louisville Tree Planting 12-5-20Old Louisville Tree Planting
Saturday, April 17th (Rain Date: April 24th), 9am-noon
Meet up at Cochran Elementary School (1601 S 6th St)
The Old Louisville Neighborhood Council and the UofL Sustainability Council invite volunteers to help restore the urban canopy in our tree-borhood just north of Belknap Campus. We'll be planting 50-60 street trees (2" dbh) with our neighbors at locations scattered throughout the neighborhood. Planting sites: Gaulbert @6th, Hill @3rd, 6th @Magnolia, 6th @Park, Ormsby @2nd, Brook @Oak, Brook @Magnolia, and Burnett @Floyd.
Volunteers should report to the central check-in site at Cochran Elementary School to be assigned to small, physically distanced tree-planting teams. Donuts, coffee and light breakfast items will be available prior to 9am, when work will begin. A pizza lunch will be served for all volunteers after the trees are planted. All are welcome. Tools will be provided, but volunteers may also bring their own shovels and gloves. Masks and physical distancing required. In the case of rain, this event will be held on April 24th. Questions should be directed to Herb Fink 502-552-0399. Facebook Event.
April 16, 2021 UofL Maple SyrupEcoReps Workshop: Maple Tapping Pancake Party!
Friday, April 16th, Noon-1:00pm, Under tent on Humanities Quad
You can also join us virtually for the presentation: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! We'll wrap up the year on April 16th, with the return of our annual maple syrup harvest celebration after a winter of tapping UofL trees! Come enjoy some pancakes with our very own, hyper-local maple syrup while we talk trees and local sweetness with our community partner, Dave Barker.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepsEco-Reps logo 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. This spring, we continue our series of live workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. All are welcome. Facebook Event.
April 16, 2021 Sustainability Roundtable: Emergency Food Assistance Centers
Brighton Center | A Community of Support | Emergency AssistanceFriday, April 16th, 11am, online

Watch video recording

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 442 798 161#)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. To conclude our spring series, on April 16th, we will be in conversation with UofL Masters in Sustainability student, Sarah Becknell. Sarah will be completing her degree this year and she will be sharing with us her research on "Emergency Food Assistance Centers in Rural and Urban Communities in Kentucky." Sarah is a REACH Graduate Student Assistant at UofL and received her Bachelors' degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources from Berea College in 2018. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about efforts to address food insecurity throughout the Commonwealth.
No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. Facebook Event.
April 13, 2021
Grawemeyer Award Lecture: Global Environmental Governance
Tuesday, April 13th 1:00-2:30pm, Online - Register here.
The 2021 Grawemeyer Award winner for Ideas Improving World Order - Ken Conca, will give a talk on his award winning idea "An Unfinished Foundation: The United Nations and Global Environmental Governance." The UN must rethink its approach to environmental problems The United Nations can tackle global environmental challenges far more effectively by incorporating two overlooked parts of its mandate—human rights and peace—into its efforts. So says Ken Conca, an American University international relations professor who has won the 2021 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order for the ideas set forth his book “An Unfinished Foundation: The United Nations and Global Environmental Governance.” The U.N. has addressed environmental issues using legal and sustainable development approaches but also needs to pursue strategies linked to its role as a protector of human rights and peace, Conca says. The organization should declare a safe and healthy environment to be a basic human right, give its Security Council a well-defined role in safeguarding the environment, make sure its environmental initiatives are conflict-sensitive and seek environmental peacebuilding opportunities, he argues. “His book is a crucial first step in a conversation about how the U.N. can better address global environmental threats,” said Charles Ziegler, world order director. “He identifies a critical failure of a vital institution grappling with one of the most important issues facing humanity and suggests ways to overcome it.” Conca is a member of the U.N. Environment Programme’s Expert Advisory Group on Conflict and Peacebuilding and founded the Environmental Peacebuilding Working Group in Washington. He was a reviewer for the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and served on a scientific steering committee for the International Human Dimensions Program on Global Environmental Change. He has twice won the International Studies Association’s award for best international environmental affairs book. The U.N., formed in 1945 after the devastation of World War II, works to maintain international peace and security, prevent conflict, promote peace and create conditions in which peace can flourish. There will also be a Q&A with the winner after the talk. Register here.
April 9, 2021 UPA Rain BarrelRain Barrel Making Workshop
Friday, April 9th, noon, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
Join us in UofL's organic garden for a hands-on workshop in which you will learn how to make your own rainwater catchment system. Help us install a rain barrel on the tool shed at our new Garden Commons location, and learn more about water collection and sustainable irrigation methods! Lilias Petit-Scott from the Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District will be leading us in this informative workshop. Face masks and physical distancing required to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. RSVP on Facebook.
April 8, 2021 The Critical Connection Between Housing Security and Environmental Justice
Thursday, April 8th, 6pm, online - register here
https://metropolitanhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Cathy-Huhn-Headshot-2021.jpgThe Department of Sociology's Jon H. Rieger Speakers Series will feature Dr. Cathy Kuhn on April 8th. Dr. Kuhn joined the Metropolitan Housing Coalition as its Executive Director in the fall of 2020. She has been working in the homeless and housing field for over 20 years, serving as the Chief Strategy Officer at Families in Transition, a large homeless and housing provider in New Hampshire, as well as serving as the Director of the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding effective solutions to homelessness through research, education and advocacy.  Dr. Kuhn holds a PhD in sociology/urban studies from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in resource development.  Both her master’s thesis and dissertation were applied research projects aimed at enhancing delivery and outcomes of key federal housing programs.  From 1997-1999, Dr. Kuhn lived in Panama where she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching environmental education in primary schools. Currently, Dr. Kuhn is also an Adjunct Professor of Sociology, with experience teaching at numerous colleges and universities. Attendees are asked to register for the event here and will receive a confirmation email including information about joining the webinar.
April 7, 2021 http://www.uoflnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SolveClimate_Flyer-KENTUCKY-2021.jpgSolve Climate by 2030: Kentucky Climate Solutions Dialog
Wednesday, April 7th, 2-4pm, online - Register here
Will be livestreamed and posted afterward via YouTube
UofL's Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research is excited to host the Kentucky event as part of Solve Climate by 2030 - A Global Dialog on Green Recovery / Climate Solutions / Just Transition. On April 7th, university and high school students across the US and around the world will tune in to 100 coordinated university-hosted regional webinars from fifty different countries. How can ambitious state and local action put us on the way to solving climate change by 2030? Here in Kentucky, our panelists will include:
           1. Rebecca Goodman, Secretary, KY Energy and Environment Cabinet
           2. Steve Ricketts, Co-Owner & General Manager – Business Development, Solar Energy Solutions LLC
           3. Zachary Kuznar - Managing Director of Regulated Renewables, Duke Energy
           Moderators: Jacek Jasinski and Joshua Spurgeon, Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research
The schedule will be:
           2:00-3:00pm  Climate Solutions Webinar
           3:00-4:00pm  Panel Discussion
PLEASE REGISTER HERE to join the webinar live, or if you would like to be e-mailed a link to the recording. For more info, see the event webpage.Solve Climate by 2030
April 5, 2021 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/3d98378e-60a8-444b-9aa7-36327e8b2547bbb211e5-92e5-4dc7-b124-ef9955ebd73f.png?preset=large-wStory of Plastic
Monday, April 5th, 6pm, Microsoft Teams
Engage Lead Serve Board Green Initiatives is hosting this event to highlight the drastic impacts that plastic production has on communities around the U.S. that are shown in the documentary The Story of Plastic. We will also be talking about ways that we can help out make change that can truly be impactful and help build up community. Viewing the documentary is free and and a link will be sent to those who register for the event.
April 2, 2021 2021 sq 2.jpgSustainability Roundtable: Josh Miller, IDEAS xLab
Friday, April 2nd, 11am, online
WATCH VIDEO RECORDING
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 442 798 161#)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. On April 2nd, we will be in conversation with Josh Miller from IDEAS xLab which is a dynamic artist-run nonprofit based in Louisville - and working nationally - to champion inclusion and belonging through creativity, art, and action. Join us to learn about the collaboration-based projects they lead, and the workshops and keynotes they offer the community.
No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. Facebook Event.
March 31, 2021 Campus Tree Advisory Committee Spring 2021 Meeting
Wednesday, March 31st, 2:00-3:30pm
WATCH VIDEO RECORDING

Click here to join the meeting
Or call in 502-792-9582   (ID: 140 609 474#)
The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is open to all employees, students & community members interested in helping UofL protect & expand our tree population. We meet just once a semester. Facebook Event. The agenda includes:UofL Arbor Day 2016 Tree Planting

  • Updates: recent/impending tree plantings, removals and maintenance plans
  • Update on Campus Tree Inventory & UofL Tree App
  • Updates/Maintenance of Belknap Tree Tour – Fixing StoryMap? Plaque replacements?
  • Planning for UofL Arbor Day Celebration 2021
    - When? Shall we wait until Fall again? Perhaps Friday, Oct. 29th?
    - What? Shall we: Plant trees? Give away saplings? Offer fruit and tree-based smoothies? Other ideas?
    - Where? Belknap and HSC? Potential planting locations?
    - Who? Any volunteers to help out?
  • Tree-related Service Learning Projects
    - Recap: 2021 Maple-Tapping season
              EcoReps Workshop: Maple Tapping Pancake Party!
              Friday, April 16th, Noon-1:00pm, Under tent on Humanities Quad
    - All are encouraged to volunteer to help with these fall plantings in UofL’s Tree-borhood:
       - Old Louisville Tree Planting - Saturday 3/27 (rain date 4/3) and 4/17 (rain date 4/24), 9am-noon, meetup at St. Catherine & Garvin
    - Any 2021 classes on offer which are/could integrate tree-related service learning?
  • Other items? Contact the Chair, Justin Mog at justin.mog@louisville.edu
March 27, 2021 Nature Scavenger Hunt and T-Shirt Printing at Iroquois Park
Saturday, March 27th, 1-2pm, Iroquois Park Amphitheater (1080 Amphitheater Rd)
https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/c64d676b-01c8-42e4-a8f9-ede34806927cfb13cf5b-53b4-416a-b5ba-6d963fc0775c.png?preset=large-wJoin the UofL Botanical Society at Iroquois Park for a Scavenger Hunt! We will be making mandalas out of the pieces of nature that we find. And then we will be stamping some t-shirts with what we find!! It's going to be a great time to meet people and to get a free t-shirt! It is going to be totally fun, awesome, and will be a great introduction into spring. If you plan to attend this event, please RSVP on Engage so we can have an idea of how many t-shirts to purchase. We will be following all COVID-19 guidelines as outlined by the CDC and the University of Louisville. Masks must be worn at all times. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided to you.
March 27, 2021 UofL students, faculty & staff participated in the Old Louisville Tree Planting 12-5-20Old Louisville Tree Planting
Saturday, March 27th (Rain Date: April 3rd), 9am-noon
Meet at St. Catherine St. & Garvin Pl.
The Old Louisville Neighborhood Council and the UofL Sustainability Council invite volunteers to help restore the urban canopy in our tree-borhood just north of Belknap Campus. We'll be planting 50-60 street trees (2" dbh) with our neighbors at locations scattered throughout the neighborhood. Volunteers should report to the central check-in site at St. Catherine Street & Garvin Place to be assigned to small, physically distanced tree-planting teams. Donuts, coffee and light breakfast items will be available prior to 9am, when work will begin. A pizza lunch will be served for all volunteers after the trees are planted. All are welcome. Tools will be provided, but volunteers may also bring their own shovels and gloves. Masks and physical distancing required. In the case of rain, this event will be held on April 3rd. Questions should be directed to Herb Fink 502-552-0399. Facebook Event.
March 26, 2021 EcoReps Workshop: Resilience Justice
Friday, March 26th, Noon-1:00pm, online
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! Our featured speaker on March 26th will be Professor Tony Arnold, the Boehl Chair in Property and Land Use at the University of Louisville, where he teaches in the Brandeis School of Law and the Department of Urban and Public Affairs and directs the interdisciplinary Resilience Justice ProjectProfessor Tony Arnold and the five Resilience Justice Fellows hike at the Parklands at Floyds Fork on a retreat in summer 2018, while brainstorming about upcoming projects and sporting their Resilience Justice team tank tops.. Professor Arnold teaches and researches about social and environmental justice and governance at the intersection of land, water, and the environment. He has won numerous awards for teaching, mentoring students, and research, and has taught or researched at several universities, including Stanford, UCLA, Florida, Houston, and Puerto Rico. He is active in public policy and community service and has served on many government and nonprofit boards and commissions in Texas, California, and Kentucky, including community-based economic-justice and environmental-justice organizations in low-income communities of color.
Resilience justice is about the unequal vulnerabilities of low-income communities of color to many different kinds of shocks and changes, including climate change, economic and housing shocks, health crises, pollution releases, etc. Systemic racism, structural inequality, colonialism, and other embedded injustices create cross-system effects that undermine communities’ adaptive capacities. We will focus on one type of inequality affecting low-income neighborhoods of color: green and blue infrastructure, which includes parks and green spaces, trees and forests, clean or restored waterways, biotic stormwater controls, community gardens, and the like. Examples from Louisville, Tampa, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC will be discussed, as will policy and governance reforms.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepsEco-Reps logo 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. This spring, we continue our series of live, virtual workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. All are welcome. Facebook Event.
March 24, 2021 Meet the Professor - Dr. Cate Fosl "You Can’t Be Neutral: Institutionalizing Anne Braden's Anti-Racist Activist Legacy at the University of Louisville"
Wednesday, March 24th,  6pm, online -register here.
Cate Fosl is a Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and founding Director of the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research (ABI) in the UofL College of Arts & Sciences. She was the recipient of the 2020 Trustees Award and author of the Anne Braden biography, Subversive Southerner.
March 23, 2021 Ohio River Future Forecast: A View From University Students
Tuesday, March 23rd, noon, online - register here
The Ohio River Discussion Series will be featuring Architecture, Political Science and Engineering students from UofL and the University of Cincinnati who will share multidisciplinary projects highlighting the Ohio River. The students will also reflect on the future as envisioned in the Ohio River Basin Plan. If you would like to attend, please register here.

The Ohio River Discussion Series is an opportunity for communities to share their knowledge and passion for the Ohio River. This monthly series of webinars features topics in Clean Water, Ecosystem Restoration, Research, Education, Transportation, Flood Control and Recreation. The Series was created by the Ohio River Recreation Trail in 2020. In 2021, the Series was expanded with additional partners to provide additional content and support. The Partners include the Ohio River Recreational Trail, the Ohio River Basin Alliance, the Foundation for Ohio River Education, ORSANCO, and the National Park Service.
March 20, 2021 Graduate student volunteer garden tenders: Lindsay Nason, Nik Short and Matt Reid.UofL Native Plant Garden Expansion Workday
Saturday, March 20th, 9am-noon, west of Life Sciences
The UofL Botanical Society invites you to join us in helping maintain and expand the Biology Department's Korfhage Native Plant Garden. Volunteers will be working with Dr. Masters on expanding the pollinator garden and improving the overall growth of the plants inhabiting the garden! We need a lot of people for this since it is a big project to finish. So come all and enjoy getting your hands on dirt! RSVP on Engage.
March 19, 2021 Sustainability Roundtable: Louisville Grows
Friday, March 19th, 11am, online
WATCH VIDEO RECORDING
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 442 798 161#)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. On March 19th, we will be in conversation with Lisa Dettlinger, the Program Director at Louisville Grows, about their activities and programs. Louisville Grows is an environmental, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to Grow Greener, Healthier Neighborhoods. Their vision is to foster green, just and sustainable neighborhoods in Louisville. They seek to be a leading nonprofit in advocating for health equity through the environmental platforms of urban forestry and urban agriculture. Louisville Grows’ neighborhood-based urban forestry program focuses on rebuilding the urban tree canopy with a goal of planting 1000 trees each year. Their Urban Agriculture program is designed to build capacity in community gardens by providing technical assistance, education and infrastructure. Healthy House programs, workshops and classes center on healthy living, healthy eating, environmental education or environmental equity. They are dedicated to restoring the urban tree canopy and providing environmental education opportunities that will lead to ending health disparities in our community. No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. Facebook Event.
March 12, 2021

Pollinators + Beekeeping Workshop
Friday, March 12th, noon, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
Pollinators Workshop at Garden Commons (Apr 2017)Join us in UofL's organic garden for a workshop all about pollinators, specifically bees! Bees are an integral part of our ecosystem, especially within the garden. Without them, we wouldn't get the wonderful produce we cherish in our gardens and farms. We want to celebrate bees and the beautiful honey they make. We will be discussing how to make a garden more pollinator-friendly. Check out UofL Community Composting Project's new beekeeping setup and learn more about pollinators and urban beekeeping from the Kentuckiana Beekeepers Association! Face masks and physical distancing required to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. RSVP on Facebook.

WATCH VIDEO RECORDING.
March 12 & 16, 2021 White Nationalists' Attacks on Campus: What is the Role of White People in Dismantling Racism?
UofL Faculty & Staff: Friday, March 12th, 11am - Register here
UofL Students: Tuesday, March 16th, 4 pm - Register here
White people have a stake in understanding systemic racism in the past and present. Recent white nationalist recruitment on the UofL campus and the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 have a common theme, which this workshop will explore. Following a presentation by Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice (LSURJ), participants will break into small groups and create an action plan while engaging with UofL's Cardinal Principles and commitment to anti-racism. Presented by UofL's Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, and Student Government Association.
March 12, 2021 Engaged Scholarship Symposium
Friday, March 12th, 10am-2:30pm, online - Register here
The Annual Engaged Scholarship Symposium is an opportunity to network and share current research and teaching activities involving community partners and service to the community. Please join us for a half day of panel presentations, lightning talks, and recognition of UofL faculty receiving national awards in community-engaged scholarship.    
The opening Plenary Session will include recognition of:
    Faculty: Dr. Cate Fosl – Anne Braden Institute, College of Arts & Sciences
      The W. K. Kellogg Community Engagement Scholarship Award  2019 Recipient
        Community Partner: The Fairness Campaign
    Faculty: Dr. Dedra Hayden and Krista Roach – School of Nursing
      The W. K. Kellogg Community Engagement Scholarship Exemplary Award 2020 Recipient
        Community Partner: Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund
The 10:45am Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Darren E. Lund, Professor, University of Calgary on "Seeking Cultural Humility in Justice-Based Community Engagement." Dr. Lund’s talk will offer a timely reminder that this work of attending to difference is not simply about pursing harmony with our colleagues, students, and community partners. Bringing about social and institutional changes toward racial equity requires thoughtful advocacy and even some professional risk. Dr. Lund will offer specific insights and ideas from his three decades of work on social justice activism and human rights. He will address notions of privilege, and the need to attend to our own complex identities in community engaged work. His presentation will highlight research from a community-driven university education program that seeks to foster cultural humility in pre-service teachers. For over a decade, the award-winning Service Learning for Diversity Program has worked collaboratively with community agencies that serve diverse young people, including immigrant and refugee children, youth with disabilities, LGBTQ2+ youth, and Native/Indigenous youth. Participants can expect a lively talk that includes meaningful take-aways and resources for a range of settings, as well as some time for questions and answers. Event is free, but registration is required.
March 12, 2021 Brandeis School of Law and the Journal of Animal and Environmental Law 2021 Spring Symposium
Friday, March 12th, 9:00am-12:30pm, Microsoft Teams - Join Here
The UofL Brandeis School of Law's Journal of Animal and Environmental Law will be hosting their 5th Annual Spring Symposium on Friday, March 12. Everyone is invited to join us for this educational day featuring a variety of environmental and sustainability policy experts. The schedule will be as follows:
9:00am Welcome & Introduction
9:10am Louisville Metro Land Development Code Equity Review
          Emily Liu, AICP, Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services
9:50am Solar Energy Issues in Kentucky 2021, Net Metering Issues for. Rooftop Solar and Siting Issues in Utility-Scale Solar Arrays
          Tom FitzGerald, Kentucky Resources Council
10:30am The Link Between Animal Abuse and Crimes Against People
          Joye Keeley, Kentucky Link Coalition
11:10am Environmental Justice and Coal Bankruptcies in Eastern Kentucky
          Mary Cromer, Appalachian Citizens' Law Center
11:50am Sustainability and the Evolving Standard of Care for Design Professionals
          Jean Terry, Manion Stigger LLP
12:25pm Closing
No pre-registration is necessary. Join the symposium here
March 5, 2021

Seed Starting Workshop
Friday, March 5th, noon-1pm
Greenhouse at the garden behind Urban & Public Affairs (426 W. Bloom St.)
(NOTE: This event was rescheduled from 2/12 due to inclement weather / university closure)
Seed Starting at Garden Commons 2018Get 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 containers to take them home in, or help us start some seeds to be planted in our Campus Gardens. Face masks and physical distancing required to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. Facebook Event.

WATCH VIDEO RECORDING.
Feb. 27, 2021 Hike at Caperton Swamp
Saturday, February 27th, 10:30-11:30am, Caperton Swamp (3916 River Rd)
https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/09f900fc-db2f-416b-bb77-70653683bebf1377a693-3a2f-4a54-b530-95db6553779a.png?preset=large-wJoin the UofL Botanical Society for our first hike of the semester! It's been a crazy winter and we are really excited to get back out there! This hike is a change of scenery from our previous hikes. Caperton swamp is located just off River road on the corner of Indian Hills Trl. Spring is here and we are ready to go check out what mother nature has been saving up for! Come prepared! Wear comfortable, waterproof shoes, long pants, and dress for the weather. We will be out here rain or shine! RSVP on Engage.
Feb. 26, 2021 EcoReps Workshop: Urban Orchards & Foraging
Friday, February 26th, Noon-1:00pm, online
Register in advance for this meeting
http://www.louisvillelotsoffood.com/uploads/2/2/3/7/22371588/header_images/1434301706.jpgJoin us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! Our featured speaker on February 26th will be Amanda Fuller from Lots of Food urban orchard & market garden. She will provide a virtual fruits & nuts tour (and late winter foraging). Amanda established Lots of Food on 5 vacant lots in the Portland neighborhood in 2014, to demonstrate conservation practices, produce food for food-insecure neighborhoods, and plant Louisville's first & only almond & hazelnut orchard. It's nuts!! Amanda sells nuts, honey, and other products, and teaches foraging workshops. This presentation is a collaboration with the Urban Agriculture Coalition's Friday Virtual Chat series. Find out more and check out the Urban Ag calendar at the Urban Agriculture Coalition's website. You must register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepsEco-Reps logo 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. This spring, we continue our series of live, virtual workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. All are welcome. Facebook Event.
Feb. 24, 2021 Winter Sustainability Literature Club
Wednesday, Feb. 24th, 6pm, Microsoft Teams
Are you interested in plants, natural and holistic health, or learning more about the roots of medicine? Come join the discussion and learn about indigenous botany, plant wisdom, and scientific knowledge! The Engage Lead Serve Board (ELSB) Green Initiatives is sponsoring this winter book club for those interested in learning more about sustainability. The discussion and trivia game on February 24th will focus on the seminal text by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Those interested can RSVP here for a free winter care package, including a copy of the book, essential oil roll-on, and a candle made locally. Reading the book is not required to attend this event, and we welcome all students!
Feb. 23, 2021 11th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Conference
11th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Conference
Tuesday, February 23rd, 6-8pm, virtually on Microsoft Teams - Register here
The University of Louisville Women’s Center and Women 4 Women Student Board are raising awareness of human trafficking in Kentucky to educate students and the community and to take action to prevent it. The 11th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Conference will be held on Tuesday February 23rd 6-8pm virtually on Microsoft Teams. The program will be recorded and posted afterwards. The focus of this year’s conference will feature local anti-human trafficking efforts, what we can do as a community, and the impact of COVID on these efforts. Register here.

The conference agenda includes the following:

  • Survivor Speak Out
  • Human Trafficking Policies & Legislation – Teena Halbig, United Nations Association-USA – KY Division

Presentations from local anti-human trafficking organizations:

  • Amy Nace-Degonda, Catholic Charities of Louisville Bakhita Empowerment Initiative
  • Dr. Theresa Hayden, People Against the Trafficking of Human (PATH) Coalition of KY
  • Jennifer Beagle, Safe Passage
Feb. 23, 2021 The Black Wall Street Race Massacre, 100 Years Later: What Have We Learned?
Tuesday, February 23rd at 4pm-5:30pm, online - register here
Join us for a conversation with entrepreneur and author Clifton L. Taulbert as we look back at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre and destruction of Black Wall Street, and how its impact is still being felt today. Hosted by UofL alum OJ Oleka, this conversation is sure to be an enlightening look at a dark time in our country’s history. Clifton Taulbert "returns" to the Center for Free Enterprise Menard Family Lecture Series, having visited the university in person last February. He is an award-winning author of 14 books, an entrepreneur, business consultant, and international speaker. He is currently the President and CEO of Roots Java, a national coffee supply company wholly owned by African Americans.
OJ Oleka graduated from UofL's College of Business with a degree in marketing and a minor in political science. He went on to receive his MBA and PhD in leadership and higher education from Bellarmine University. He is currently president of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities. Last summer, as racial tensions were rising in Louisville and around the country, OJ and fellow UofL alum Terrance Sullivan founded AntiRacismKY, a bi-partisan coalition with the goal of eliminating systemic racism in the state through policy change.
This event is part of the Menard Family Lecture Series. It is free, but registration is required.
Feb. 19, 2021 Sustainability Roundtable: Zero Waste UofL
Friday, Feb. 19th, 11am, online - watch video recording
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 442 798 161#)
PLAN Atlas 2020 findingsPlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. On February 19th, we will highlight the work of UofL's 2020-21 Zero Waste Interns, Jacob Foushee & Lily Stewart, who have been researching UofL's solid waste stream through a fellowship with the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN). Together with PLAN staff, they produced a comprehensive Zero Waste Atlas Assessment designed to help assess and streamline campus systems for materials management. The assessment gave UofL an overall Zero Waste score of 58.2%(864.5 out of a total possible 1600.5 points). This compares very favorably to the other campuses PLAN works with, which average between 40-50%. For Scope 1 surplus property and hard-to-recycle materials, UofL scored a 63.4% (427.75 + 24 additional credits out of a total possible 712 points). For Scope 2 food waste and single-use materials, UofL scored a 53.9% (437 +42.25 additional credits out of a total possible 888.5 points). Jacob and Lily gathered the data that informed this assessment, laying the groundwork for the development of UofL's first Zero Waste Plan, which the Sustainability Council will begin to work on in 2021. Read the full PLAN Atlas Stage 1 Report here. No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. RSVP on Facebook.
Feb. 18, 2021 PS_tailor-scaled.jpgGrowing Leadership & Advocacy Workshop 2: Initiative to Limit Food Deserts
Thursday, Feb. 18th, 5:15pm-6:15pm, online - Register here
Grow502 is a project created by the University of Louisville School of Medicine's AMA Chapter with the goal of innovatively educating and empowering the Louisville community to be aware of the health disparities plaguing our city. Throughout February and March, Grow502 will collaborate with local leaders, stakeholders, and artists to paint the realities of Infant Mortality, Lead Poisoining, Substance Abuse & Mental Health, and Stroke & Diabetes.
This Growing Leadership & Advocacy Workshop 2: Initiative to Limit Food Deserts will offer students and community members the ability to develop effective advocacy skills. Participants will have the chance to practice reaching out to legislative members and advocating. In this session, we will be reaching out to members of metro council to support zoning restrictions that limit the density of businesses such as liquor stores and tobacco stores. Additionally, we will be advocating to Kroger Co. to fulfill the demands of Feed the West. This session will also feature a presentation by Dr. Mona Lisa Taylor, MD who is currently specializing in internal medicine and is the President of the Greater Louisville Medical Society. More information is available at Grow502.org and you can register here.
Feb. 11, 2021 All Eyes on Louisville
Spring 2021 WGST Social Justice Speaker Series
Anti-Racist Practices in Corporate Settings
Thursday, Feb. 11th, 6:30-7:30pm - Register here
How might emerging professionals put anti-racist principles into practice as they enter the workplace? Sydney Finley, Vice President of UofL's Black and Brown Honors Society, asks just that of Nikki Lanier, Senior Vice President and Regional Executive of the Louisville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and Victoria Russell, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Beam Suntory. Both Lanier and Russell have been selected as part of Louisville's "40 Under 40" and will speak from their personal lived experiences in corporate environments during this roundtable discussion. For more information, contact megan.poole@louisville.edu. Sponsored by The Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society, The Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, TWP Interest Group, Black and Brown Honors Society.
Feb. 10, 2021 Struggles for Racial and Environmental Justice in America's Prisons and Jails
Wednesday, Feb. 10th, 6pm, online - register here

David PellowThe Department of Sociology's Jon H. Rieger Speakers Series presents Dr. David Pellow. He is the Dehlsen Chair and Professor of Environmental Studies and Director of the Global Environmental Justice Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he teaches courses on social change movements, environmental justice, human-animal conflicts, sustainability, and social inequality. His teaching and research focus on ecological justice issues in the U.S. and globally. His books include: What is Critical Environmental Justice?; Total Liberation: The Power and Promise of Animal Rights and the Radical Earth Movement; The Slums of Aspen: Immigrants vs. the Environment in America’s Eden (with Lisa Sun-Hee Park); Resisting Global Toxics: Transnational Movements for Environmental Justice; The Silicon Valley of Dreams: Environmental Injustice, Immigrant Workers, and the High-Tech Global Economy (with Lisa Sun-Hee Park); and Garbage Wars: The Struggle for Environmental Justice in Chicago. He has served on the Boards of Directors for the Community Environmental Council, the Global Action Research Center, Greenpeace USA, International Rivers, and the Fund for Santa Barbara. Two of Dr. Pellow's articles relevant to his presentation include:  "Toward a Critical Environmental Justice Studies:  Black Lives Matter as an Environmental Justice Challenge" and "Struggles for Environmental Justice in US Prisons and Jails." Attendees are asked to register for the event here and will receive a confirmation email including information about joining the webinar. Event website.
Feb. 6, 2020 Sugar Shack Open House (Making Maple Syrup w/UofL Sap)
Saturday, Feb 6th, 1-6pm
Dave Barker's Urban Ducks Farm next to UofL's Shelby campus (9011 Old Whipps Mill Rd)
Maple Syrup Sap Boil 2018In what has become a delightful annual tradition, our amazing community partner in making maple syrup from UofL trees, Dave Barker, is again hosting an open house at his sugar shack as we boil this year's sap and celebrate another successful year of tapping into nature's sweetness. All are welcome to come observe and learn more about local maple syrup production right here in Louisville. Come see the process in action and sample the sweet goodness! Masks and physical distancing required. Facebook Event.
Feb. 5, 2021

Sustainability Roundtable: Sustainable Tap Water
Friday, Feb. 5th, 11am, online
WATCH VIDEO RECORDING
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 442 798 161#)
Employee Profile: Dr. Eric ZhuPlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. On February 5th, we will be in dialogue with Dr. Eric Zhu, Water Research & Development Manager at the publicly-owned Louisville Water Company. Dr. Zhu will be sharing some of the strategies used by LWC to maintain a safe, sustainable supply of tap water to hundreds of millions of customers throughout greater Louisville. Eric and his team ensure that the company stays on the forefront of water quality and treatment science. Examples of his recent and current research include:
    - Optimizing corrosion control treatment to ensure continued compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule
    - Investigating a new chemical treatment strategy for enhancing water quality at both of our treatment plants and for maintaining disinfectant residuals in the distribution system
    - Evaluating emerging contaminants and establishing a roadmap for addressing potential concerns in meeting future regulations and customer expectations
Dr. Zhu also collaborates with industry partners—including the EPA, the American Water Works Association, and the Water Research Foundation—to deal with critical water quality challenges. He plays a leading role in national research on risk-benefit assessment to help Louisville Water and the water industry find opportunities to reduce overall health risks in drinking water treatment.
No pre-registration is required. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.Facebook Event.
Jan. 31 - March 27, 2021

Ecolympics LogoEcolympics 2021
January 31st to March 27th
Two fun sustainability competitions to get you engaged in saving our one green planet! Facebook Event.

Post your sustainable actions and tag @UofLSustainable  or submit them through our online form to win a Cardinal-colored Danon Folding Bicycle, or one of eight fabulous weekly prize baskets!

Campus Race To Zero Waste! - January 31 - March 27, 2021
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.

  • Campus Race to Zero Waste logoREDUCE & RECYCLE! Help the Cards to victory by avoiding disposables (bring your own mug, bottle, plate, etc.) 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! We will be collecting food wastes for composting from The Ville Grill, SAC Marketplace, and other campus dining locations and adding those numbers to UofL's organics recycling totals! You can also compost your food scraps and soiled paper products in the compost bins at the Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall) and the Urban & Public Affairs Horticulture Zone. Please no animal/dairy products, but otherwise, if it came from a plant, we want to compost it: fruit & vegetable wastes/peels/rinds/seeds, bread, pasta, rice, tea bags, coffee grounds/filters, and all kinds of soiled paper products (tissues, towels, napkins, plates, cups, etc.).

Lockdown Drawdown! - February 5-25, 2021Participant Badge - 2021 Campus Race To Zero Waste
Live on campus? Win with conservation! Inspired by Project Drawdown, UofL residence halls will compete among each other to see who can reduce electricity use the most over three weeks. All you have to do is stop wasting energy! Turn off lights/TVs/computers; unplug anything you're not actively using; skip the elevator for the stairs; close windows tightly; dry clothes on a rack/line; take quick showers or shower with solar power at the SRC; etc.

  • Keep track of each hall's progress with 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:
  1. Bettie Johnson Hall
  2. Billy Minardi Hall
  3. Kurz Hall (real-time data!)
  4. Louisville Hall (real-time data!)
  5. Miller Hall
  6. Unitas Hall (real-time data!)
  7. University Tower Apartments (UTA)

Prizes:Ecolympics 2021 Grand Prize Folding Bike

  • Weekly prizes: At the end of each of the eight weeks of Ecolympics 2021, one person who has shared their sustainable action(s) will receive a curated gift basket on the following themes:
    - Green Thumb
    - Outdoors
    - Transportation
    - Cooking Local
    - Sustainable Home
    - Relaxation
    - Fair Trade Coffee
    - Social Justice
  • Grand Prize: One impressive Cardinal who takes the most sustainable actions during Ecolympics 2021 will win a Cardinal-colored Danon Folding Bicycle (or another bike of your preference)!
  • 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!
Jan. 29, 2021 EcoReps Workshop: Feed Louisville
Friday, January 29th, Noon-1:00pm, online
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Feed LouisvilleJoin us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! We'll kick off our spring series with the inspiring Rhona Bowles Kamar, co-founder of Feed Louisville. For over 20 years, Rhona has been creating healthy dishes at Ramsi’s Café on the World, her family’s restaurant in Louisville, KY. She also writes about food, teaches cooking classes and creates personalized menus for private clients.  She is also co-owner of the family’s Raising Hope Organic Farm and is a huge advocate for organic farming. She is the mother of three children. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Kentucky and is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She founded Prana, a wellness food + beverage company with a mission to bring vibrant, plant-centric food + zero-proof beverages to our community. Then the Cornavirus Pandemic hit and Rhona and a group of restaurant owners and volunteers began changing the way Louisville takes care of its food insecure population. Rhona’s original purpose for Prana is quickly evolving and becoming more than she ever imagined. She had always wanted Prana to give back to the community in some fashion, and now she has found a way to do it through Feed Louisville, a collaborative that’s serving hundreds of meals and evolving every day. And at the center of it is Rhona, living her passion and giving back to her community when they need it most.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepsEco-Reps logo 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. This spring, we continue our series of live, virtual workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. All are welcome. Facebook Event.
Jan. 22, 2021

Sustainability Roundtable: Brian Barnes
Friday, Jan. 22nd, 11am, online
Watch video recording
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 442 798 161#)
Brian Barnes managing UofL Food Waste Composting Program.Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. Brian Barnes will be launching the spring series on January 22nd with a conversation about engaging the community and using the campus as a living laboratory for applied sustainability learning and research. Dr. Barnes is a lecturer in Philosophy, Chair of the Engagement Committee of UofL’s Sustainability Council, and Director of UofL’s EcoReps Program and Community Composting Project. You won’t want to miss this dynamic conversation about the myriad possibilities for connecting campus and community to create a sustainability revolution right here in Louisville! No pre-registration is required.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minutes of open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. RSVP on Facebook.
Jan. 19, 2021 Pumping samples into containersWebinar: Surface Water Monitoring for COVID
Tuesday, Jan. 19th, 3pm-4pm, Zoom - Register here
The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute at UofL is hosting this webinar on surface water research and water monitoring. Made possible by the support of the Owsley Brown II Family Foundation and Newman's Own Foundation. Kentucky Waterways Alliance is monitoring two sections of Beargrass Creek for evidence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, because of their proximity to sewer overflow sites near Big Rock Park and Joe Creason Park in Louisville. During heavy rains sewer overflows occur when stormwater and wastewater combine and spill into local waterways. KWA, in partnership with UofL, is assessing if and how much viral material can be found in surface water and sediment near these sewer overflow sites. KWA and UofL's School of Urban and Public Affairs are leading Co-Immunity's Surface Water Study. The team includes UofL’s Masters in Sustainability Director, Dr. Tamara Sluss, and KWA intern, Cullen Hunter, who are testing surface water and sediment in Beargrass Creek for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Register here.
Jan. 15, 2021 Maple Tapping 2019Maple Tapping Workshop!
Friday, Jan. 15th, Noon, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
Join us in UofL's sustainable Garden Commons to learn about the process of tapping maple trees and making maple syrup. Our workshop leader, Dave Barker, has been tapping trees and making his own syrup in Louisville for years. He will give a brief, hands-on workshop on the process and then attendees will get to work with him as we install taps on our own maple trees around campus. Participants will have the opportunity to sign-up to volunteer to empty buckets as they fill throughout the coming weeks. Please dress warmly so we can work outside! Masks and practice physical distancing will be required in order to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. Facebook Event.
Fridays, Jan. 15 - Apr. 23, 2021 Garden Commons raised bedGarden Commons Spring Workdays
Fridays, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
All are welcome at our weekly group workdays in UofL's organic Garden Commons at the southwest corner of Strickler Hall, east of the Speed Art Museum Parking Garage, and across the walkway from  the Biology Department's Korfhage Native Plant Garden! Join us to learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we'll gather together every Friday at noon throughout the spring (Jan. 15 - Apr. 23) to plant, weed, water, and harvest. Special hands-on workshops will be held monthly: Maple Tapping (1/15); Seed Starting (2/12); Beekeeping (3/12); Rain Barrel Making (4/9); and Serviceberry Foraging (6/4). No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. Face masks and physical distancing required to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. 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. 12, 2021 Growing Mindfulness Initiative: Virtual Kickoff Event
Tuesday, Jan. 12th, 1pm-2pm, Register here
UofL Health Promotion, in partnership with the Employee Success Center in the Office of the President, will virtually kickoff of a new initiative called the Growing Mindfulness Initiative with special guests President Neeli Bendapudi and Owsley Brown, a filmmaker and thought leader whose family founded the university’s Envirome Institute. This initiative is a campus-wide collaborative effort built around the Cardinal Principles to cultivate a Community of Care through mindfulness. Participants of the kickoff event will learn and practice various mindfulness techniques that will help decrease stress and anxiety, improve concentration and compassion, and promote well-being! The kickoff is open to all UofL students, faculty and staff. Registration required here.
Every Sunday UofL Community CompostingUofL Community Composting Volunteer Day
Every Sunday, Noon-2pm
240 E. Bloom St. (one block north of Cardinal Blvd. between Brook & Floyd Streets - map here)
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.
Date Event
Dec. 5, 2020 Old Louisville Tree Planting
Saturday, Dec. 5th, 9am, Meet at 3rd Avenue Baptist Church (1726 S. 3rd St.)
The Old Louisville Neighborhood Council and the UofL Sustainability Council invite volunteers to help restore the urban canopy on the northern edge of UofL's Belknap Campus. We'll be planting 31 street trees (2" dbh) with our neighbors at two different locations. The closest to UofL will be along both sides of 3rd Street between Bloom and Hill Streets (just one block north of Cardinal Blvd). Volunteers should gather outside the 3rd Avenue Baptist Church (at 3rd & Bloom St.) to be assigned to small tree-planting teams. Donuts, coffee and light breakfast items will be available prior to 9am, when work will begin. A pizza lunch will be served for all volunteers after the trees are planted. Simultaneously, volunteers will also be planting trees further north and west in the Limerick neighborhood at a variety of spots between 7th & 2nd and Breckinridge & Ormsby. If preferred, volunteers may gather at 7th & St. Catherine to be assigned into teams for that area at 9am. All are welcome. Tools will be provided, but volunteers may also bring their own shovels and gloves. Masks and physical distancing required. Questions should be directed to Herb Fink 502-552-0399. Facebook Event.
Nov. 21, 2020 Pop-Up Drop-Off EventsPop-Up Drop-Off Recycling Event!
Saturday, Nov. 21st, 10am-2pm, UofL's Shelby Campus (440 N Whittington Parkway)
Louisville Metro will hold its last Pop-Up Drop-Off event of 2020 at UofL's Shelby Campus. Jefferson County residents can drop off any of the following for proper disposal, recycling, and composting:
  • 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)
  • Large household items (landfilled) 
  • Documents for shredding (recycled)
  • Prescription medication (disposed properly)
They will not accept: Batteries, light bulbs, oil-based paint, varnishes, stains, and other household hazardous waste (take to Haz Bin out by the airport at 7501 Grade Lane, open Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.). Full details online here.
Nov. 20, 2020 Seminar: Racial/Ethnic Inequalities in Health, Education, and Housing in Louisville and Beyond
Friday, Nov. 20th at 3pm, online - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting here
Decades of segregation and disinvestment in Louisville's black community are reflected in contemporary community and institutional patterns. Learn more at this Department of Geography seminar featuring Dr. Charlie Zhang, a professor of Geography & Geosciences, Dr. Matt Ruther, a professor of Urban & Public Affairs, and Dr. Margath Walker, a professor affiliated with both departments.
Nov. 20, 2020 Louisville Community GroceryEcoReps Workshop: Louisville Community Grocery
Friday, Nov. 20th at Noon
WATCH RECORDING.
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or dial in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! At our final fall workshop, we will learn about the Louisville Community Grocery and the ongoing movement for food justice in Louisville! Come learn how you can get involved as a member or volunteer to help open the first cooperatively-owned community grocery in Louisville in one of our urban core neighborhoods that has long-suffered from food apartheid and the lack of a full-service grocery store. This project nails all the key pillars of sustainability, with a plan to: 1) Improve wellness and social justice through fresh, healthy food access for neglected urban core communities; 2) Reduce the environmental impact of conventional, industrial food system by shortening the supply chain and bringing more organic, non-toxic, and environmentally responsible goods to Louisville consumers; and 3) Lay the foundations for a more sustainable, locally-controlled economy through cooperatives which build community wealth rather than extract it.
Our guest speaker will be Dr. Thomas Wayne Edison, an Associate Professor of Spanish in UofL's Department of Classical and Modern Languages. Thomas has lived in Mexico, Spain, and spent a great deal of time traveling and studying in Central and Latin America. He is an avid gardener and has been working on converting his childhood home, at 32nd and Garland in West Louisville, into a community garden to grow produce to reduce the level of hunger in the city. One of his passions is establishing a way for small scale farmers in West Louisville to be able to sell their produce at the Louisville Community Grocery. Dr. T. has been involved with LCG for a year and was recently nominated to be the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Louisville Community Grocery.
The Sustainability Council’s Eco-Reps logoEcoReps 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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person and virtual workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website. RSVP on Facebook.
Nov. 20, 2020 Sustainability Roundtable: Shauntrice Martin, Feed The West
Friday, Nov. 20th, 11am, online
WATCH RECORDING.
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 430 698 464#)
FeedTheWestPlease join us for our final fall Sustainability Roundtable, when our speaker will be Shauntrice Martin, the inspiring and amazing founder of the Feed The West initiative. #FeedTheWest is a community food justice initiative spearheaded by Shauntrice Martin and sponsored by Change Today, Change Tomorrow. This initiative brings fresh food and groceries to communities suffering from food apartheid in our urban core. It is on-going until the West End has a Black-Owned and sustainable fresh food source for our residents.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
RSVP on Facebook.
Nov. 19, 2020 All Eyes on Louisville: Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Fall Social Justice Speaker Series
No Peace: Exploring Breonna’s Law, Transformative Justice, and Defunding the Police
Thursday, Nov. 19th, 7pm-8:30pm, online - Register here.
What does it mean to defund police? What did Breonna's Law do? What is transformative justice and how can it help us understand what defunding the police looks like? Panelists:
  - Keturah Herring, ACLU, Breonna's Law
  - Attica Scott, State Representative
  - Ashanti Scott, U of L Student & Activist
  - Moderator: Sadiqa Reynolds, Director of the Louisville Urban League
All eyes must remain on Louisville until justice is won. The Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies invites you to a virtual series that celebrates the work that Louisville’s local leaders are doing on behalf of our collective freedom. This series is an opportunity for the campus community to learn from their vision and find out how to join in the struggles for justice for Breonna Taylor and for the Black, brown, and poor residents of our city. Let’s dialogue about how we can work towards liberation through education, art, cross-border solidarity, law reform, and restorative justice. Co-sponsors: Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society, Graduate Certificate in Diversity Literacy, Pan-African Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Women’s Center, and Pi Sigma Alpha. Please register as soon as possible to help us get a headcount and needs for translation services for ASL and Spanish.
Nov. 19, 2020 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/1565d0bf-c7e3-4d54-9248-f54caf8adb55711da121-16ca-40be-9e74-9d1ff935c459.png?preset=large-wEco-Hop
Thursday, Nov. 19th, 5pm, Join Event Online
Join ELSB Green Initiatives to learn about sustainable travel, ecotourism, and how to reduce your travel footprint! We are hosting a virtual panel discussion and trivia night, which also gives students the opportunity to win awesome prizes like bags & other travel accessories. If you are interested in studying abroad, volunteering abroad, or just traveling locally due to COVID-19, join the fun & get excited about EcoHop! RSVP on Engage.
Nov. 19, 2020 UofL GIS Day: GIS Applications for Woodland Restoration
Thursday, Nov. 19th, 11am, online - Register here.
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in at 502-792-9582  Phone Conference ID: 711 224 512#
To mark Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day 2020, UofL's Dept. of Geography & Geosciences will host a special seminar with Sarah Benton and Matt Spalding of Louisville's Olmsted Parks Conservancy. They will be presenting a brief history of the Olmsted Parks system, along with a deeper dive into the GIS-based applications OPC uses in their daily operations and ecological restoration projects. Olmsted Parks Conservancy is a non-profit organization that is focused on Louisville’s historic park system, designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Ecological restoration of urban woodlands within these parks has been a major focus of the OPC field crew, which uses GIS tools like ArcGIS Collector and Survey123 to monitor, map, and report on these natural areas. Join OPC Biological Technician Sarah Benton and Education Program Manager Matt Spalding for a discussion of the history of Louisville’s Olmsted Parks, and GIS applications for restoration projects.
Nov. 13, 2020 Garden Commons Workshop: Wreath Making
Friday, Nov. 13th, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)Garden Interns: Avalon Gupta VerWiebe & Ellie Miller
Get in the holiday spirit! Come learn how to make your own beautiful wreath using a variety of plant materials from campus and herbs from our garden. It's easier than you might think and you'll take home something beautiful and unique. This is the last in our fall series of Garden Workshops on Fridays at noon. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on our Facebook Page.
Nov. 12, 2020 All Eyes on Louisville: Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Fall Social Justice Speaker Series
All of Us or None of Us: Connecting the Dots Between BLM in Louisville and the Americas
Thursday, Nov. 12th, 7pm-8:30pm, online - Register here.
How do our struggles for social justice and freedom in Louisville intersect with and relate to social justice struggle throughout the hemisphere? This panel offers transnational approaches to activism and the movements for Black lives. Panelists:
  - Karen Moya, Adult Services Coordinator, Americana Center.
  - Sara Nuñez, Doctoral Student at U of L and former Director of the Cultural Center
  - T. Gonzales, Founder of Louisville Trans Man (TBD)
  - Moderator: Cara K. Snyder, Assistant Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, U of L
All eyes must remain on Louisville until justice is won. The Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies invites you to a virtual series that celebrates the work that Louisville’s local leaders are doing on behalf of our collective freedom. This series is an opportunity for the campus community to learn from their vision and find out how to join in the struggles for justice for Breonna Taylor and for the Black, brown, and poor residents of our city. Let’s dialogue about how we can work towards liberation through education, art, cross-border solidarity, law reform, and restorative justice. Co-sponsors: Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society, Graduate Certificate in Diversity Literacy, Pan-African Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Women’s Center, and Pi Sigma Alpha. Please register as soon as possible to help us get a headcount and needs for translation services for ASL and Spanish.
Nov. 12, 2020 Image may contain: text that says 'First ever virtual ABI RESEARCH MEETS ACTIVISM Panel ILLUMINATING THE INTERSECTIONS: REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE IS RACIAL JUSTIVE SisterSong defines Reproductive Justice as the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities. Panel to include: Damara Jenkins, CNM, UofL Erin Smith, KY Health Justice Network Kabira Yakini, Mama to Mama With closing commentary by Loretta Ross Nov. 12 from 9-10:30 AM Το REGISTER: http://bit.ly/AB1Panel Free and open to the public FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US AT Bradenistutesciajutic@gmail.com (502) 852-6142 ANNE BRADEN INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH'Illuminating the Intersections: Reproductive Justice is Racial Justice
Thursday, November 12th, 9-10:30am, online - Register here.
The UofL Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research invites you to their first-ever VIRTUAL Research Meets Activism Panel! This event is free and open to the public. SisterSong defines Reproductive Justice as the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities. This dynamic panel will include:
  • Damara Jenkins, Certified Nurse Midwife, UofL
  • Erin Smith, KY Health Justice Network
  • Kabira Yakini, Mama to Mama
  • With Closing statements by Loretta Ross, our 2020 Anne Braden Memorial Lecturer
Nov. 11, 2020 Calling In The Call Out Culture
Wednesday, Nov. 11th at 5:30pm, online - join here
The 14th annual Anne Braden Memorial Lecture will feature Loretta Ross, a Visiting Associate Professor at Smith College in the Program for the Study of Women and Gender. Dr. Ross teaches courses on white supremacy, reproductive justice, and calling in practices. She has spent more than forty-five years committed to antiracist and feminist activism, including founding the National Center for Human Rights Education. She started her career in activism and social change in the 1970s, working at the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, the National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Black Women’s Health Project, the Center for Democratic Renewal (National Anti-Klan Network), and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, among others. Her work with rape and trauma survivors in the 1970s helped launch the movement to end violence against women.
Her writing has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Washington Post, and elsewhere. Her most recent books are Reproductive Justice: An Introduction co-written with Rickie Solinger, and Radical Reproductive Justice: Foundations, Theory, Practice, Critique, both published in 2017. Her forthcoming book is Calling In the Calling Out Culture: Detoxing Our Movement, due out soon.
Dr. Ross’ work comes at a pivotal moment. After a summer of tragedy and unrest, many are returning to classrooms, faculty meetings, advisory boards, and neighborhood associations wondering what comes next. How can we create atmospheres where people press into the hard work of self-reflection and daily change-making? How do we end taboos surrounding speaking about racism and systems of injustice, challenging one another to do better while leaving room for inevitable mistakes?
She has trained educators and social justice advocates nationwide to conduct empathetic, forthright conversations confronting injustice. Her timely lecture helps us move from a necessary season of anger and protest into the daily grind of justice work. This will be the first-ever virtual Anne Braden Lecture. Watch here.
Nov. 11, 2020

Beyond Black History Month: Bringing Racial Justice Conversation Into Classrooms
Wednesday, Nov. 11th, 12:30-1:30pm, online - register here
Please join the Muhammad Ali Center for the next program in our “I Am America” Racial Justice series. In this program we will discuss ways to incorporate racial justice into school curriculum beyond just one month a year. Our panel will examine how teachers can create diverse, inclusive and equitable classrooms that go beyond merely acknowledging accomplishments of African Americans and people of color. Panelists include:

  • Ashleigh Hazley, Assistant Director from the University of Louisville’s Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice
  • Dr. Shelley Thomas, Assistant Department Chair and Associate Professor from the University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development
  • Cassandra Webb, Senior Associate of Strategy and Innovation for Cities United
  • Moderated by Enid Trucios-Haynes, Director of the University of Louisville’s Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice, and professor at the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law
Registration is required here.
Nov. 11, 2020 Building an Antiracist Society, One Conversation at a Time
Wednesday, Nov. 11th, noon, online - Register here
In this conversation, AntiRacism KY founders Terrance Sullivan '09, '12 and OJ Oleka '10 will lead a discussion on what it means to be antiracist and how we all have a part in creating a more antiracist society through a policy lens and bipartisan perspective. 
The conversation will be centered around the importance of establishing a dialogue and the perils of assumptions without context when discussing antiracism and what it means across lines of difference. This conversation will be challenging yet collaborative, as we all have a lot to learn from one another. 
Join us as we discuss this critical topic that, in the wake of the recent election, must remain at the forefront of our efforts. Register here
Nov. 10, 2020 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/0294044c-62ff-4981-a17a-ef15c402aac660c297f0-d160-412d-bbdb-946acb32a572.png?preset=large-wFood Apartheid
Tuesday, Nov. 10th, noon, Join Event Online
About 23.5 million people suffer from food apartheid, nearly half of them are also low-income. Join the Engage Lead Serve Board's (ELSB) Human Prosperity team for a panel discussion about food apartheid here in Louisville and across the country. Learn what you can do help and organizations to support! The purpose is to discuss and educate ourselves about food apartheid and the systemic lack of access to fresh and healthy food here in Louisville. We'll be highlighting the important distinction between the issue framing of the term "food deserts" versus "food apartheid." Attendees will also get to explore how we can make a difference through awareness, legislation, donating time/money, and working with organizations available on campus such as the Food Recovery Network - UofL Chapter, and the Cardinal Cupboard free campus food pantry in SAC W314. RSVP on Engage.
Nov. 9, 2020 Pumpkin Smash 2018PUMPKIN SMASH!!
Monday, Nov. 9th, noon, SAC Ramp
Don’t know what to do with your old pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns from Halloween? Don’t trash them! Turn them into stress-relief, worm food, and organic fertilizer! UofL is here to help you compost! Drop off your old pumpkins (and other plant-based fall decorations) in front of the Red Barn or at HSC's Kornhauser Plaza by the pumpkin composting sign any time from October 30th through noon on November 9th. At that time, all are invited to our annual Pumpkin Smash! Join us for composting fun and Post-Election stress relief! RSVP on Facebook.
Nov. 6, 2020 LaneBoldmanKCC.jpgSustainability Roundtable: Environmental Priorities affecting State Government
Friday, Nov. 6th, 11am, online - Watch video recording
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 430 698 464#)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. Our speaker on November 6th will be Lane Boldman, Executive Director of the Kentucky Conservation Committee, on the topic of "Environmental Priorities affecting State Government." Lane has been working on environmental advocacy issues in Kentucky and nationally since 1992 and has been with the Kentucky Conservation Committee since 2014. Lane is also currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Chapter of the US Green Building Council and the Lexington Corridors Commission (since 2016). Her background includes working as the Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator for the Kentucky Environmental Foundation, and as a leader in multiple positions for the Sierra Club. Lane has previously chaired the Cumberland (Kentucky) Chapter of the Sierra Club and held leadership roles in the areas of mining, forestry, wild lands, energy and communications for more than two decades. Lane has also served on the Sierra Club’s national Board of Directors, holding positions as Secretary, Vice President for Volunteer Leadership and Vice President for Visibility and Outreach. In addition Lane has led policy teams for the Sierra Club on Natural Gas Fracking, and as Chair for the Sierra Club’s Council of Sierra Club Leaders. Lane has also previously served on the board of Citizens Coal Council, working to empower citizens affected by the impacts of mining and coal,  the board of the US Green Building Council/Kentucky Market Leadership, and the board of the Kentucky Solar Energy Society.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Nov. 5, 2020 All Eyes on Louisville: Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Fall Social Justice Speaker Series
Imagining Our Way to Freedom: Art, Activism, and Worldmaking
Thursday, Nov. 5th, 7pm-8:30pm, online - Register here.
This panel discussion will focus on Black artists and Black Arts activism and how both have always been integral to social justice movements. Panelists:
  - Sidney Monroe Williams, Assistant Professor in the Department of Theater Arts, U of L
  - Hannah Drake, Louisville Poet & Activist
  - Ramona Lindsey, Louisville Visual Artist & Senior Program Officer at the Community Foundation of Louisville
  - Moderator: Nefertiti Burton, Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at U of L
All eyes must remain on Louisville until justice is won. The Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies invites you to a virtual series that celebrates the work that Louisville’s local leaders are doing on behalf of our collective freedom. This series is an opportunity for the campus community to learn from their vision and find out how to join in the struggles for justice for Breonna Taylor and for the Black, brown, and poor residents of our city. Let’s dialogue about how we can work towards liberation through education, art, cross-border solidarity, law reform, and restorative justice. Co-sponsors: Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society, Graduate Certificate in Diversity Literacy, Pan-African Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Women’s Center, and Pi Sigma Alpha. Please register as soon as possible to help us get a headcount and needs for translation services for ASL and Spanish.
Oct. 30, 2020

EcoReps Workshop: A Conversation with our Josh Smith Sustainability Awardee, Shane Tedder, UK's Sustainability Officer
Shane TedderFriday, Oct. 30th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210

Watch video recording here.

Virtual & In-Person for up to 10 attendees (first-come, first-served)
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or dial in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! This month, we'll be in conversation with the winner of UofL's 2020 Josh Smith Sustainability Award for a non-affiliated community member who has made significant contributions to UofL's sustainability initiatives! This year's award goes to D. Shane Tedder, M.S., who has served since 2009 as the University of Kentucky's first Campus Sustainability Officer and now also serves at the Assistant Director of the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment.
Throughout his time at UK, Shane has always been willing to set aside conventional UK-UofL rivalry in favor of a supportive and collaborative relationship. He has been passionate about, supportive of, and instrumental to the success of UofL’s sustainability initiatives. Over the last decade, Shane has been a lead organizer of annual statewide gatherings for higher education sustainability staff to exchange ideas, information, and inspiration. He has hosted numerous visits and tours for us to learn from the sustainability efforts underway on UK’s campus. He co-organized the 2018 Kentucky Bike Walk Summit in Lexington, which helped recharge our statewide efforts to advance bicycling and walking as a sustainable transportation option. Most recently, in 2020, Shane has been instrumental in helping UofL consider investing in a large-scale, off-site solar installation that would help us achieve our Climate Action Plan goals. He and his team at UK have given generously of their time and information to help UofL administrators understand the opportunities available in the Kentucky renewable energy market through virtual power purchase agreements. If there’s one person outside of UofL who we can always count on to offer assistance, sage advice, great ideas, and a good ol’ fashioned Kentucky Can-Do spirit to help our sustainability initiatives succeed, it is Shane Tedder. His kindness, selflessness, and eagerness to share have been a constant inspiration to us and we can think of no one else more worthy of our praise and gratitude.
The events of 2020 have given all of us a chance to pause, reflect, and develop our resolve to do and be better. For UK Sustainability this has involved a critical evaluation of how social justice is represented in their programs and supported through by their resources and initiatives. UK is shifting its understanding of the metaphor of the triple bottom line (people, prosperity and the planet) to one where social justice must be the foundation on which we build programs that balance the economy with the environment. Actively acknowledging, condemning, and dismantling unjust systems and redressing the harm they have caused has to come first in Shane's work.
The Sustainability Council’s Eco-Reps logoEcoReps 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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person and virtual workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210 and online. All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website. Facebook Event. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 29, 2020 All Eyes on Louisville: Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Fall Social Justice Speaker Series
Out of the Classroom and into the Streets: Activism & Education’s Relationship To/With One Another
Thursday, Oct. 29th, 7:00-8:30pm, online - Register here.
This panel discussion will focus on how education informs activism and vice versa. Panelists:
Remi Dior, U of L Student and Community Activist
Talesha Wilson, U of L Alum and Community Activist
Ahmad Washington, Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development, U of L
Moderator: Jaison Gardner, Community Activist and Podcaster
 
All eyes must remain on Louisville until justice is won. The Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies invites you to a virtual series that celebrates the work that Louisville’s local leaders are doing on behalf of our collective freedom. This series is an opportunity for the campus community to learn from their vision and find out how to join in the struggles for justice for Breonna Taylor and for the Black, brown, and poor residents of our city. Let’s dialogue about how we can work towards liberation through education, art, cross-border solidarity, law reform, and restorative justice. Co-sponsors: Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society, Graduate Certificate in Diversity Literacy, Pan-African Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Women’s Center, and Pi Sigma Alpha. Please register as soon as possible to help us get a headcount and needs for translation services for ASL and Spanish.
Oct. 28, 2020 Uploaded photo has no caption.Your Vote is Your Voice/Su Voto es Su Voz
Wednesday, Oct. 28th, 6-7:30pm, online here
Join ELSB's Vote Everywhere and The Cultural Center for a panel discussion about the impact of voting, as well as the importance of being civically engaged today as people from Black and Latinx communities. All are welcome to tune into the forum.

10/28/20 a las 6 p.m. ¡El enlace para unirse se puede encontrar en nuestra biografía!
Únase a Vote Everywhere y @uoflculturalctr para un panel de discusión sobre el impacto de la votación, así como la importancia de participar cívicamente hoy como personas de comunidades negras y latinas. ¡Todos son bienvenidos a participar en el foro!

RSVP and get more information on Engage. Follow this link to be added to our Microsoft Teams channel where the event will be taking place.
Oct. 28, 2020 Post-Landfill Action Network Movie Night: Plastic Wars
Wednesday, Oct. 28th, 6pm, online - register here
UofL is a proud member of the student-led Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN). This Fall, PLAN is hosting free Monthly Movement Movie Nights! PLAN will live-stream for you a different documentary each month, highlighting certain areas of environmental and social injustice. Afterwards, there will be a discussion led by a PLAN staff member and all of YOU! The October film is "Plastic Wars." Less than 10% of plastics produced have been recycled. The remaining 90+% ends up in landfills, incinerators, or worse of all as pollution in our environment. The Plastic Industry has faced serious scrutiny and now wants us to believe that they are working to fix the problem, but what are they really doing? Are plastic producing companies really trying to fix this problem they have created, or are they just trying to continue to tell us the same old story. Watch trailer. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 28, 2020 13th Annual Campus Sustainability Day Fair
Wednesday, Oct. 28th 10am-2pm, Humanities Quad
Campus Sustainability Day FairJoin us for the 13th annual celebration of all things sustainable at UofL and in our community! Learn what campus and community groups are doing to create a sustainable revolution. Sign-up to get involved and leave with some green freebies, great information, and a smile on your face! Facebook Event.
  • Take the Cards Go Green Pledge and earn an ethically-sourced reusable mug!
  • Learn about all of UofL's Transportation Alternatives, get a secure u-lock for your bike from SGA, and get hands-on, personalized guidance in how to use UofL's Bike Fix-It Stations! Bring your bike for a tune-up!
  • Shop and donate clothing, housewares, and all kinds of free stuff at our Pop-up UofL Free Store!
  • UofL Dining will offer free hot cider & the Louisville Community Grocery will host a pop-up pumpkin patch!
  • UofL Environmental Health & Safety will be collecting all kinds of lamps & batteries for recycling, including: Alkaline (A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt); Button-cell; Lithium; Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cad); Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH); Lead and Lead-acid; Carbon-zinc; and Mercury batteries.
  • Shred-It will offer free shredding and recycling of documents, videotapes, and computer diskettes from their truck in the circle in front of the College of Business 10am - 2pm.
If you'd like to host a sustainability-related booth or activity at the Campus Sustainability Day fair, please contact Henny Ransdell. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 27, 2020 Pop-up Free StorePop-up Free Store!
Tuesday, Oct. 27th, 10am-noon, Humanities Quad
Come for a free stuff swap on the Quad! The student-run UofL Free Store continues to search for a new permanent home in the heart of campus. As we await a new space to call home in 2021, we are bringing some of our current selection out onto the Quad for you to explore and take. Donations will also be accepted. The UofL Free Store is a space for the on-going free exchange of clean, durable items like clothing, shoes, electronics, small appliances, household items, bath & beauty supplies, books, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, and more. Donations can be made any time in the red bins at the base of the driveway just east of Unitas Tower, off Cardinal Blvd. The Free Store is temporarily located in Urban & Public Affairs Room 123b (426 W. Bloom St.). We are still accepting donations and folks are welcome to come shop our stuff by appointment. Just get in touch with us here.
Follow the Free Store on Facebook or Instagram. Check out the Facebook Event Page. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 24, 2020 UofL Citizen ForestersVolunteer Tree Planting with Louisville Grows
Saturday, Oct. 24th, 8am-Noon, Jeffersonville, Indiana
Registration required here
UofL students, employees, and alumni are encouraged to volunteer to help Louisville Grows fulfill its goal of planting 1000 trees this year! We will be gathering together in small groups to plant 110 new trees in three designated areas of central Jeffersonville. Over the years, these trees will grow and help to replenish a diminishing urban tree canopy in these neighborhoods thereby reducing the urban heat island effect, improving air quality, reducing stormwater runoff, and beautifying our streets. In recent years, Jeffersonville’s central neighborhoods have started seeing significant tree canopy loss as many of the trees that were planted when these neighborhoods were first built have reached the end of their natural life cycle. Numerous studies have shown that neighborhoods with fewer trees tend to lose value over time compared to those with many trees, so it is highly important that we are constantly replenishing our tree canopy in order to improve the health and value of these neighborhoods. The need for trees in our city is greater than ever! Louisville Grows is dedicated to continue working with neighborhoods to meet that need. For the first time, Louisville Grows will be planting trees in Indiana! We are partnering with the city of Jeffersonville to plant trees on the property of Indiana residents who live in areas with low tree canopy coverage. This is an exciting opportunity to broaden our scope in urban reforestation on both sides of the river. A limited number of volunteer slots are available to help with the planting. Because of COVID this won’t be the usual huge volunteer event. Instead, the COVID protocol includes: Masks or face shields are mandatory at all times; Temperatures will be taken; Hand sanitizer will be provided to each group; Groups will be capped at 8 participants; Registration will take place in a central outdoor location; Each group will be meet in one specific area of the location; Crowds will not be permitted to form;  No indoor activities; Breakfast and lunch will not be served. We encourage you to bring your own gloves, filled water bottles and hand sanitizer. And, if you feel sick on the day of the planting, do not attend. This tree planting is funded by the City of Jeffersonville, the Jeffersonville Urban Enterprise Zone and the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 24, 2020 Louisville Earth Walk 2020
Saturday, Oct. 24th
The UofL Sustainability Council has a Racing Group for the 2020 Louisville Earth Walk! It is easy and free to sign up to be a part of our team - just visit the UofL Sustainability Racing Group page and click “Join Group.” Donations are welcomed, but participation is free and you can chose to engage wherever and however is most convenient for you! The annual Louisville Earth Walk is going city-wide this year out of respect for everyone’s safety during COVID-19. So while we will not gather together in one place at one time on Saturday, October 24th, everyone is invited to participate - from everywhere. Gifts to Louisville Earth Walk directly support 11 distinct community-based organizations that share a vision where every neighborhood has safe and clean water, air, and soil. The Earth Walk benefits the West Jefferson County Community Task Force, Project Warm, Passionist Earth and Spirit Center, Louisville Sustainability Council, Louisville Grows, Louisville Climate Action Network, Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light, Kentucky Conservation Committee, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Greater Louisville Sierra Club, and Cultivating Connections. Collectively we work for comprehensive change that involves personal actions, effective policies, and the quest for environmental justice. We build skills, incubate new ideas, raise awareness, reduce energy consumption, plant trees, and engage citizens in responses to the climate crisis. This year there are two exciting registration options: Take a 5K Walk wherever you want or go Free Form and celebrate however you like from wherever you are at anytime on the 24th. Simply visit the UofL Sustainability Racing Group page to register, make a donation, or become a fundraiser. If you set up a fundraising page you can share it with friends, family and neighbors in emails, through texts and on social media using your own unique link, or via a Facebook Fundraiser. Whether you walk, donate, raise funds, or all three, we are excited to have you as part of the 2020 citywide Louisville Earth Walk on October 24th. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 23, 2020 Green Forests WorkSustainability Roundtable: Green Forests Work
Friday, Oct. 23rd, 11am-noon, online
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 430 698 464#)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtables on alternate Fridays throughout the fall. Our speaker on October 23rd will be Michael French, Director of Operations for Green Forests Work, a non-profit whose mission is to re-establish healthy and productive forests on formerly mined lands in Appalachia and beyond. GFW’s vision is to create a renewable and sustainable multi-use resource that will provide economic opportunities while enhancing the local and global environment. By converting reclaimed, non-native grasslands and shrublands into healthy, productive forestland, GFW is effectively addressing two needs of the region. Their reforestation projects provide jobs for equipment operators, nursery workers, and tree planters, and improve the environment by eradicating non-native species and restoring ecosystem services. With the help of partners and volunteers, this vision is quickly becoming a reality. Since 2009, they have planted more than 2.8 million trees on nearly 4,500 acres. Michael's talk is titled "Green Forests Work: Restoring Ecosystem Service and Creating Economic Opportunities on Surface Mined Lands across Appalachia."
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 23, 2020

UofL Arbor Day Celebration 2020
Friday, Oct. 23rd
10am, HSC at Abraham Flexner Way & Preston
11am, Online via Microsoft Teams
Noon, Humanities Quad (relocated)
Come help us restore Louisville's shrinking tree canopy. Join us for a celebration of UofL’s on-going commitment to trees and our status as a Tree Campus USA (for 10 years running!).

  • Students taking home free trees at UofL Arbor Day 2018Help us plant new trees on campus!
    10am at Abraham Flexner Way & Preston
    12:30pm meet at Humanities Quad (relocated)
  • At 11am, join us online for a tree-themed Sustainability Roundtable: Green Forests Work
  • A limited number of free native tree saplings will be available to plant in your yard or neighborhood! "Treecipients" can take home a dogwood, Kentucky coffeetree or Shumard oak (all like full sun and tolerate pollution and drought).
  • At HSC (10am-11am at Abraham Flexner Way & Preston), a Louisville Grows Citizen Forester will be on hand to explain best practices for tree planting, and you'll learn about The Nature Conservancy’s Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities App to increase awareness about tree stewardship and citizen science.
  • At Belknap (noon-1pm at Humanities Quad (relocated)), enjoy a 30 minute Garden Commons Workshop on Restoring our Urban Canopy while snacking on free local apples from UofL Dining!

Co-sponsored by UofL's Sustainability Council, HSC Green Team, UofL Dining, and UofL Office of Health Promotion. RSVP on Facebook. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 23-30, 2020 UofL Sustainability Week - Oct. 23-30, 2020
I Commit To... Campus Sustainability Day 2015A full week of events to celebrate, raise awareness, and engage your passions for environmental, social & economic justice! Upcoming events include:
Oct. 21, 2020 2020 Farm To Table MarketFarm To Table Market
Wednesday, Oct. 21st, 5-7pm, In front of the Houchens Building
Standard Ticket: $15 or 2 Meal Swipes
Cocktail Ticket $20 (for guests 21 and up)
Tickets available at any UofL Dining register or call 502-852-5211
UofL Dining & Health Promotion are cohosting this special event to help you reap the bounty of the harvest season and support local farmers! Enjoy grab n' go treats and samples with an Oktoberfest vibe. This occasion is a celebration of farmers, local food and most of all, our Cardinal community. Each of our executive chefs has carefully crafted a locally sourced dish inspired by quality seasonal ingredients and Kentucky style favorites. From Prayer Mountain Salads dictated by the season’s freshest field greens to decadent Kentucky Dessert Trios, our guests are in for a one of a kind Farm to Table experience nestled within our very own campus. Very limited seating is available and all menu items include carry out options to ensure safety. Tickets are available for $15 (or 2 meal swipes) at any UofL Dining register with cash, card or Flex Points. Phone orders can also be placed at 502-852-5211. For those guests 21 and older, cocktail tickets are available for an additional $5. Support our local Kentucky farms and join us for an evening of flavor, culinary arts and community.
Oct. 21, 2020 Debunking the Myth of Colorblindness: How White Allies can move from a Not Racist mindset to Anti-Racist Action
Wednesday, Oct. 21st, 5:00-6:30pm, online
Please join the Muhammad Ali Center for our next program in our ‘I Am America’ Racial Justice Virtual Program Series as we explore the myth of color blindness in America. Our panel will examine how the seemingly benevolent idea of not seeing race actually helps perpetuate racism in our society. Our panelists include:
  -  Dr. Cedric Powell from the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law
  -  Ryan Simpson, Program Director for The University of Louisville Health Science Campus’ Office for Diversity & Inclusion
  -  Moderated by Rashaad Abdur-Rahman, Executive Advisor for the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health
Register here.
Oct. 20-21

Raise Some L - Support UofL's Sustainability Initiatives!
Tuesday, Oct. 20th 6:02pm - Wednesday, Oct. 21st 11:59pm
A lot has changed in 200 years—our commitment hasn't. Since 1798, the Cardinal family has dreamed big, worked hard and made a lasting impact on our community, commonwealth, and beyond.

Beginning at 6:02 p.m. on Oct. 20th, for 1,798 minutes, Cardinals everywhere will come together to celebrate who we are and Raise Some L. This is a Cardinal call to action to all students, alumni, faculty, staff, and fans to do two simple things:

  1. Make a gift to the Green Fund for UofL and support our sustainability initiatives! Donate here. Use your smart phone or computer to make a gift of ANY amount.
  2. Spread the word. Share your good deed with friends that day on social media using #RaiseSomeL.

Raise Some LYour donations can help us realize this vision by supporting initiatives such as:

We invite you to learn more about our on-going UofL sustainability initiatives and to explore the many ways you can get involved and help us create a better world right here, right now.
Oct. 20-22, 2020 Sustainable Gems Scavenger Hunt (Oct. 2020)UofL Sustainable Gems Scavenger Hunt
Tuesday, Oct. 20th 11am - Thursday, Oct. 22nd 5pm, Belknap Campus
Join the Green Initiatives committee in a scavenger hunt around UofL's Belknap campus to find amazing sustainable features along with learning about the impact they have on the environment. The top three people in the scavenger hunt will receive a special prize, and anyone who registers and attends will also receive a prize.
To participate download the app GooseChase, make an account, and find the game: UofL Sustainable Gems. The password to the game is "gems" and it will remain open from 11am on October 20th through 5pm on October 22nd. RSVP on Engage.
Oct. 20, 2020 United Nations Day & UN Human Rights Day Program: Human Trafficking & Forever Chemicals (PFAS)
Tuesday, Oct. 20th, 10am-2:30pm, online
Join Zoom Meeting, Meeting ID: 399 100 4022, Passcode: 608512
Join by phone at 312-626-6799
In recognition of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and the 72nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Association (UNA) of the United States of America Kentucky Division invites you to a special digital program. The event will focus on UN Sustainable Development Goals #5: Gender Equality, and Goal #6: Clean Water & Sanitation. 
PROGRAM
10:00 A.M.  Moderator Teena Halbig: Welcome, Introductions of Sponsors, etc.
10:05 A.M.  Aaisha Hamid: Invocation + Young Professional Trailblazer Book Project  
10:15 A.M.  Bill Miller, journalist with globalconnectionstelevision.com: UNA-USA
10:20 A.M.  Governor JoAnn Heppermann, Rotary District 6710
10:25 A.M.  Governor James Glass, Rotary District 6740
10:30 A.M.  Dr. Gregory O. Hall: Gubernatorial Proclamation for UN Day
10:35 A.M.  Dr. Tricia Gray: Gubernatorial Proclamation for UN Human Rights Day
10:40 A.M.  Elected Official (invited): “Battling Human Trafficking in Kentucky”
10:55 A.M.  Councilwoman Barbara Sexton-Smith: “Human Trafficking Hotline”
11:00 A.M.  Allyson Taylor, JD, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Alcoholic Beverage Control, and former Executive Director of Kentucky's Office of Child Abuse and Human Trafficking Prevention and Prosecution. Keynote: “Kentucky Human Trafficking Law”
12:00 P.M.  Lunch break
12:15 P.M.  David James, Louisville Metro Council President: “Human Trafficking in Louisville”
12:20 P.M.  Tom Perez, Executive Director EPIK, Keynote: “Internet/Cyber Crimes; Reducing Demand and Human Trafficking”
1:20  P.M.  Satchel Walton, journalist, reporter, and author: “What’s in Louisville’s Drinking Water? Is it Time for Change?”
1:50  P.M. Teena Halbig, UofL B.S. and Certificate in Medical Technology, MT(ASCP), Microbiologist, Virologist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist, UofL Researcher (retired): “What is in Your Water? Forever chemicals/PFAS in Drinking Water & Health Impacts”
2:20  P.M.  Closing Remarks
Sponsors: UNA at UofL; UNA Women at UofL; UNA-USA Louisville Chapter; UNA-USA Frankfort Chapter; UNA-USA Bluegrass/Lexington Chapter; Rotary Districts 6710 & 6740; Sifa Ndusha; Kentucky Foundation for Women; Interfaith Paths to Peace; Teena Halbig; Frankfort Rotary Club; Floyds Fork Environmental Association; and American Association of University Women of Kentucky.
Oct. 14, 2020 The Economic Impact of Racism
Wednesday, Oct. 14th, 4:30-6pm, online - register here.
OJ Oleka and Terrance Sullivan are UofL alumni and long time friends who come from different backgrounds and have opposing political views. But they share a passion for social justice and a desire to eliminate systemic racism and subsequent economic disparity. They'll discuss how they plan to do it through their newly co-founded organization, AntiRacismKY. Join us for this timely and enlightening discussion. This event is part of the Fall 2020 Menard Family Lecture Series, and is presented by the Center for Free Enterprise in the College of Business.
Oct. 13, 2020 Because Black Lives Matter: A Roundtable Discussion about Policy and Law Changes Looking Ahead
Tuesday, Oct. 13th, 6pm, online - register here
Local lawmakers and attorneys will discuss the need for and the process involved in changing laws, policies and procedures in the justice system at this virtual forum. Sponsored by the Office of the Executive Vice President and University Provost, the virtual forum is free, but registration is required. Panelists will include Cassie Chambers Armstrong, visiting assistant professor of law and Louisville Metro Councilwoman; David James, president of Louisville Metro Council; Marc S. Murphy, commercial litigation and criminal defense attorney, Courier-Journal editorial cartoonist and UofL alumnus; and Ky. Rep. Attica Scott. Scott recently pre-filed a bill to establish “Breonna’s Law,” which would end no-knock warrants statewide, mandate drug and alcohol screenings for police after deadly incidents, and require body cameras to be worn and on while warrants are served. The legislation will be considered by the Kentucky General Assembly in January. Louisville Metro passed a similar ordinance in June. Brandeis School of Law Dean Colin Crawford will moderate the discussion.The forum is the third in a series of events exploring issues around racism and social justice. Previous sessions addressed current laws and how they affected potential prosecution of police officers in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor and police practices and justice strategies that disproportionately affect the Black community. Register here.
Oct. 8, 2020 Pride Keynote 2020Pride Keynote Address: The Fight for Black Lives
Thursday, Oct. 8th, 7pm, virtual - Register here
Join the University of Louisville Student Activities Board and LGBT Center for a virtual Pride Keynote featuring a panel discussion celebrating and amplifying local LGBTQ leaders in the Movement for Black Lives, including Phelix Crittenden, Hannah Drake, Keturah Herron and Talesha Wilson. Moderated by #TeamStrangeFruit, Dr. Kaila Story and Jaison Gardner.
Virtual Event Registration.
Oct. 7, 2020


You Can't Be Neutral: White Anti-Racism Past & Present
Wednesday, Oct. 7th, noon-1pm, online - register here.
This special online program is in partnership with the University of Louisville, Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research (ABI), Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice, & The Carl Braden Memorial Center. From the abolitionists to the Civil Rights Movement to so-called “color-blindness" to today's uprisings, a few whites have always joined Black and brown people in the struggle for racial justice. Too few, often marginalized or drowned out by white supremacist voices, white anti-racists are increasing in number in 2020. Through this timely and important discussion, our panelists will explore: What does it mean to choose sides in the battle for racial equity historically and today? What kind of culture and values will help white anti-racist spaces and numbers grow? And how is liberation for all of us tied to Black Liberation? Panelists include:

  • Carla Wallace: ABI Community Council Co-chair, LSURJ Co-founder, and Fairness Campaign Co-founder
  • Shameka Parrish-Wright: ABI Community Council co-chair and Director of Bail Project Louisville
  • Hannah White: University of Louisville Senior History and Spanish major whose research focuses on southern anti-racist organizing of the 1970s
  • Dr. Cate Fosl: ABI Director and Historian, Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Author of 'Subversive Southerner: Anne Braden and the Struggle for Racial Justice in the Cold War South'
Register here.
Oct. 7, 2020 Campus Tree Advisory Committee Fall 2020 Meeting
Wednesday, Oct. 7th, 11am-12:30pm, Microsoft Teams
Or dial-in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 414 005 579#)

The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is open to all employees, students & community members interested in helping UofL protect & expand our tree population. We meet just once a semester. The agenda includes:

  • UofL Arbor Day 2016 Tree PlantingUpdates: recent/impending tree RELOCATIONS!, plantings, removals and maintenance plans
  • Update on Campus Tree Inventory & UofL Tree App
  • Updates/Maintenance of Belknap Tree Tour
  • Planning for UofL Arbor Day Celebration 2020
  • Tree-relatedService Learning Projects
    - Planning for: 2021 Maple-Tapping season (Dave, Grace, Olivia, Alanis)
    - Any fall tree planting volunteer opportunities?
    - Any 2021 classes on offer which are/could integrate tree-related service learning?
  • Other items? Contact the Chair, Justin Mog at justin.mog@louisville.edu
Oct. 7, 2020 Focus on Equity: Examining how implicit and explicit bias impact our systems
Wednesday, Oct. 7th 10am-noon, virtual - Register here.
This interactive workshop will explore the science and research of implicit biases while examining how and where implicit and explicit biases creep into our systems. Participants will be exposed and asked to apply new strategies for practicing more conscious awareness individually and organizationally to mitigate bias. Facilitated by Ryan Simpson & Kiana Fields, Office of Diversity & Inclusion. Register here.
Oct. 2, 2020 Breonna Taylor Memorial Walk, Tree Plantings & Voter Registration
Friday, Oct. 2nd, 3:15pm-5pm
Departs from: University Pointe (Belknap) or HSC CTR (Hancock & Muhammad Ali)
UofL's Commission on Diversity and Racial Equity (CODRE) is organizing a peaceful walk to honor a life cut too short and to promote voter registration (and voting) before voter registration closes on October 5th. The schedule will be:

3:15 p.m. Gathering
3:30 p.m. Departure from both Belknap and HSC campuses  
and walking to join together at Spalding’s green space at W. Kentucky St. and S. 2nd St.
Planned activities to include:     

  • Planting of two trees one on each campus
  • Voter registration tables
  • Speakers at the green space at Spalding

MAP of Walk Route

Voter Registration form
Oct. 2, 2020 Sustainability Roundtable: Seizing the Day for Ohio River Restoration
Friday, Oct. 2nd, 10am-noon, online (pre-registration requested by Sept. 30th)
Join the Virtual Conference here.
Or Dial-in at 888-475-4499 (Meeting ID: 999 3210 4471. Password: 378873)
Kayaking in the Ohio River: photo by John NationIn collaboration with the Ohio River Basin 2020 Summit and Symposium, UofL's Sustainability Roundtable invites you to this very special online conversation to conclude the Summit, which is free and open to the public. Join staff from the National Wildlife Federation in an interactive discussion about a proposed science-based framework for ecosystem restoration that considers threats – including habitat loss, climate change, and others – to the Ohio River and its tributaries, impacts from those threats, and potential approaches to restoring the aquatic environment in the basin. We believe we have a historic opportunity to engage many diverse stakeholders in crafting a visionary ecosystem restoration plan for the Ohio River that leads to a strong restoration economy, supports people who have historically borne the brunt of pollution and environmental degradation – people of color, rural and low-income communities, and tribal nations – and benefits fish, wildlife, and many other species in the basin. Come prepared to offer ideas, energy, and insight. It’s going to take all of us to restore the Ohio River and the rivers, wetlands, and habitats in the 15-state region that contribute to a healthy and productive ecosystem. Working together, we can make a difference. So please join in the discussion and participate in the crafting of a visionary ecosystem restoration plan from Day 1. Register here by Sept. 30, 2020.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 2020 Fishing in Ohio River: photo by John NationOhio River Basin 2020 Summit
Wednesday, September 30th - Friday, October 2nd, 2020
University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
The Ohio River Basin Consortium for Research and Education (ORBCRE) and the Ohio River Basin Alliance (ORBA) Present: "Bridging Visions to Protect Our Health, Economy and Environment in the Ohio River Basin." Conference Topics Include: Invasive species, HABS, Land Use, Populations, Ecosystem Services and Economics, Nutrients, Policy, Citizen Science, Contaminants of Emerging Concerns, Connectance between Streams and Rivers, Anthropological and Archaeological Research, Outdoor Recreation and Therapeutic Effects, Scientific Communications, Ecosystem Restoration, Abandoned Mine Impacts, Ecological Economics, Invasive Species, Aquatic Biology, ArcGIS Applications, Drought Management, Environmental Policy, Flood Management, Food, Energy and Water Nexus, Geological Science, Hydrological Modeling, Social Hydrology, Stormwater Nutrient Removal and Mitigation, Stormwater BMPs, Watershed Management, Water Quality Impairment Studies, Water Resource Engineering and Management, Story-telling and Ethnography.
The Ohio River Basin Alliance (ORBA) will be hosting a series of implementation workshops for the Ohio River Basin Plan 2020 on Wednesday September 30th. The six workshops are based on the goals of the Ohio River Basin Plan:
•    Reliable Flood Control and Risk Reduction
•    River Transportation Corridor
•    Healthy, Productive Ecosystems
•    World-Class Recreation Opportunities
•    Abundant Clean Water
•    Knowledge-Informed Decisions
Full details and registration on conference website here.
Sept. 25, 2020 Women's Suffrage: The Untold Story of Black Women in Its History
Friday, Sept. 25th, noon-1:30pm, online - Join Conversation

This year marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote nationally. The story of the long battle too often excludes the role of Black women who played significant roles in the ratification efforts. Hosted by the Brandeis School of Law, this panel conversation gives a general overview of the suffrage movement both nationally and in Kentucky, and it reframes that history by telling the stories of some of the key “hidden figures” of the movement. It will connect that history to the voting rights activities of the 1960s and voting in 2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Moderator:

  • Rachel Platt, Director of Community Engagement at the Frazier History Museum

Panelists:

  • Margie Charasika, President, League of Women Voters of Louisville
  • Jermaine Fowler, Creator of Humanity Archive Educational website (working on history of Ida B. Wells and her role in suffrage)
  • Enid Trucios-Haynes, Professor, Brandeis School of Law
  • Marsha Weinstein, President, National Collaborative of Women’s History Sites (part of historical markers for Mary Britton and other Kentucky Suffragettes)

Fielding Questions:

  • Cherie Dawson-Edwards, Chair and Associate Professor, UofL Department of Criminal Justice

Co-sponsored by the Brandeis School of Law, Brandeis Law School Diversity Committee and Women’s Law Caucus, UofL Office of Community Engagement, UofL Office of Diversity, UofL Office of Advancement, UofL Women's Center, UofL American Association of University Women, UofL Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research
Sept. 25, 2020 EcoReps Workshop: Citizens Climate Lobby
Friday, Sept. 25th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
Virtual & In-Person for up to 10 attendees (seats are first-come, first-served)
Watch Video Recording here.
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or dial in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! Our guest for September 25th will be Ruth Ann Reteneller, a local organizer for the Louisville chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. CCL is a national organization dedicated to tackling our addiction to fossil fuels through the adoption of a carbon fee and dividend that would tax carbon at the point of extraction and return the revenue equitably to all citizens. H.R. 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, is a bipartisan, revenue neutral climate solution promoted by CCL. Many predict that if it becomes law, carbon emissions in the US will be reduced by 40% in 12 years and the economy will be improved through market stimulation. Come learn more about how this works, why it is urgent, how you can get involved, and what it's like to be a citizen lobbyist for sustainability.
The Sustainability Council’s Eco-Reps logoEcoReps 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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person and virtual workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website. Facebook Event Page.
Sept. 25, 2020 Sustainability Roundtable: Brent Fryrear, Partnership for a Green City
Friday, Sept. 25th at 11am, online

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 430 698 464#)
Student version of the environmental priPlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. Our speaker on September 25th will be Brent Fryrear, the Director of Louisville's unique Partnership for a Green City. This partnership was launched in August 2004 between Louisville Metro Government (which includes Louisville Metro-Department of Public Health and Wellness), Jefferson County Public Schools and the University of Louisville to protect the environment and improve overall quality of life in the community. Jefferson Community & Technical College joined the Partnership more recently. The Partnership has been described as “a model based on bottom-up collaboration, top-down support, stated goals and objectives and a focused plan of action.”  The process has convened peers from each public entity to share ideas and address problems. Peer pressure, rather than top-down decision-making, has produced significant changes in operating procedures within each partner. Over 150 employees participate on Partnership teams, which consult with external individuals or organizations to receive additional assistance. The objectives include environmental education, public health and environmental management. The partners collaborate on services and cost savings by leveraging their buying power on big-ticket items together and sharing information on environmental challenges. The partnership already has made significant strides toward meeting its goals:

  • Saving $8,000 a year in landfill disposal costs;
  • Increasing recycling efforts;
  • Identifying other cost savings through energy audits and management;
  • Attracting $880,000 in outside grants and contracts for local environmental projects;
  • Teaching environmental education to public school teachers and creating outdoor classrooms at six local schools; and
  • Creating a new joint position to improve the health of schoolchildren

The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Sept. 24, 2020 Maintaining Your Mental Health While Fighting for Social Justice
Thursday, Sept. 24th, 6pm, online - register here.

Whether through front line protests, social media, education, or the workplace, the current fight for social justice is powerful and never ending. It can also be draining, exhausting, and uncertain. Regardless of your role in the fight, it is important to maintain your mental health to continue the fight. Join us to hear from a stellar panel of black UofL alumni mental health practitioners, sharing their insights and tips for maintaining your mental health while fighting for social justice. We are excited to welcome as our panelists:
- Dericka Canada Cunningham, PhD
- DeShara Doub, MSSW, Marriage & Family Therapy Associate
- Steven Kniffley Jr., PsyD, MPA, ABPP
- Ashleigh Hazley, MEd will serve as our moderator
This will be a Q&A discussion, so submit your questions through the registration form, or bring them to the event.
Sept. 18, 2020 Garden Commons Workshop: Divest UofL & Just Transition
Friday, Sept. 18th, noon-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
Learn more about the divestment campaign at UofL and the framework for a just transition! Join our movement to divest from fossil fuels, prisons and policing, and the military-industrial complex; cut our contract with Aramark; and reinvest in supporting students and our communities.
Sept. 16, 2020 Anti-Racism, Justice and Safety: Compatible or Conflicting Concepts?
Wednesday, Sept. 16th, 5pm, online - register here.
As the investigation into the tragic death of Breonna Taylor at the hands of Louisville Metro police continues, citizens, organizations and public officials are raising questions about the laws and procedures that made such an incident possible. Are some of today’s laws racist? Can laws that were created decades ago be changed to ensure fairness and equal protection for all?
Those questions and others will be on the agenda for a forum titled “Anti-Racism, Justice and Safety: Compatible or Conflicting Concepts?” Scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 5 p.m., the program will include scholars and activists exploring police practice and other justice strategies that have a disproportionate negative impact on the Black community.
College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean David Owen will moderate the discussion. Panelists will include Cherie Dawson-Edwards, chair and associate professor of criminal justice; Aishia Brown, assistant professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences; and Keturah Herron, policy strategist, juvenile justice, American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU).
The event is free, but registration is required.
The forum is the second in a series of events being planned to explore issues around racism and social justice. The Provost’s Office is planning a session for later this month that will feature local and state policy leaders discussing plans to create a more socially just system of government in Louisville and throughout the commonwealth. That session and others will be featured on the UofL events calendar and on UofL Today.
Sept. 15, 2020 Local Greenery
Tuesday, September 15th, 12:15-2pm, Student Activities Center (SAC), Plaza
The Engage Lead Serve Board's Green Initiatives committee is presenting an event that highlights local organizations that are doing work in fields related to sustainability in the Louisville community. There will also be speakers from some of the organizations to go deeper in to their involvement and the unique opportunists they can provide. There will be two parts to the event - we'll start with an in-person tabling where you can take home prizes and that will be followed by a presentation on more information happening later in the evening. Come out have a great time, learn about service opportunities, and ways to stay involved.
Sept. 14, 2020 Incentivizing Sustainability Through Carbon Fees
Monday, Sept. 14th, 7pm, online - register here
The Louisville chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby invites you to a talk by UofL Economist Thomas Lambert on "Incentivizing Sustainability Through Carbon Fees."

Lambert will discuss the potential economic impacts of H.R. 763 the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, a bipartisan climate solution promoted by CCL. Many predict that If it becomes law, carbon emissions in the US will be reduced by 40% in 12 years. At the same time this revenue neutral bill with its market stimulating aspects will contribute to a better economy and healthier households in the US. Professor Lambert is in the economics department at UofL and has recently been assigned to their equine industry programs as an applied economist. Prior to UofL, he taught full time for Northern Kentucky University in their Master of Public Administration program for several years. Before that he was with the economics department at IU Southeast for many years. Professor Lambert has a MS in economics from UK and a PhD in urban and public affairs from UofL with a concentration in urban economics and economic development. More info about CCL and the bill is on the CCL website. Find Citizens' Climate Lobby Louisville on Facebook.
Sept. 12, 26, Oct. 10, 2020 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/4e5ce5be-2d80-4b81-afe7-a65dcc07f680622321b5-24b2-45a9-9acf-db05c65cb3b0.png?preset=large-wPollinator Garden Workdays
Saturdays, Sept. 12th, 26th & Oct. 10th, 8am-10am, Korfhage Native Plant Garden (west of Life Sciences)
The UofL Botanical Society invites you to join us for a workday at the Pollinator Garden next to the Life Sciences building! It's in need of some love. We will be following all COVID-19 guidelines as outlined by UofL and the CDC. Masks will be required. If you do not have one, one will be provided for you. Social distancing also required. Please bring plenty of water and gardening gloves. We also recommend a hat, light snack, long pants, and sunscreen. We will not have workdays if it is raining, above 90 degrees, less than 40 degrees, or under otherwise hazardous conditions. This event will take place every other Saturday from September 12 - October 10.
Sept. 11, 2020

Sustainability Roundtable: Soil Contaminants in a Louisville Urban Community Garden
UPA Horticulture Zone Ground-breaking 5-22-13Friday, Sept. 11th, 11am-noon, online
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 430 698 464#)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. Our speaker on September 11th will be Jessica Eggleston, a recent graduate of UofL's Interdisciplinary Master's in Sustainability program. She will be sharing her research on the effect of legacy contamination and influence of observed soil amendment in an urban community garden Louisville. The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.

Watch video recording here.
Sept. 8, 2020

https://img.evbuc.com/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.evbuc.com%2Fimages%2F109992793%2F440381759612%2F1%2Foriginal.20200831-143726?w=800&auto=format%2Ccompress&q=75&sharp=10&rect=0%2C0%2C1000%2C500&s=6d7bef4c5f0044a3379b516485e78389

We Can't Wait: Student Empowerment Through Activism
Tuesday, Sept. 8th 5-6pm, online
Pre-registration required here.
Don't miss this important panel discussion by three of UofL's Martin Luther King Scholars and social justice activists. They will talk about their experiences, their education, what's getting them up in the morning, what's keeping them up at night, and what they expect to change as a result of their work. Student Panelists, Martin Luther King Scholars:

  • Arii Lynton-Smith(they/them) - Majoring in Cultural Nonprofit Management (Liberal Studies)
  • Nicole Sparling (she/her) - Majoring in Biology and Spanish; Minoring in Social Change and Political Peacekeeping Certificate
  • David Echeverria (he/his) - Majoring in Political Science; Minoring in Social Change

Moderator: Cherie Dawson-Edwards, PhD - Department Chair, and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice

Institutions of higher learning are known as crucibles for social conflict and change. Although they are often at the forefront of progressive thought and action, they are also protectors of privilege and the status quo. The University of Louisville is no exception. Although educators often play a role in the fight for social change, historically, it’s the students who have created lasting change by forcing the hands of those in power. This year in Louisville has been like no other in recent history. The nation's and the world's eyes are on Louisville, Kentucky, as thousands of people unite in peaceful protests against ongoing racial injustice and state-sanctioned violence. The recent brutal killing of Breonna Taylor and other unarmed Black people by police has led to rallying cries across the globe of "Say Her Name" and "No Justice, No Peace." These demands for change are being led by young people like Nicole, Arii, and David.
Sept. 2, 2020 Social Justice Film Series: The Stake of Strides
Wednesday, Sept. 2nd, 10am-3pm, online
The Engage Lead Serve Board (ELSB) invites you to join us for this virtual film series showcasing some many different social justice concerns that become prevalent during the time of the Kentucky Derby. RSVP here.
Fridays, Aug. 28 - Nov. 20, 2020 Garden Commons workdayGarden Commons Fall Workdays
Fridays, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
All are welcome at our weekly group workdays in UofL's organic Garden Commons in its new location at the southwest corner of Strickler Hall, east of the Speed Art Museum Parking Garage, and across the walkway from  the Biology Department's Korfhage Native Plant Garden! Join us to learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we'll gather together every Friday at noon throughout the fall (Aug. 28 - Nov. 20) to harvest, weed, water, and plant. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. Please bring drinking water & bags to harvest into! Wear a mask and practice physical distancing to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram.
Aug. 28, 2020 Louisville Water Company - Crescent Hill ReservoirEcoReps Workshop: Louisville Water Company
Friday, Aug. 28th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
VIDEO RECORDING HERE
Virtual & In-Person for up to 10 attendees (seats are first-come, first-served)
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting, or dial in at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 135 251 995#)
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshops featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! Our guest speaker to kick off the new year will be Barbara Crow, a Strategic Communications Consultant for the Louisville Water Company. Barbara will share some of the many ways that Louisville's award-winning, publicly-owned Water Company is advancing sustainability in the provision of safe, healthy tap water to the citizens of Louisville!
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepEco-Reps logos 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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person and virtual workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website.
Aug. 28, 2020

Justin MogSustainability Roundtable: Envisioning UofL as a Living Laboratory of Sustainability
Friday, Aug. 28th, 11am, online
WATCH RECORDING HERE.
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Or join by phone at 502-792-9582 (Conference ID: 430 698 464#)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. To kick-off the series on Aug. 28th, our speaker will be Justin Mog, PhD, who has served as the University of Louisville's chief sustainability officer, as the Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives, since 2009. Dr. Mog will be providing an update on UofL's sustainability initiatives and sharing his transformative vision of creating a campus where our sustainability challenges become learning and research opportunities for students, faculty, and staff working in collaboration to reshape campus, cultures, behaviors, minds, and knowledge toward meeting peoples' needs now and in the future in a way that is just and equitable while maintaining ecological integrity in perpetuity. This is what sustainability truly demands of higher education. How can you contribute toward that vision?
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Aug. 21, 2020 Louisville Community Grocery Food Justice Workshop
Friday, Aug. 21st, noon-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
Louisville Community GroceryWe kick off our monthly Garden Commons Workshop series with our former Garden Intern, Avalon Gupta-Verwiebe, who joins us to talk about the Louisville Community Grocery and the ongoing movement for food justice in Louisville! Come learn how you can get involved as a member or volunteer to help open the first cooperatively-owned community grocery in Louisville in one of our urban core neighborhoods that has long-suffered from food apartheid and the lack of a full-service grocery store. Masks and physical distancing required!
Aug. 12-16, 2020

Sustainability in Welcome Week 2020
Aug. 12th - 16th, 2020
The UofL Sustainability Council will welcome new students to campus with a variety of events designed to engage your passion! Events will include:

  • Salsa PartyWednesday, Aug. 12 – Friday, Aug. 14
    Garden Commons Salsa Harvest
    3:00 - 3:45pm
    Garden Commons (southwest corner of Strickler Hall)
    Stop by UofL's organic, student-run Garden Commons to sample some of the delicious fresh produce we've grown together over the summer and learn how you can get involved and learn how to grow your own food right here on campus! Sponsored by the UofL Sustainability Council and the Office of Health Promotion.
  • Thursday, Aug. 15
    Garden Commons Workday
    12pm-1pm
    Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
    Join us for our weekly group workdays in UofL's organic Garden Commons in its new location at the southwest corner of Strickler Hall, east of the Speed Art Museum Parking Garage, and across the walkway from  the Biology Department's Korfhage Native Plant Garden! Come learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we'll gather together weekly to harvest, weed, water, and plant. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. Please bring drinking water & bags to harvest into! Wear a mask and practice physical distancing to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on our Facebook Page.
  • Welcome Week 2020Saturday, Aug. 15
    Cardinal Clues Scavenger Hunt
    3:30 - 6pm
    Come find the UofL Sustainability booth at the Garden Commons and you could win some fabulous prizes, including an ethically-sourced reusable UofL Sustainability mug!
  • Sunday, Aug. 16
    UofL Community Composting Volunteer Day
    Every Sunday noon-2pm (200 block of E. Bloom St. just one block north of Cardinal Blvd. between Brook and Floyd Streets)
    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!
  • Sunday, Aug. 16
    Louisville Sustainability Bike Tour    Welcome Week Sustainability Bike Tour
    3:00 – 5:00pm meet up outside the SRC
    Take a fun afternoon bike ride with the Student Cycling Coalition and UofL Sustainability Council! Explore your new community through the lens of environmental stewardship and social justice. Don’t have a bike? Check one out from the SRC through UofL’s Bikeshare Program or take a spin on a free LouVelo bike for the day. Check out our route here.
July 29, 2020 Cardinal Conversations: Racism as a Public Health Issue
Wednesday, July 29th, 1pm, Online - Register here
The University of Louisville School of Public Health & Information Sciences invites you to an insider’s discussion with UofL School of Public Health & Information Sciences associate dean, Dr. Monica Wendel and senior research associate, Trinidad Jackson, with Dean Craig Blakely as moderator, to discuss racism as a public health issue.  We will be taking questions from our alumni, grateful patients and friends. We hope you will join us for Cardinal Conversations. Register here.
July 28, 2020 Why You Should Start Reading Wendell Berry in 2020
Tuesday, July 28th, 6pm, online - register here
The University of Louisville invites you to join in a special online conversation led by Dr. Gary Gregg, Director of UofL’s non-partisan Center for Political Leadership, and GlyptusAnn Grider Jones, the Center’s coordinator, as we consider Wendell Berry's novel "Hannah Coulter." This is event is part of the Center's on-going virtual book club. Gregg and Jones will explore several themes in the novel, noting how Berry's long-standing concerns with the modern economy, the disruption of modern society to traditional economies, the production of food and living at a humane scale, are relevant to today's global pandemic. If you’re not familiar with Berry’s work or the vital impact this native Kentucky son has had on the movement for sustainability and living in right relationship with the earth and with each other, then this is the perfect excuse to bring yourself up to speed. It’s free. Simply register in advance online here.
Thursdays, July 16 - Aug. 13, 2020 Garden Commons Herb SpiralGarden Commons Summer Workdays
Thursdays, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons (SW corner of Strickler Hall)
We are relaunching our weekly group workdays in UofL's organic Garden Commons in its new location at the southwest corner of Strickler Hall, east of the Speed Art Museum Parking Garage, and across the walkway from  the Biology Department's Korfhage Native Plant Garden! Join us to learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we'll gather together every Thursday at noon throughout the remainder of the summer (July 16 - Aug. 13) to harvest, weed, water, and plant. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. Please bring drinking water & bags to harvest into! Wear a mask and practice physical distancing to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on our Facebook Page.
June 9, 2020 COVID-19 health disparities - the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African American communities
Tuesday, June 9th, 10-11am, online
At this week's COVID-19 info session, we welcome speakers Dr. V. Faye Jones and Vicki Hines-Martin, PhD., PMHCNBS, RN, for a discussion about the health disparities related to COVID-19 experienced by the African American community. We will explore the intersecting issues in our healthcare system and social structures that result in African Americans dying at a higher rate from COVID-19. The session will address this topic through the lens of systemic health disparities, cumulative inequality, and health equity.
June 1, 2020 Image may contain: one or more people, people standing, plant, outdoor and natureServiceberry Foraging Workshop
Monday, June 1st, noon, Garden Commons (new location at southwest corner of Strickler Hall, east of the Speed Art Museum Parking Garage)
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 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 them all! 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. Masks will be required and we’ll practice physical distancing to keep everyone safe. Facebook Event.
May 28, 2020 Why We Need 'Walden' Right Now
Thursday, May 28th, 6-7pm, online
John Kleber, PhD, professor emeritus of history from Morehead State University and editor of the popular "Kentucky Encyclopedia," will lead the first of three online book talks hosted by UofL this summer. Dr. Kleber will consider how Henry David Thoreau's "Walden, or Life in the Woods" speaks to the current global pandemic. The classic book is a reflection on living in simple surroundings, with themes of solitude, connecting with nature, individualism, social distancing and living with less. The event is free and will be held online via Zoom. Registration is required.
May 22, 2020 Human Trafficking and Exploitation Awareness Conference 2020: Addressing the Needs of the Queer Community
Friday, May 22nd, 8am-5pm, UofL Shelby Campus (440 N Whittington Pkwy)
People Against Trafficking Humans (PATH) Coalition of Kentucky is hosting its inaugural conference at UofL's Shelby Campus. Pre-registration for this free, educational, and interactive event is required through Eventbrite. We warmly invite community members, students, professionals, advocates, and service providers to join us as we engage in a day of learning, listening, and connecting around this important issue! Author, comedian, spoken word artist, and Human Trafficking Field Expert, K.D. Roche, will deliver the opening keynote address. Morning breakout sessions, led by Queer folk, Survivors of Human Trafficking, Allies, and Advocates offer engagement and learning opportunities for attendees. In the afternoon, Queer Survivors of trauma will participate in a public speak out, followed by a community discussion surrounding relevant issues related to risks of and occurrences of exploitation and human trafficking. Multiple organizations involved in the movement and anti-trafficking community have committed to participating in the conference and will be prepared to discuss their initiatives in serving the queer community. If you have questions, please email info@pathcoalitionofky.org
May 20-21, 2020 ACC Sports Sustainability Symposium
Wednesday, May 20th - Thursday, May 21st, free, online
UofL is taking part in the 2nd annual ACC Sports Sustainability Symposium, which has been moved online. All are welcome to participate in virtual sessions, tours, and discussions focused on how university athletics programs can drive environmental and social stewardship on campus and among fans.
Schedule: Wednesday, May 20
9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Opening Welcome & Coffee Chat
Tune in to hear Athletics leadership from around the conference talk about the connection between sustainability and athletics.
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Student Athlete Panel & Roundtable Discussion
Hear from student athletes on empowerment, influence and action and how student athletes can be leaders in sustainability.
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Fan Engagement on Game Day and Every Day
Join a brainstorming session that connects the ‘how’ of best practices around engaging fans in sustainability on game day and every day.
4 p.m. Happy Hour Chat

Schedule: Thursday, May 21
9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Successful Sponsorships & Partnerships
With the goal of one actionable follow-up, join a conversation around the how and what of sustainability sponsorships and translating campus sustainability to athletic sponsorship.
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Investing in Operations and Relationships
Exploring how to optimize sports sustainability through successful relationship building between sustainability staff and athletics operations staff.
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. ACC Together: How to Scale Sustainability 1 Year In
Come prepared to discuss incorporating sustainability into one of the main initiatives brought on by the ACC Conference. How do we unify all our efforts into the larger conversation around sports and sustainability?
Register here.
May 1 to Sept. 30, 2020 2020 National Bike Challenge
May 1st to September 30th, 2020
Saddle up and ride for team UofL in the 2020 National Bike Challenge! Show your support for a healthy lifestyle and sustainable transportation. Register for the National Bike Challenge and Join Team UofL as an individual to compete against your peers. Your miles and days cycled will qualify employees for great prizes through Get Healthy Now, including the grand prize of a $400 voucher to a local bike shop, co-sponsored by UofL's Sustainability Council! The National Bike Challenge is open to everyone, however the Get Healthy Now competition is restricted to UofL employees, retirees, and their spouses/qualifying adults. Check out our online resources for UofL Bicyclists - with handy maps, videos, and tips for getting around town care-free and car-free!Love To Ride banner
April 17, 2020 Take RootVirtual EcoReps Workshop: Kentucky Health Justice Network
Friday, April 17th, noon-1pm, ONLINE
Join online meeting here. (or dial-in: +1-571-392-7650 PIN: 464 522 5916)
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! We'll wrap up the year on April 17th with a focus on reproductive justice and our special guest, Meg Stern from the Kentucky Health Justice Network. KHJN supports Kentuckians towards achieving autonomy in our lives and justice for our communities. They advocate, educate, and provide direct services to ensure all Kentucky communities and individuals have power, access, and resources to be healthy and have agency over our lives. KHJN is currently planning to host the Take Root: Red State Reproductive Justice conference at UofL in the fall. Meg Stern is the Support Fund Director for KHJN. She started volunteering in abortion access in Kentucky almost 20 years ago. As a Louisville native, Meg has a strong background in grassroots organizing with Louisville Clinic Escorts, The Fairness Campaign, and Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice. Meg's professional background is in Food Service, Childcare, and Project Facilitation.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepsEco-Reps logo 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. This spring, we continue our series of workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. More info on EcoReps website.
March 27, 2020

Major air pollutants are trending downwardVIRTUAL: EcoReps Workshop: Air Pollution Control District
Friday, March 27th at Noon, ONLINE
View Recording here.
Join us for our monthly EcoReps workshop featuring locals making a difference in sustainability! Our March 27th training will feature representatives from Metro Louisville's Air Pollution Control District (APCD). The APCD enforces the Clean Air Act and other laws and regulations that make the air clean and safe in Louisville/Jefferson County. They also work with the community on policies and programs that lead to a healthier and more sustainable city. Come find out what they are up to and how you can get involved in improving air quality in Louisville!

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. This spring, we continue our series of workshops each month on last Fridays at noon. All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website.

March 26, 2020

Image may contain: 1 person, textONLINE: Shackles, Separation, and the Stigma: Reproductive Justice Behind Bars
Thursday, March 26th, 4-5:30pm
Join the Zoom meeting here.
Or call-in at 502-792-9582, Conference ID: 241 670 825#
UofL's Social Change Lecture series continues with Amy Ard of Motherhood Beyond Bars.
This event is brought to you buy Peace, Conflict, and Social Justice at UofL, as well as UofL's Ann Braden Institute for Social Justice Research.
NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this event will be held LIVE via Microsoft Teams. It is free and open to the public.

RSVP on Facebook.
March 23, 2020 Campus Tree Advisory Committee Spring 2020 Meeting
Monday, March 23rd, 1:30-3pm, ONLINE

Tree Campus USA - 2011 Tree PlantingJoin Zoom Meeting here (Meeting ID: 638 244 3200)
The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is open to all employees, students & community members interested in helping UofL protect & expand our tree population. We meet just once a semester. The agenda includes:

  • Updates: recent/impending tree RELOCATIONS!, plantings, removals and maintenance plans
  • Update on Campus Tree Inventory & UofL Tree App
  • Updates/Maintenance of Belknap Tree Tour
  • Plan for UofL Arbor Day Celebration 2020
  • Tree-relatedService Learning Projects
    - Recap: 2020 Maple-Tapping season
    - All are encouraged to volunteer to help with these fall plantings in UofL’s Tree-borhood:
    - Old Louisville Tree Plantings - Saturday, 3/21, 9am-noon, Ormsby & Garvin; Saturday 4/4, 9am-noon, W. Ormsby from 5th to 7th Street
    - Louisville Grows’ California Neighborhood Tree Planting - Saturday, Date TBD, 8am-4pm, California Community Center, 1600 St Catherine St
    - Louisville Grows’/UofL Green Heart Tree Planting - Saturday, 5/16, 8am-4pm, Southside Baptist Church, 804 Camden Ave
    - Any 2020 classes on offer which are/could integrate tree-related service learning?
  • Other items? Contact the Chair, Justin Mog at justin.mog@louisville.edu
March 5, 2020 Louisville’s Urban Heat Island: More Than Just Hot Air
Thursday, March 5th, noon, University Club & Alumni Center
Cost: $15/person and $10/student includes lunch, RSVP required to Janna Tajibaeva, 852-2247, janna@louisville.edu
Meet the Professor: Jason Naylor. Over the past decade, Louisville’s urban heat island has received significant local and national attention. Several studies have identified Louisville as having one of the fastest growing heat islands in the country. While many residents realize that Louisville is warmer than the surrounding rural areas, the impact of the city extends far beyond temperature. Jason Naylor, Professor of Geography and Geosciences Department, will discuss the impact Louisville has on local rainfall, thunderstorms, and even severe weather events.
Feb. 28, 2020 EcoReps Lunch & Learn: Extinction Rebellion Kentucky
Friday, Feb. 28th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
Extinction Rebellion KYJoin us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshop featuring a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability! Our February 28th training will focus on Direct Action for Sustainability with representatives from Extinction Rebellion Kentucky! XR is a global people's movement that has gained lots of attention from dramatic, non-violent public actions to raise awareness and draw attention to the need for urgent action against ecological destruction. The US movement has declared a non-violent rebellion against the US government for its criminal inaction on the ecological crisis. XR US demands:
1. That the Government must tell the truth about the climate and wider ecological emergency, it must reverse all policies not in alignment with that position and must work alongside the media to communicate the urgency for change including what individuals, communities and businesses need to do.
2. The Government must enact legally-binding policies to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025 and take further action to remove the excess of atmospheric greenhouse gases. It must cooperate internationally so that the global economy runs on no more than half a planet’s worth of resources per year.
3. We do not trust our Government to make the bold, swift and long-term changes necessary to achieve these changes and we do not intend to hand further power to our politicians. Instead we demand a Citizens’ Assembly to oversee the changes, as we rise from the wreckage, creating a democracy fit for purpose.
4. We demand a just transition that prioritizes the most vulnerable people and indigenous sovereignty; establishes reparations and remediation led by and for Black people, Indigenous people, people of color and poor communities for years of environmental injustice, establishes legal rights for ecosystems to thrive and regenerate in perpetuity, and repairs the effects of ongoing ecocide to prevent extinction of human and all species, in order to maintain a livable, just planet for all.
The Kentucky chapter of Extinction Rebellion has been active in mobilizing people across the state and right here in Louisville to non-violently resist the fossil fuel industry, corporate greed, and government inaction. Come learn about the movement and how to use non-violent direct action to drive change for sustainability.

The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepEco-Reps logos 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. This spring, we continue our series of in-person workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. Join us for lunch and bring your reusable plate, utensils, and cup to minimize waste! All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website.
Feb. 28, 2020 Sustainability Roundtable: Urban Agriculture using High Tunnels in Louisville
Friday, Feb. 28th, 11am, Urban Studies room 200 (426 W. Bloom St.)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. On Feb. 28th, our speaker will be Lilias Pettit-Scott, Urban Agriculture Conservationist at Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District and member of the Urban Agriculture Coalition. One of Lilias' passions is season-extension and year-round growing. She'll share some of the latest about using high tunnels for producing food in both urban and rural settings.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Feb. 26, 2020 Film & Panel: The Beecher Terrace Story
Wednesday, Feb. 26th, 5:30-7:30pm, Ekstrom Library, room W104
Join filmmaker Lavel D. White, Louisville housing justice advocates, and former Beecher Terrace residents for a screening of “The Beecher Terrace Story," followed by a panel discussion.The Beecher Terrace Story was filmed and produced by Lavel White of Blue Boi Entertainment. The documentary was developed at the request of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority to ensure that this historic apartment site’s important role in shaping the Russell neighborhood and the city is not forgotten. Over the last several years, Louisville Metro Government, LMHA, Russell stakeholders and numerous other partners have been working to transform the Russell neighborhood. As part of this work, Beecher’s obsolete apartment buildings are being demolished to make way for a new energy-efficient, mixed-income community. Since opening in 1939, Beecher Terrace has been home to thousands of families who were influenced by its strong sense of community. The Beecher Terrace Story includes interviews with several former residents and neighborhood stakeholders who articulate the community’s rich history through their personal stories and anecdotes. The film also highlights the changes that have taken at the site over the decades, and the important role Beecher Terrace is playing in the future of the Russell neighborhood. This event is co-sponsored by the Housing Justice Work Group, the Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research, Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, and Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace & Justice.
Feb. 26, 2020 The Other Side of Our Food System: The Use of Human Waste as an Agricultural Resource
Wednesday, February 26th, 4-5pm, Shumaker Research Building 139
Please join us for this talk by Dr. Nicholas Kawa, Department of Anthropology, Ohio State University, hosted by UofL's Department of Anthropology. Prior to industrialization, human excrement was commonly employed as a resource for agricultural fertilization. Following the advent of the hydraulic sanitation system, however, it became increasingly channeled into waterways rather than reincorporated into terrestrial agro-ecosystems. To counter this trend, more and more cities in the US are looking to treated sanitation waste, or “biosolids,” as a sustainable source of agricultural fertilizer. This presentation reports on a collaboration between Ohio State faculty and students in anthropology, architecture, and landscape architecture to design and implement a demonstration garden that makes legible the hidden processes by which human waste is transformed into an agricultural resource in the American Midwest. Ultimately, this presentation considers both the limits and possibilities of challenging social taboos surrounding human waste and the implications it has for our food system.
Feb. 21, 2020 Seed Starting at Garden Commons 2018Seed Starting Workshop
Friday, Feb. 21st, Noon, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center
Get a jump-start on your food garden this year! Join us in the greenhouse at UofL’s organic garden 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 containers to take them home in, or help us start some seeds to be planted in our Campus Gardens. This workshop will be led by Bethany Pratt, Horticulture Education Agent for Jefferson County Cooperative Extension. RSVP on Facebook.
Feb. 20, 2020 Legal Passing: Navigating Undocumented Life and Local Immigration Law
Thursday, Feb. 20th, 3pm, Ekstrom Library's Chao Auditorium
The Department of Sociology’s 2020 Jon H. Rieger Speaker Series presents Dr. Angela S. García. Dr. García is a sociologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Her research centers on international migration, law and society, urban sociology, and well-being. Dr. García studies the consequences of socio-legal inclusion and exclusion for undocumented immigrants across the United States, Mexico, and Spain. Focusing on subnational (state and local) immigration laws and executive administrative action, she charts how immigrants’ everyday lives, incorporation, and well-being are shaped by the legal contexts in which they reside. Her book, Legal Passing: Navigating Undocumented Life and Local Immigration Law (University of California Press 2019), compares the effects of restrictive and accommodating state and local-level immigration laws on the everyday lives of undocumented Mexican immigrants in the US.
Feb. 18, 2020

Community-Based Participatory Research: Conducting Research with Community Partners to Achieve Positive Change
Tuesday, Feb. 18th, noon-1:15pm, Shumaker Research Building, Room 139
This presentation will provide a general overview of the theory and practice of community-based participatory research—an approach to research designed to engage participants in collaborative and creative approaches to generating knowledge and developing strategies for fostering positive social change. The presentation will look at the process of developing community partnerships and the multiple roles played by action researchers as well as the ethical challenges posed by working within this research model. It will explore what constitutes high quality action research with a view toward promoting the development of rigorous and innovative research practices. The session will also look at examples of current action research projects being carried out around the world in areas including environmental education, disability and community engagement, social entrepreneurship, and other topics. Presenters:

Mary Brydon-Miller, Ph.D. is Professor and Ph.D. program director in the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development in the College of Education and Human Development, University of Louisville. She is a participatory action researcher who conducts work in both school and community settings. She is the editor, with David Coghlan, Professor Emeritus of Trinity College Dublin, of the SAGE Encyclopedia of Action Research (2014). Her most recent book Ethics in Participatory Research for Health and Social Well-Being: Cases and Commentaries, with her colleague Sarah Banks from Durham University in the UK, was published last year. She is currently serving a three-year post as Extraordinary Professor in the Community-Based Educational Research unit at North West University, Potchefstroom South Africa, is a recent Benjamin Meaker Fellow at Bristol University in the United Kingdom, and a former Fulbright research scholar. She’s currently developing an international middle-school citizen science project focused on climate change education.
Douglas Craddock, Ph.D. serves as Clinical Assistant Faculty of Higher Education at the University of Louisville. His research and teaching focuses are Diversity & Inclusion, Community Engagement Scholarship & Community-Based Participatory Research Methods. In addition, other areas of study include Collegiate Athletics and Historically Black Colleges and Universities focusing on varying administration and leadership models that exist across the spectrum of programs and institutions. Dr. Craddock holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama in Higher Education Administration.

Note: Lunch will be served so registration is important. Contact: , 502-852-6026.
Feb. 16, 2020 Maple Syrup Sap Boil 2018Sugar Shack Open House (Making Maple Syrup w/UofL Sap)
Sunday, Feb 16th, 1-6pm
Dave Barker's Urban Ducks Farm next to UofL's Shelby campus (9011 Old Whipps Mill Rd)
In what has become a delightful annual tradition, our amazing community partner in making maple syrup from UofL trees, Dave Barker, is again hosting an open house at his sugar shack as we boil this year's sap and celebrate another successful year of tapping into nature's sweetness. All are welcome to come observe and learn more about local maple syrup production right here in Louisville. Come see the process in action and sample the sweet goodness! Facebook Event.
Feb. 14, 2020 Sustainability Roundtable: Transdisciplinary Research in Support of Cooperatives & the Louisville Community Grocery
Friday, Feb. 14th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Louisville Community GroceryPlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. Our speakers on Feb. 14th will be from a team that secured a $15,000 two-year grant from UofL's Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research in support of the Louisville Association for Community Economics’ effort to launch a community-owned/cooperative grocery store in one of the city’s urban food deserts. We'll hear from Anthropology Professor, Dr. Lisa Markowitz, on context and case studies about cooperatives in the food system; and UofL's Sustainability Coordinator, Dr. Justin Mog, who participated as the lead survey researcher exploring the needs and desires of Louisville residents for a community grocery.  Come learn about this exciting grassroots effort to take back our food security from corporate control and how UofL researchers can get involved in supporting the project.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Feb. 13, 2020 Bluegrass APPA Speed Learning Event on Sustainability
Thursday, February 13th, 10am–1pm, Student Activities Center Rooms 116 & 117
Register here free.
Bluegrass APPA (Association of Physical Plant Administrators) cordially invites you to attend a speed learning event which will include short presentations from multiple Bluegrass APPA business partner vendors about how their companies focus on sustainability. Participants will include vendors from a variety of areas, including custodial, maintenance, utilities, and more. In addition to the presentations, participants will have an opportunity to speak with the business partners to learn more about their companies and how they focus on sustainability.  This event is open to all educational institutions in Kentucky, whether members of APPA or not. Lunch will be provided, but you must register here.
Feb. 10, 2020 Black Freedom, White Allies, & Red Scare
Monday, February 10th, 6-7:30pm, Portland Library (3305 Northwestern Pkwy)
A presentation by Dr. Catherine Fosl, director of the UofL Anne Braden Institute, explores the history of the 1954 Louisville controversy when Andrew and Charlotte Wade, an African American family, moved into a segregated, all-white suburb in what is now Shively. The talk explores how the episode highlighted racism in Louisville, the role of civil rights activists Carl and Anne Braden in the fight for the Wades and for racial equality, and how the culture of the "Red Scare" was used to reinforce white supremacy. Sponsored by Louisville Free Public Library and the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research.
Feb. 2 - Mar. 28, 2020

Ecolympics LogoEcolympics 2020
February 2nd to March 28th
Two fun sustainability competitions to get you engaged in saving our one green planet! Facebook Event.

Post your sustainable actions and tag @UofLSustainable to win a restored vintage Schwinn bicycle, gift cards to Comfy Cow and Heine Bros. coffee, and other fabulous prizes!

RecycleMania! - February 2 to March 28, 2020
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 RecycleMania website.

  • RecycleMania LogoREDUCE & RECYCLE! Help the Cards to victory by avoiding disposables (bring your own mug, bottle, plate, etc.) 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! We will be collecting food wastes for composting from The Ville Grill and other campus dining locations and adding those numbers to UofL's organics recycling totals! You can also compost your food scraps and soiled paper products in the compost bins at the Garden Commons (next to the greenhouse behind the Cultural Center) and the Urban & Public Affairs Horticulture Zone. Please no animal/dairy products or liquids, but otherwise, if it came from a plant, we want to compost it: fruit & vegetable wastes/peels/rinds/seeds, bread, pasta, rice, tea bags, coffee grounds/filters, even paper products (tissues, towels, napkins, plates, cups, newspaper, etc.).

Ecolympics 2020Residence Hall Conservation Throw-Down! - February 4-24, 2020
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. All you have to do is stop wasting energy! Turn off lights/TVs/computers; unplug anything you're not actively using; skip the elevator for the stairs; close windows tightly; dry clothes on a rack/line; take quick showers or shower with solar power at the SRC; etc.

  • Keep track of each hall's progress with UofL's Building Dashboard! Use the Dashboard to see how much electricity your hall is using and learn how you can conserve! Halls in the competition include:
  1. Ecolympics 2020 Prize BikeBettie Johnson Hall
  2. Billy Minardi Hall
  3. Community Park (real-time data!)
  4. Kurz Hall (real-time data!)
  5. Louisville Hall (real-time data!)
  6. Miller Hall
  7. Threlkeld Hall
  8. Unitas Hall (real-time data!)
  9. University Tower Apartments (UTA)

Prizes:

      • In addition to weekly winners who will receive gift cards to Comfy Cow, one resident who takes the most steps during Ecolympics 2020 will win a restored vintage Schwinn bicycle (or another bike of your preference)!
      • Post your sustainable actions and tag @UofLSustainable throughout February & March to be entered into the competition!
Jan. 31, 2020

Bill JohnsonEcoReps Lunch & Learn: Brownfield Redevelopment
Friday, Jan. 31st at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
Join us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshop featuring a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability! To kickoff the spring series on Friday, Jan. 31st, our guest speaker will be Bill Johnston, Principal Geologist at Linebach-Funkhouser, a local environmental consulting group. His talk is titled "Kentucky's Brownfield Redevelopment Program: Working with developers over the last 5 years, look what we have accomplished!"

He will talk with us about brownfield restoration projects he's been involved in, including UofL's own work to transform the Floyd Street corridor through Belknap campus from a contaminated parking lot into a children's playground, running track, and world-class athletic facilities. The presentation will provide a detailed description of how a purchaser can enroll an eligible site into the Kentucky Brownfield Redevelopment Program, how the process works, and the benefits a buyer will receive from a regulatory standpoint. He'll also share before and after photos of cases studies from the Program.

Mr. Johnston provides project management leadership and direction for environmental assessment and remediation projects. He has 32 years of experience in assessing and remediating petroleum contaminated soils and groundwater associated with underground storage tanks (USTs) in numerous states across the country. He established his own environmental consulting division complimenting the efforts of a petroleum equipment/construction, contracting company.  His responsibilities included serving as division/project manager for all of the environmental related projects associated with this division. Tasks included, developing cost-effective project estimates and completing UST related closures, upgrades, assessments, and corrective actions while serving as the liaison between an extensive client base and pertinent regulatory agencies. An alternate task included filing reimbursement documentation with various statewide sponsored UST environmental assurance funds.  He has experience in multi-phase site assessments including RCRA, CERCLA and dry cleaning plant related projects. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from North Carolina State University and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University Southeast.

The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepEco-Reps logos 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. This spring, we continue our series of in-person workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. Join us for lunch and bring your reusable plate, utensils, and cup to minimize waste! All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website.
Jan. 31, 2020 UofL Commuting TrendsSustainability Roundtable: Commuting Trends at the University of Louisville
Friday, Jan. 31st, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. On Jan. 31st, our speaker will be Thomas Sommer, a Candidate in UofL's Interdisciplinary Master's in Sustainability program. Tom will be sharing his recent research with UofL's Sustainability Coordinator, Dr. Justin Mog, about Commuting Trends at the University of Louisville.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Jan. 31, 2020 Symposium For Advancing Socially Responsible Businesses in Louisville and the Commonwealth
Friday, January 31st, 9am-5pm, UofL's Brandeis School of Law room 275
The UofL Transdisciplinary Research Team and the Louisville Community Grocery invite you to a day-long symposium on Friday, January 31 “Working in and Volunteering for Socially Responsible Businesses.” The morning session is an opportunity for researchers from several University departments to share their research about cooperatives, volunteerism, and food justice in Louisville and to engage in discussion with members of the Louisville Association for Community Economics (LACE), the Louisville Community Grocery, and other interested community members.  The afternoon session will be a structured discussion where representatives from cooperatives, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP’s), and other socially responsible businesses can learn from each other and brainstorm about what action can be taken to advance socially responsible businesses in Louisville and the Commonwealth. Lunch will be provided to all registered participants. Register here.
Jan. 30, 2020 Honorable Business: A Framework for Business in a Just & Humane Society
Thursday, January 30th, 4:30pm, College of Business, PNC Horn Auditorium
Business has a bad name for many people. It's easy to point to unethical and damaging behavior by companies, and it may seem straightforward to blame either individuals, or more generally, ruthless markets and amoral commercial society.  Dr. James Otteson argues that business activity can be valuable in itself. The primary purpose of honorable businesses is to create value - for all parties. They look for mutually beneficial transactions, so that all sides of any exchange benefit, leading to increased prosperity not just for one person or group at the expense of others, but for everyone involved. James R. Otteson is the Thomas W. Smith Presidential Chair in Business Ethics, Professor of Economics, and Executive Director of the Eudaimonia Institute at Wake Forest University. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his PhD from the University of Chicago. He specializes in political economy, political philosophy, business ethics, and the history of economic thought. He is author of Adam Smith's Marketplace of Life (2002), Actual Ethics (2006), and The End of Socialism (2014). His most recent books are The Essential Adam Smith (2018) and Honorable Business: A Framework for Business in a Just and Humane Society (2019). This program is free and open to all. It is presented by The Center for Free Enterprise and is part of the Center's Menard Family Lecture Series and the BB&T Speaker Series. Free pizza will be served to attendees.
Jan. 24, 2020 Image may contain: textChina's Rustbelt? The Decline of Northeast China
Friday, January 24th, 3pm-4pm, Lutz 225
All are welcome at the first Geography seminar of the semester, featuring UofL Geography visiting professor, Dr.  Zhangxian Feng from the School of Geographical Sciences at China's Northeast Normal University. Northeast China used to be the largest and most booming industrialized area in China. Today the whole region has experienced a dramatic economic slowdown and population exodus since the economic reform and opening up of China beginning in 1978. Dr. Feng and his team have been researching the dynamics and underlying processes of Northeast China's decline, and pursuing revitalization strategies for this region.
Jan. 24 - Mar. 6, 2020 Garden Commons WorkdayGarden Commons Spring Workdays
Fridays, Jan. 24 - March 6, 2020, 11am-1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center

Join us in UofL's organic garden and greenhouse for our group workdays! Learn (by doing) how to grow hyper-local, super-delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but we'll gather together every Friday throughout the spring semester (Jan. 24 - Mar. 6) from 11am to 1pm to start and tend seeds in the greenhouse, plant, weed, water, and harvest. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on our Facebook Page.
Jan. 21, 2020 “White Fragility” book study information session
Tuesday, January 21st, noon-1pm, Cultural Center multipurpose room
Interested in exploring why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism? This book study informational session focuses on Robin Di'Angelo's book, “White Fragility.” This session is open to all students, staff and faculty interested in exploring this topic in a safe, yet critically stimulating environment. For additional information, email diveduc@louisville.edu
Jan. 20, 2020 Martin Luther King, Jr Day. Make it a day on, not a day off
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Monday, January 20, 2020
  Events in honor of the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and intended to educate the UofL campus and community on the importance of actualizing Dr. King’s ideals of social justice, non-violence, education, and service. Events will include:
  • 9am-2pm - MLK Day of Service (meetup in SAC Multipurpose Room)
    MLK Day of Service has been an American tradition since 1994. Sponsored by UofL’s Engage Lead Serve Board, participants will enjoy free food and a free t-shirt. No registration required. Volunteers should meet in the SAC Multipurpose Room at 9am to sign up for a service site. The UofL Sustainability Council is hosting on-campus service sites at our Garden Commons and at our volunteer-powered community composting project. The kickoff will feature a speaker, followed by transportation to service sites. Participants will be back on campus by 1:00pm. We encourage you to join us and become part of the UofL community in making MLK Day a “day on, not a day off.” Contact: Alisha Deshmukh at 502-468-0500 or alisha.deshmukh@uoflelsb.org.
  • 1:00pm - 2020: A Dream And A Vision - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration (The Playhouse)
    Please join the UofL African American Theatre Program for our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration. This event is free and open to the public! Please bring donations for Louisville's homeless community including socks, blankets & travel-size toiletries. The event opens with a talk by Kellie Watson, Louisville Metro chief equity officer. UofL’s African American Theatre Program is sponsoring the event with the UofL-Yearlings Club forum series. The Yearlings Club will have a 3:30pm reception at the civic club’s site, 4309 W. Broadway. Contact Clest Lanier, 502-852-3042.
Jan. 17, 2020 Maple Tapping Workshop!UofL Maple Tapping 2019
Friday, Jan. 17th, Noon, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center
Join us in UofL's sustainable garden to learn about the process of tapping maple trees and making maple syrup. Our workshop leader, Dave Barker, has been tapping trees and making his own syrup in Louisville for years. He will give a brief, hands-on workshop on the process and then attendees will get to work with him as we install taps on our own maple trees located in the Garden Commons and around campus. Participants will have the opportunity to sign-up to volunteer to empty buckets as they fill throughout the coming weeks. Please dress warmly so we can work outside! RSVP on Facebook.
Jan. 17, 2020 PhotoSustainability Roundtable: Decentralization and Democracy in Self-Governing Societies
Friday, Jan. 17th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the spring at 11am. To kick-off the series on Jan. 17th, our speaker will be Dr. Daniel DeCaro, a UofL professor with join appointments in the Departments of Urban & Public Affairs as well as Psychology & Brain Sciences, and Director of the Social Decision Making & Sustainability Lab. Dr. DeCaro will be sharing his research on "Decentralization and Democracy in Self-Governing Societies: A Comparative Case Study of Community Governance of Neighborhood Greenspaces in Chicago, IL and Louisville, KY."
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Jan. 14, 2020

UofL's 1st Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Resource Fair
Tuesday, January 14th, 11am-1pm, SAC Ballroom
The University of Louisville Human Trafficking Research Initiative-Project STARR, the University of Louisville Women's Center and Women 4 Women Student Board will be hosting the First Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Resource Fair. Come learn how people are getting caught up in exploitative conditions of modern day slavery at home and around the world - and what you can do to help fight it.

Critical Cardinal Conversations: Trafficked and missing women
Tuesday, January 14th 1:30-2:30pm, SAC Ballroom
Join us for a chance to participate in open dialogue. We will be creating a space to discuss trafficked and missing women of color in Louisville and throughout the U.S. Light refreshments will be provided. The event is Sponsored by UofL’s Women Center, Office of Diversity Education and Inclusive Excellence, Cultural Center, Women 4 Women Student Board, and Human Trafficking Research Initiative.
Jan. 11, 2020

Kentucky Conservation Committee 2020 Legislative Summit
Saturday, Jan. 11th, 9am-4pm, Shumaker Research Building 139
Cost: Free for students with advanced registration; $15 KCC members; $20 general. Register here.
UofL's Sustainability Council is proud to host the 2020 Kentucky Conservation Committee (KCC) Annual Meeting and Legislative Summit, featuring detailed information for conservation audiences on Kentucky's 2020 Legislative Session. KCC works to protect Kentucky’s land, air, water and biodiversity by working on legislative solutions in Frankfort. We are looking forward to a GREAT meeting, with the latest news and opportunities to learn about conservation issues all around Kentucky. Legislative experts will be on hand to answer your most pressing questions on energy, public lands, biodiversity, climate change and more. Registered participants will receive detailed advance briefs on key sessions. The schedule includes:

9:00-9:15am: Registration

9:15-9:30am: KCC Welcome – Benjamin Knoll, KCC President; Lane Boldman, KCC Exec. Director

9:30-10:30am: State Legislative Panel

A panel of Representatives and Senators will answer your questions about the General Assembly and key current conservation issues. Panelists: Senator Morgan McGarvey, Representatives Mary Lou Marzian & Lisa Willner.

10:30-11:30am: Presentation on the State Budget, Kentucky Center for Economic Policy
This year is a budget session in the Kentucky Legislature. Learn the basics about how the budget is formed, and this issue will be of particular importance for land conservation funding, water infrastructure and fees for electric vehicles. So this will be designed to expand your knowledge on how the budget is formed and how it is adopted. KCC will also include information relating to the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund and budget threats.
Presenter: Pam Thomas, Senior Fellow with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.

11:45am-12:45pm Lunchtime Program: 2020 Legislative Session Overview: Legislative Agents will be on hand to preview bills for the upcoming session.
Presenters: Lane Boldman, Randy Strobo of Kentucky Conservation Committee, Tom FitzGerald of Kentucky Resources Council.

12:45-2:00pm - Special Keynote: Heather Hurlburt, Director of New Models of Policy Change

Heather is the director of the New Models of Policy Change project at New America's Political Reform program. Hurlburt leads research into how policy advocacy can adapt to be effective in our current environment of intense political polarization and guides advocates and funders seeking to navigate politics effectively on behalf of policy solutions on issues such as national security and climate change.

2:10-3:40 pm - "Civic Engagement, Pipelines and Property Rights" plus special update on Bernheim Forest/Pipeline Controversy

Learn how legislation such as anti-protest bills for key infrastructure (such as gas and oil pipelines) are shaping the environmental landscape. Includes panel with representatives of national conservation groups, the Kentucky Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and special guests from Bernheim Arboretum, which is currently dealing with pipeline encroachment.
Special Guests: Maggie Ellinger-Locke, Greenpeace Staff Attorney. Mark Wourms/Andrew Berry with Bernheim Forest, and representatives from the Ky. ACLU.

3:40-4:00pm Outcomes from the Climate and Biodiversity Summit

In 2019, the Kentucky Conservation Committee, along with partners from Kentucky Heartwood, LiKEN Knowledge, Center for Biological Diversity and Dogwood Alliance held a conference focused on biodiversity and climate change in the Upper Cumberland River watershed. We will present a summary of the conference and detail opportunities to support our wild habitats, and options for policy solutions.
Every Sunday UofL Community CompostingUofL Community Composting Volunteer Day
Every Sunday, Noon-2pm
250 E. Bloom St. (one block north of Cardinal Blvd. between Brook & Floyd Streets - map here)
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 will be welcome to haul back home some rich UofL compost for their own gardening projects in whatever containers/vehicles they bring. This is a weekly service opportunity throughout the year. Contact: Brian Barnes, 502-338-1338.
Date Event
Dec. 18, 2019 Environmental Justice in Portland
Wednesday, Dec. 18th, 6pm, Portland Library (3305 Northwestern Pkwy)
What is environmental justice? Dr. Lauren Heberle, Associate Professor of Sociology and Director or the Center of Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Louisville, will join us to talk about environmental issues in our community and the city at-large, and how an environmental justice approach can help us understand and respond. She will also talk about resources for further information and engagement.
Dec. 12, 2019 Panel Discussion on Ohio River Water Quality
Thursday, December 12th, 1pm, at Lang House, 115 S. Ewing Ave.
UofL's Dr. Tamara Sluss discusses Ohio River water quality with the Sustainability Living-Learning Community during an August 2019 Canoe Trip.The League of Women Voters of Louisville invites you to a discussion with Mr. Richard Harrison, executive director of ORSANCO (Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission), regarding the League’s position letter sent to ORSANCO and water quality challenges to our beautiful river. This will be a very informative discussion about our river and the continued challenges to maintain it and keep it clean, featuring a panel of speakers including:
  • Tom Fitzgerald, director, Kentucky Resources Council, who will act as the moderator;
  • Nikki Chambers, LWVKY Environment Chair, Moss WTP supervisor, Hopkinsville Water Environmental Authority
  • Sarah Lynn Cunningham, PE, environmental engineer and member of the LWVL
  • Tamara Sluss, PhD, large river researcher and director, Interdisciplinary Master in Sustainability Program, University of Louisville
  • Michael Miller, professor emeritus, Department of Biological Science, University of Cincinnati
  • Jason Flickner, director and waterkeeper, Lower Ohio River Waterkeeper
  • Chris Bobay, Louisville Water Co.
Free and open to the public. For additional information, call Shirley Cantrell, chair, Natural Resources Committee at 502-241-4249 or email at Cant1557@twc.com
Dec. 5, 2019 Meet the Professor - Dr. Lauren Heberle, Who, Where, and What Counts as the We in ‘Community’ in Environmental Policy Research and Practice?Meet the Professor - Dr. Lauren Heberle, Who, Where, and What Counts as the We in ‘Community’ in Environmental Policy Research and Practice?
Thursday, December 5th, noon, University Club. $15/person; $10/students
Using her work on cleaning up brownfields and Superfund sites in Louisville, sociologist Dr. Lauren Heberle will discuss how ‘Community’ is strategically deployed and contested in environmental decision making by organizations and government agencies. Using a framework suggested by the prominent Black feminist sociologist Patricia Hill-Collins, Dr. Heberle simultaneously situates ‘Community’ as a politically constructed unit of analysis, a contested idea by which we make sense of our relationships, and as a unit of emergent practice to better understand and facilitate opportunities for community engagement in environmental decision making and environmental justice. The College of Arts and Sciences and the Liberal Studies Project offer the monthly Meet the Professor series to highlight the college’s research and cultural offerings. Reservations are required, with payment by check. To reserve a spot, contact Janna Tajibaeva at 502-852-2247 or janna@louisville.edu.
Dec. 3, 2019 Green Threads Alumni Luncheon
Tuesday, Dec.3rd (Reading Day), 12-2pm, room 123 Urban & Public Affairs (426 W Bloom St)
All who have participated in our Green Threads faculty workshops since 2009 are encouraged to join us for a reunion and vegetarian lunch. The focus will be on networking across disciplines, sharing ideas, and supporting each other in our journeys to weave sustainability into our curricula. Green Threads 2019 participants will be presenting their plans and progress after the August workshop, and we'll provide some updates from the UofL Sustainability Council about upcoming events, resources, service learning projects, community engagement possibilities, and opportunities for using campus as a living laboratory of sustainability.
Dec. 2, 2019 Image may contain: text
UofL Maple Syrup and Pancakes with the President!
Monday, Dec. 2nd, 10pm-Midnight, SAC Ballroom
 Syrup made from tapping UofL maple trees this past winter will be served by President Neeli Bendapudi at this exciting new end-of-year event! Students can take a break from studying and enjoy FREE breakfast 🍳🥞🥓☕️, a DJ 🎶, giveaways, and join SAB, First Year Experience, & REACH for some fun!
Nov. 22, 2019

Fall 2019 Campus Tree Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, Nov. 22nd, 2:00-3:30pm, SAC W303
The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is open to all employees, students & community members interested in helping UofL protect & expand our tree population. We meet just once a semester. The agenda includes:

  • Updates: recent/impending tree plantings, removals and maintenance plans (Greg)
  • Communication Plan: information sharing with the campus community about major tree removals
  • Update on Campus Tree Inventory & UofL Tree App (Bob / Sarah)
  • Updates/Maintenance of Belknap Tree Tour – New brochure? ELSB funded plaque replacements? (Tammy)
  • UofL Arbor Day 2017Plan for 2020 UofL Arbor Day Observances  (Justin)
    1. Perhaps Friday, April 3rd, (KY Arbor Day), 11am-2pm, Belknap Campus – location?
    2. HSC Arbor Day Event?
    - Role of Grounds Crew & Tree Planting plan (Greg)
    - Role of Campus Housing/Sustainability Living-Learning Community (Marcus / Melissa)
    - Role of UofL Dining (Ellen)
    - Role of Health Promotion
    - Role of KY and/or Metro Louisville Divisions of Forestry? (Bridget/Erin)
    - Planning for Tree give-away?
    3. Athletics Arbor Day planting with student athletes?
  • Tree-relatedService Learning Projects
    - Planning for 2019 Maple-Tapping season (Linda, Dave, Avalon, Sydney, Alanis)
    - All are encouraged to volunteer to help with these fall plantings in UofL’s Tree-borhood:
       - Limerick Tree Planting - Saturday, 11/30, 9am, 700 block of St. Catherine (38 trees)
      - Louisville Grows Schnitzelburg/Meriwether Tree Planting - Saturday, 12/7, 8am-4pm, 1567 S Shelby St (266 trees)
    - Any 2020 classes on offer which are/could integrate tree-related service learning?
  • Reminder of reporting needs for 2019 Tree Campus USA application
  • Other items? Contact the Chair, Justin Mog at justin.mog@louisville.edu
Nov. 22, 2019 EcoReps Lunch & Learn: Green Careers & Graduate SchoolGreen Career$
Friday, Nov. 22nd at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
Join us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshop featuring a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability! Our final workshop of 2019 will be focused on green careers and grad school programs in sustainability. Our guests will be Dr. Tamara Sluss, Director of UofL's Interdisciplinary Masters in Sustainability as well as representatives from the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability.
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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. Join us for lunch and bring your reusable plate, utensils, and cup to minimize waste! All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website.
Nov. 22, 2019 Sustainability Roundtable: Thermal Comfort and Energy Assessment of Campus Academic Buildings
Friday, Nov. 22nd, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Related imagePlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. On Nov. 22nd, our speaker will be Derek Fannin, a masters student in UofL's interdisciplinary Sustainability program. Derek has been using UofL's campus as a living lab to investigate the potential for efficiency and comfort improvements to campus buildings.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Nov. 21, 2019 3rd Annual Social Justice Research Symposium
Thursday, Nov. 21st, 9am-5pm, Louisville Urban League (1535 W Broadway). Register online here.

Research-Meets-Activism Breakfast
9:00am-10:30am
UofL's Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research hosts this annual breakfast and conversation. This year will feature a panel discussion with local activists on race and journalism, closing remarks by our 13th Annual Braden Memorial Lecturer, Dr. Jelani Cobb.

Writing For Social Justice Workshop
11am-5pm
UofL's Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research will again pull together faculty, students, researchers, and community partners to sustain and advance our work for engaged scholarship directed at social justice. This year, we will be working with the Progressive Media Project to provide a full day workshop on writing and media production for popular audiences in order to advance social change. This will be a great opportunity for faculty to learn how to translate academic language into clear, actionable language, as well as for community activists to reach a broader audience for their causes.
Nov. 20, 2019 The Half-Life of Freedom: Race and Justice in America Today
Wednesday, Nov. 20th, 5:30pm, School of Music Comstock Hall
This year's Anne Braden Memorial Lecture, features journalist, educator, and diversity speaker Dr. Jelani Cobb who writes about the enormous complexity of race in America. As recipient of the Sidney Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism for his New Yorker columns, Cobb was praised for combining “the strengths of an on-the-scene reporter, a public intellectual, a teacher, a vivid writer, a subtle moralist, and an accomplished professional historian”—qualities he brings to his gripping talks.
Dr. Jelani Cobb is a staff writer at the New Yorker, historian, and the Ira A. Lipton Professor of Journalism at Columbia Journalism School. His work focuses on race, politics, and culture while connecting the historical context of racism to current affairs. Dr. Cobb is the author of several titles including The Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress, The Devil and Dave Chappell & Other Essays, and To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic. Dr. Cobb was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary and has been a featured commentator on media platforms such as NPR, Al-Jazeera, CNN, MSNBC and others.
His recent work includes participating in Ava DuVernay’s landmark documentary “The 13th.” Dr. Cobb contrasts the values of democracy with the reality of the U.S.’s status as having the largest prison population in the world. Throughout the film he advances the argument that the economic realities of Reconstruction and the specific clause written into the 13th amendment allowing people convicted of a crime to be punished through manual labor during imprisonment led to the rise of the prison industrial complex.
Nov. 19, 2019 https://se-infra-imageserver2.azureedge.net/clink/images/0c8acefc-9110-4f19-91fc-5412b90c2e60c4985972-994c-418d-8a8c-1928c5f7e939.pdf?preset=large-wFriends, Not Food
Tuesday, Nov. 19th, 7pm-9pm, SAC Multipurpose room
The Engage Lead Serve Board's Green Initiatives and Animal Welfare Committee are working together to organize this event focused on educating and spreading awareness of animal agricultural practices in a fun and informative way. We will provide as much information we can for people who want to move away from meat but do not know how to start. The evening will include a trivia competition, with prizes for team winners, a resource fair with information on vegetarian, vegan, and organic meals; recipes; food tastings; tabling from affiliate groups; and TED-talk style speakers touching on other aspects of agricultural practices, such as pollution, climate change, and more. If you are interested in forming a trivia team, email Megan Husted (megan.husted@uoflelsb.org) or Catie Hofmeister (catherine.hofmeister@uoflelsb.org).
Nov. 18-25, 2019 2019 Peace & Justice Week
Monday, November 18th, 11 am to Thursday, November 21st, 5 pm, various locations
Join the Anne Braden Institute, Muhammad Ali Institute and Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research in a week-long conversation about racial justice. Students, faculty, and community partners are encouraged to attend.

All events are FREE. Register online here.

WHAT'S YOUR CHARGE?

MON. NOV. 18, 11AM-1PM: SAC

Visit us in the SAC to learn more about Peace & Justice Week and to share your passion for social justice.

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON RACIAL JUSTICE

TUES. NOV. 19, 7-9PM: RED BARN

Poems, songs, rants, & performance art welcome! Sign up for 1-5 min. performances at muhammad@louisville.edu. Sponsored by the Muhammad Ali Institute.

13TH ANNUAL ANNE BRADEN MEMORIAL LECTURE

WED. NOV. 20, 5:30-7:30PM: COMSTOCK HALL

Dr. Jelani Cobb presents "The Half-Life of Freedom: Race and Justice in America Today." Sponsored by the Anne Braden Institute.

3RD ANNUAL SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM:

  • RESEARCH-MEETS-ACTIVISM BREAKFAST

THURS. NOV 21, 9-10:30AM: LOUISVILLE URBAN LEAGUE

Panel discussion with local activists on race and journalism, closing remarks by Dr. Jelani Cobb. Sponsored by the Anne Braden Institute.

  • WRITING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKSHOP

THURS. NOV 21, 11AM-5PM: LOUISVILLE URBAN LEAGUE

Learn to speak out about social justice issues at this op-ed writing workshop, in collaboration with the Progressive Media Project. Sponsored by the Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research.
Nov. 17, 2019 Panel discussion: Climate Change Effect: Urban Heat Islands & West Louisville
Sunday, Nov. 17, 4-6pm, The Yearlings Club, Inc. (4309 W. Broadway)
Sun over the cityThe UofL College of Arts and Sciences’ diversity and community engagement programs office offers these free, public forums with the Yearlings at the civic club’s 4309 W. Broadway location. Climate change is affecting the American people in far-reaching ways. Related impacts are evident across regions and in many sectors important to society—such as human health, agriculture and food security, water supply, transportation, energy, and ecosystems. As urban areas develop, changes occur in their landscape. buildings, roads, and other infrastructure replace open land and vegetation. These changes cause urban regions to become warmer than their rural surroundings, forming an "island" of higher temperatures in the landscape. Urban heat islands increase demand for energy consumption during the summer when temperatures rise. As a result of increased energy consumption, there is an increase in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Join us as our distinguished panel discusses the impact of the urban heat island on West Louisville residents.
PANEL:
Dr. Tamara Sluss, Director, MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies, Sustainability;
Eboni Neal Cochran, West Louisville Environmental Activist;
Dr. Allison Smith, Metro Office of Advanced Planning and Sustainability; and
Dr. Avery Kolers, Professor of Philosophy, Director - Social Change Program
MODERATOR:
Dr. Monica Unseld, Research Associate - Greater Louisville Project
Admission is free and open to the public. Light refreshments served. For additional information, please contact Clest Lanier (502) 852-3042 or cvlani01@louisville.edu.
Nov. 15, 2019 Garden Commons Workshop: Wreath Making
Friday, Nov. 15th, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural CenterGarden Interns: Avalon Gupta VerWiebe & Ellie Miller
Get in the holiday spirit! Come learn how to make your own beautiful wreath using a variety of plant materials from campus and herbs from our garden. It's easier than you might think and you'll take home something beautiful and unique. This is the last in our fall series of Garden Workshops on Fridays at noon. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on our Facebook Page.
Nov. 13, 2019 Belknap Farmers Market LogoUofL Farmers' Market Holiday Bazaar
Wednesday, Nov. 13th, 11am-3pm, Red Barn
Come load up on locally-grown and handmade holiday gifts from our UofL Farmers' Market vendors and other local artisans! This one-day Holiday Bazaar features over a dozen different local artisans, farmers, and food producers coming together in one location for holiday shopping, local style! You'll find unique holiday gifts such as jams, salsas, relish, honey, baked goods, wreaths & holiday decorations, soaps & balms, crafts, jewelry, stoneware, pottery, UofL apparel and accessories, and more! There will be door prizes and lunch available for purchase. Make your list. Check it twice. And don't miss it!
Nov. 8, 2019 Image result for jacek jasinskiSustainability Roundtable: Jacek Jasinski, Climate Change Problem and Power Dialog Initiative
Friday, Nov. 8th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. Our featured speaker on November 8th will be Jacek Jasinski from UofL's Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, sparking a conversation about tackling global climate disruption.
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Nov. 7, 2019 Meet the Professor - Dr. David Owen, On Racialized Whiteness Meet the Professor - Dr. David Owen, On Racialized Whiteness
Thursday, November 7th, noon, University Club. $15/person; $10/students
Race is a frequent topic of public discourse, but Racialized Whiteness is rarely examined. What does it mean to be White?  How does Whiteness shape the social and cultural landscape?  How is Whiteness sustained?  And, how does it support both the idea and system of white supremacy? David Owen, Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy, will discuss these and other issues during a luncheon. The College of Arts and Sciences and the Liberal Studies Project offer the monthly Meet the Professor series to highlight the college’s research and cultural offerings. Reservations are required, with payment by check. To reserve a spot, contact Janna Tajibaeva at 502-852-2247 or janna@louisville.edu.
Nov. 5, 2019 Pumpkin Smash 2018Election Day PUMPKIN SMASH!!
Tuesday, Nov. 5th
Belknap Campus: 12:30pm, SAC Ramp
Health Sciences Center: noon, Kornhauser plaza
Don’t know what to do with your old pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns from Halloween? Don’t trash them! Turn them into stress-relief, worm food, and organic fertilizer! UofL is here to help you compost! Drop off your old pumpkins (and other plant-based fall decorations) in front of the Red Barn by the pumpkin composting sign any time from Thursday, October 31st through noon on Tuesday November 5th. On Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th, all are invited to our annual Pumpkin Smash...now on both Belknap Campus and HSC! Join us for composting fun and Election Day stress relief!

See photos from the 2018 Pumpkin Smash here.
Nov. 4, 2019 Image may contain: stripesFrom Slave to Criminal with One Amendment: 13th Film Screening
Monday, November 4th, 5:30pm, Ekstrom Library's Chao Auditorium
Join us for a screening of Ava DuVernay's powerful film, 13th, followed by an interactive discussion on the intersections of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States. Refreshments will be provided after the event. Sponsored by the University of Louisville Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, C.O.N.E.C.T, Kent School of Social Work, Office of Diversity and Inclusion HSC, Black Student Union, and Departments of Criminal Justice and Sociology
Nov. 2, 2019 UofL Green Heart - Louisville Grows Tree Planting (Part 2)
Saturday, Nov. 2nd, 8:30am-1pm, Southside Baptist Church (804 Camden Ave)
Please join UofL's Green Heart project and Louisville Grows again with our Taylor-Berry, Jacobs, Hazelwood, Beechmont, Oakdale, and Wilder Park neighbors as we dig toward our goal of planting 1000 trees this season! We need 150 volunteers on the day of the planting. No experience is necessary - everyone is welcome to come play in the dirt with us. Citizen Foresters will be there to lead you in becoming a proper tree planter! If you cannot help with the physical labor, other volunteer opportunities include registration, breakfast, and lunch volunteers. Louisville Grows will provide a light breakfast to all volunteers beginning at 8am, and groups leave to start planting at 9am. Lunch will be served from 12-2pm, and any volunteers who can stick around afterward to help finish planting are welcome. Louisville Grows will provide gloves and tools, but please dress appropriately for the weather. You'll be digging in dirt and handling mulch, so please wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Closed-toed shoes are required. This planting will be our second in partnership with Green Heart Louisville, a University of Louisville study that seeks to determine how increased green space affects health and relationships within these neighborhoods. Register here.
Oct. 31, 2019 Honduras Resists: Confronting a US-Fueled Human Rights Crisis
Heidy Alachán, lawyer, activist, and writer with Movimiento Amplio por la Dignidad y Justicia, Honduras
Thursday, October 31st, 6pm, Shumaker Research Building, Room 139
Heidy Alachán is a lawyer, writer, and activist with Movimiento Amplio por la Dignidad y Justicia (MADJ) - Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice. Along with her training as an attorney and teacher, Heidy holds a masters in Human Rights and Democratization in Latin America and the Caribbean. She forms part of the MADJ legal team representing the family of internationally renowned indigenous and environmental rights activist, Berta Cáceres, in their struggle for justice for her assassination. Based in Honduras, the Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice (MADJ) is a social and political movement committed to working against impunity and corruption while building alternatives rooted in transparency, dignity and respect to human rights and the environment. MADJ communities are on the frontlines protecting their natural resources from unlawful exploitation through resistance camps, legan battles and incredible grassroots organizing. MADJ has been active in resistance movements in Honduras in the context of the 2009 coup, the 2017-2018 post-electoral crisis and , most recently, in the national strike by teachers and healthcare workers.
Sponsored by the University of Louisville Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, Brandeis Human Rights Advocacy Program, Latin American and Latino Studies, and Cultural Center.
Image may contain: 1 person, text
Oct. 25, 2019 Image result for jacek jasinskiEcoReps Lunch & Learn: Climate Change with Conn Center's Jacek Jasinski
Friday, Oct. 25th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
Join us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshop featuring a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability! For UofL Sustainability week, our guest speaker on the issue of Climate Change will be Jacek Jasinski from UofL's Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepsEco-Reps logo 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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. Join us for lunch and bring your reusable plate, utensils, and cup to minimize waste! All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 25, 2019 Sustainability Roundtable: Cassia Herron on “Policy and Action in Food System Development”
Friday, Oct. 25th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. Our guest on October 25th is urban planner, community organizer, and UofL alum, Cassia Herron. Cassia is a native of Richmond, Kentucky and has lived in Louisville for most of her adult life. She is a community development professional and advocate with more than 10 years experience working on projects at the intersections of community and economic development, food and the built environment and has a unique perspective on these issues as they relate to West Louisville. Cassia is chair of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC), and has served in leadership positions with the Community Farm Alliance and New Roots. As a budding entrepreneur, Cassia has a growing interest in renewable energy and sustainable development and has professional expertise in community engagement, grant-writing, policy development and strategic planning. Cassia is a graduate of the University of Louisville and has a Masters of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.
Upcoming Fall Roundtables include:
Nov. 8 – Jessica Eggleston, UofL Masters in Sustainability student
Nov. 22 – Lilias Pettit-Scott, Urban Agriculture Coalition - High Tunnel Production
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 24, 2019 Disappearing Nations: Anote's Ark film screening & climate justice talk
Thursday, Oct. 24th, 6-9pm, Strickler 101
The Engage. Lead. Serve. Board's Green Initiatives will bring to campus this special screening of the award-winning documentary Anote's Ark, and the man whose dissertation research informed the film, Mike Roman of the University of Cincinnati. Most people have never heard of Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tokelau, The Marshall Islands or the Maldives; some of the most beautiful nations in the world! However, due to climate change, they are predicted to be some of the first to disappear from this planet within the next few decades. Our speaker, Mike Roman has family and friends in these nations, and to many there, climate change is not a distant future or some academic exercise; it is life and death, here and now. These island nations have already lost countless children and elders to the impacts of climate change, and they experience this every king tide, typhoon, drought, and heat wave. Elders in Kiribati have been warning world leaders about these incidents for nearly 30 years now, and in 2000, Mike picked up the mantel and dedicated his life to educating the world. His work inspired the documentary which will be screened before his lecture and Q&A.
Premiering at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, Anote's Ark, focuses on the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati (population: 100,000). It is one of the most remote places on the planet, seemingly far-removed from the pressures of modern life. Yet it is one of the first countries that must confront the main existential dilemma of our time: imminent annihilation from sea-level rise. While Kiribati’s President Anote Tong races to find a way to protect his nation’s people and maintain their dignity, many Kiribati are already seeking safe harbour overseas. Set against the backdrop of international climate and human rights negotiations, Anote’s struggle to save his nation is intertwined with the extraordinary fate of Tiemeri, a young mother of six, who fights to migrate her family to New Zealand. At stake is the survival of Tiemeri’s family, the Kiribati people, and 4,000 years of Kiribati culture. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 23, 2019 Info Session: The GREEN Program (short-term study abroad)GREEN Program
Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, 4-5:30 pm, Humanities 121
The GREEN Program is short-term, experiential education for our world’s most pressing issues for sustainable development. Using the world as your classroom, TGP unlocks opportunities for students to gain exclusive education, industry access, and authentic bucket-list experiences around the world. We use the world as our classroom and strive to give meaning and purpose to education, adventure, and life. Join us to learn more from a TGP Alumni! RSVP here.
Oct. 23, 2019 Image result for pumpkin and bikePumpkin Decorating & Bike Tune-Ups
Wednesday, October 23rd, 11:30am – 1pm, HSC Kornhauser Plaza
The Health Sciences Center Green Team is celebrating UofL Sustainability Week with a party on the plaza! Join us for refreshments and give-aways while you enjoy Pumpkin Decorating (supplies provided) and bring your bike for a free Bike Repair/Tune-up Station sponsored by Falls City Community BikeWorks! Pumpkins will be displayed at the Gray Street Farmers Market on Thursday, Oct 24th!
Oct. 23, 2019 12th Annual Campus Sustainability Day Fair
Wednesday, Oct. 23rd 10am-2pm, Humanities Quad
  • Campus Sustainability Day FairJoin us for the 12th annual celebration of all things sustainable at UofL and in our community! Learn what campus and community groups are doing to create a sustainable revolution. Sign-up to get involved and leave with some green freebies, great information, and a smile on your face!
  • Take home a free tree to plant in your yard or neighborhood from Trees Louisville!
  • Take the Cards Go Green Pledge and earn an ethically-sourced reusable mug that you can fill with Fair Trade, shade-grown coffee or local hot apple cider provided by UofL Dining, or a bike blender smoothie from the Office of Health Promotion!
  • Learn about all of UofL's Transportation Alternatives, pick up a secure u-lock from SGA so your bike won't get stolen, and get hands-on, personalized guidance in how to use UofL's Bike Fix-It Stations! Bring your bike for a tune-up!
  • UofL Environmental Health & Safety will be collecting all kinds of lamps & batteries for recycling, including: Alkaline (A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt); Button-cell; Lithium; Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cad); Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH); Lead and Lead-acid; Carbon-zinc; and Mercury batteries.
  • Shred-It will offer free shredding and recycling of documents, videotapes, and computer diskettes from their truck in the circle in front of the College of Business 10am - 2pm.
If you'd like to host a sustainability-related booth or activity at the Campus Sustainability Day fair, please contact Henny Ransdell. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 23, 2019

Fighting for Peace: Countering Hate, Violence and Extremism
Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, 9am - 4pm at Ekstrom Library's Chao Auditorium, and 6-9pm at HSC's Kornhauser Auditorium
UofL’s Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality (CODRE) is collaborating with Peace Catalyst International, to educate our communities about extremism. The program will include people who have lived experience inside extremist groups. Peace Catalyst’s goal is to build bridges of trust and understanding between Muslims and Non-Muslims and to advocate for the inclusion of marginalized, foreign-born populations. The goal is to educate and bring awareness in order to counter hate, violence, and extremism.

Space is limited and everyone must register. Anyone can attend either location. But lunch is by reservation only at the location where you plan on viewing the event.

  • Lunch will be served at both locations. A reservation is required for lunch.
  • For non-UofL attendees, you must first register through Eventbrite and bring your ticket/printout, or show digital receipt as proof of registration.
  • For UofL students, faculty, and staff you must first register through Engage here with your ULink username and password, and bring your ID and ticket printout.
  • Deadline to make a reservation for lunch is October 17, 2019.

The schedule includes:
9am-4pm Program at Ekstrom Library's Chao Auditorium (simulcast at HSC in CTR rooms 101 & 102)

  • Rushan Abbas, an Activist for the Uyghers/Uighers of Western China
  • Jesse Morton, former member of Al-Qaeda, will talk about what attracted him to Al-Qaeda and the path he took to get out                 
  • Tony McAleer, former White Nationalist from Life After Hate
  • Extremist Panel Discussion moderated by Dr. Jason Abbott, director of UofL's Asian Center for Democracy
  • Noon lunch with the speakers
  • Community Response Panel:

    UofL Professor of Public Health and Practice, Dr. Monica Wendell
    Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agent. Jake Williams
    Louisville Metro Police Department Chief, Steve Conrad
    Louisville’s Office of Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods, Chief Vincent James
    Moderated by UofL Dr. Sherri Wallace, Department of Political Science

6-9pm Evening Program at Kornhauser Auditorium featuring:
  • Jesse Morton (Al-Qaeda) – Alternatives to Extremism                    
  • Tony McAleer (White Nationalist)  White Extremism – The Path Out   
  • Rushan Abbas (Uyghers/Uighers of Western China)
  • Book signing — The Cure for Hate: A Former White Supremacists Journey From Violent Extremism to Radical Compassion by Tony McAleer
This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 22-23, 2019

Raise Some L - Support UofL's Sustainability Initiatives!
Tuesday, Oct. 22nd 6:02pm - Wednesday, Oct. 23rd 11:59pm
A lot has changed in 200 years—our commitment hasn't. Since 1798, the Cardinal family has dreamed big, worked hard and made a lasting impact on our community, commonwealth, and beyond.

Beginning at 6:02 p.m. on Oct. 22, for 1,798 minutes, Cardinals everywhere will come together to celebrate who we are and Raise Some L. This is a Cardinal call to action to all students, alumni, faculty, staff, and fans.

Are you in? ...Great! Here's your to-do list:

  1. Mark your calendar. Put it in your smart phone. Tape it to your mirror. Do whatever it takes.
  2. Make a gift during that 1798 minutes to the Green Fund for UofL and support our sustainability initiatives! Donate here. Use your smart phone or computer to make a gift of ANY amount.
  3. Spread the word. Share your good deed with friends that day on social media using #RaiseSomeL.

Raise Some LYour donations can help us realize this vision by supporting initiatives such as:

We invite you to learn more about our on-going UofL sustainability initiatives and to explore the many ways you can get involved and help us create a better world right here, right now.
Oct. 22-25, 2019 Cards Come Together Week of Service
Tuesday, Oct. 22 - Friday, Oct. 25, various times and locations
Join the UofL campus community for a week of giving back to the city at Cards Come Together. This inaugural week of service, led by UofL President Neeli Bendapudi features several service projects across the city as well as collection sites on campus for needed supplies for Louisville charities. Space is limited for some projects so registration is required. See the full list of opportunities here. UofL's Sustainability Council is hosting the following service project:

Service Day: UofL Community Composting Project
Tuesday, Oct. 22nd, 3-5pm, (250 E. Bloom St., map here)
Located behind Taco Bell on Bloom Street. Volunteers will pull sticks out of compost, and sift worms in super soil. Other projects include turning compost using pitch forks and shovels, moving wood chips, weeding, and trash pick-up. Pitch forks, shovels, and gloves (limited number available) will be provided. Volunteers should bring water, and hat, and wear closed toe shoes. This event is part of Cards Come Together Week of Service. Volunteers must register in advance. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 21-24, 2019 Sustainability Week Free Movie Series
Monday, Oct. 21st - Thursday, Oct. 24th at UofL's Health Sciences Center
The Health Sciences Center Green Team is excited to host a series of free documentary films! There will be two screenings each day and you are welcome to stop by any time during the showings:

Image result for forks over knives posterForks Over Knives
Monday, Oct. 21st, Noon and 3:30pm, at Kornhauser Library HSC Auditorium
Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the chronic diseases that afflict us can be controlled or even reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic. On separate paths, their discoveries and groundbreaking research led them to the same startling conclusion: Chronic diseases including heart disease and type 2 diabetes can almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet. The idea of food as medicine is put to the test. The film follows everyday Americans with chronic conditions as they seek to reduce their dependence on medications and learn to use a whole-food, plant-based diet to regain control over their health and their lives.

Image result for Paris to Pittsburgh movieParis to Pittsburgh
Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, Noon and 4:30pm, at HSC Instructional Building room B302 (Ali & Preston)
As scientists’ warnings about the impacts of climate change become more and more dire — and the level of inaction from the federal government becomes more and more alarming — a growing number of leaders are fighting global warming with local solutions. Paris to Pittsburgh — a new film produced by Bloomberg Philanthropies and RadicalMedia, and distributed by National Geographic Documentary Films — features the voices of some of these forward-thinking leaders, including NRDC president Rhea Suh, along with the stories of everyday Americans who have been on the front lines of the climate crisis. From the former coal town of Pittsburgh to America’s breadbasket of Iowa to the island of Puerto Rico, the film takes you through climate change–fueled disasters in numerous communities, as well as their recovery, resiliency, and tireless efforts to inspire homegrown change. Mayors, governors, community groups, businesses, and others are stepping up, embracing solutions like renewable energy and reaping benefits like cleaner air, job growth, and cost-cutting—all close to home, where it matters most. And this movement of our innovative citizens, cities, states, and businesses could change the course of our future and ensure that the United States remains a global leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions—and protecting our planet, health, and future generations.

Image result for Current Revolution movieCurrent Revolution
Thursday, Oct. 24th, Noon and 4:30pm, at Kornhauser Library HSC Auditorium
American Resilience Project’s new film series and associated outreach campaigns tackles the challenge of how the utility, auto, tech and defense industries can help modernize the aging power grid to make it more secure and responsive to the needs of its users, while enhancing environmental performance. With a focus on national security, economic prosperity, and environmental justice, the films and campaigns will show how the nation can embrace smart policies and investments that support grid modernization through distributed renewable energy generation and the development of an electric vehicle infrastructure. For decades, the utilities industry has been a driving engine of the U.S. economy, contributing significantly to our progress and standard of living with a business model that focused on centralized generation. But now, because of reduced demand from a number of factors, including more efficient energy systems, power companies face a crisis that requires them to capture new market share to survive in the 21st century. The industry has its sights on the transportation sector, which means a chance to catalyze the electric vehicle industry, but which also sets it on a collision course with major petroleum interests. And with the need for a smart, cybersecure grid, the tech and defense industries also have critical roles to play.
Oct. 19, 2019 Day of Service: Brightside Community-Wide Cleanup & Central Park Improvement Day
Saturday, Oct. 19th, 8:30am-noon, Central Park in Old Louisville
Image result for central park improvement dayThe Old Louisville Neighborhood Council requests the help of volunteers from the University community to assist with the Central Park Fall 2019 Improvement Day. The park clean-up and improvement activities are part of a larger county-wide clean-up event sponsored by Brightside and Metro Parks. Work will include cleaning out catch basins, the amphitheater, planting beds, mulching, painting, and other activities to prepare the park prior to the winter. Volunteers will assemble at the Old Louisville Neighborhood & Visitors Center in Central Park 8:30 am prior to activities starting 9:00.
  • Come early! Free Heine Brother coffee, hot chocolate, donuts and fresh fruit will be available at check-in.
  • At noon, lunch including pizza, chili and drinks will be provided for all volunteer workers.
Participating in this project will be an excellent opportunity for RSOs, Greek organizations, Sustainability and all other groups on campus to make a difference and gain approximately 3.5 hours public service credit. In the past, the annual Central Park Spring clean-up has attracted between 20 and 40 individuals representing the University. This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 18, 2019 Sunflower at UPA GardenUrban Studies Garden Workday
Friday, Oct. 18th, 12pm-1pm, Garden behind Urban & Public Affairs (426 W. Bloom St.)
Join us in one of UofL's lesser-known organic gardens for a special group workday to harvest native passion fruits (maypops), delicious veggies, and to clear the paths of over-growth and put the garden to bed for the winter! Anyone can work in the garden any time, but this is a great chance to familiarize yourself with it. No prior experience necessary. Tools & gloves provided. The UPA Horticulture Zone is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest!
This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 18 & 21, 2019 Justin MogBusiness-as-Usual is Killing Us! The need for institutional weirding in the age of global climate weirding.
Friday, Oct. 18th, noon-1pm, Kornhauser Library Auditorium 103. Register here.
Monday, Oct. 21st, noon-1pm, Ekstrom Library room W104. Register here.
This August, Dr. Justin Mog celebrated his tenth year serving as UofL’s Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives. At this workshop, he’ll be sharing some of his successes and frustrations in playing the long-game of reorienting a huge institution away from business-as-usual and toward a thoughtful balancing of environmental, social, and economic stewardship. How can we leverage the incredible resources of a major metropolitan university to drive our city, state, and nation away from collapse? How can employees and other concerned members of the UofL community help nudge the university in the right direction? Join us for a stimulating conversation about how to Keep (the University of) Louisville Weird! This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 17, 2019 Farm To Table Dinner 2019Farm-To-Table Dinner & Josh Smith Memorial Sustainability Award Ceremony
Thursday, Oct. 17th, 5-8pm, Red Barn, $20 for dinner ($25 with drinks) or 2 meal swipes / flex points
Come celebrate the Harvest with a special Farm-To-Table dinner featuring a unique five-course menu, made from scratch by expert chefs, using local, farm-fresh ingredients. The meal will consist of signature cocktails, action cooking, and live music.
  • The Sustainability Council will also be presenting our third annual Josh Smith Memorial Sustainability Award at the event.
  • This event is open to the public and will serve as the kick-off for UofL Sustainability Week 2019!
This is a UofL Sustainability Week event!
Oct. 17-25, 2019 UofL Sustainability Week - Oct. 17-25, 2019
I Commit To... Campus Sustainability Day 2015A full week of events to celebrate, raise awareness, and engage your passions for environmental, social & economic justice! Events will include:
If you are interested in hosting an event during UofL Sustainability Week, please contact .
Oct. 16, 2019 Image may contain: textUrban Agriculture: How You Can Make An Impact!
Wednesday, Oct. 16th, 6:30pm, Miller Hall First Year Resource Center (FYRC)
Join UofL EcoReps and the UofL Botanical Society for a fun, interactive workshop on urban agriculture at which you will get the opportunity to plant some herbs and vegetables to take home in pots to grow in your window! No experience necessary!
Oct. 11, 2019 Image may contain: food and indoorGarden Commons Workshop: Fermentation
Friday, Oct. 11th, noon-1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center
Curious about pickling, canning or fermenting your own veggies? Come on by the Garden Commons and get an overview from Jeneen Wiche, local farmer, UofL Anthropology professor, and lover of fermentation. Bring a jar with you and you might be able to snag some fermented goodies! This is a part of our fall series of Garden Workshops on Fridays at noon. Join us for our last workshop: Nov. 22nd at noon - Wreath Making. The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on our Facebook Page.
Oct. 11, 2019 Sustainability Roundtable: Allison Smith, Metro Louisville - Brownfields
Friday, Oct. 11th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Image result for Allison Smith, Metro Louisville - BrownfieldsPlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. On October 11th, our speaker will be Allison Smith, PhD. Dr. Smith is the Brownfields and Community Engagement Strategist for Louisville Metro Government's Office of Advanced Planning and Sustainability.
Upcoming Fall Roundtables include:
Oct. 25 – TBA
Nov. 8 – Jessica Eggleston, UofL Masters in Sustainability student
Nov. 22 – Lilias Pettit-Scott, Urban Agriculture Coalition - High Tunnel Production
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Oct. 10, 2019 At the Intersection of Place, Race(ism), and Health
Thursday, October 10th, 4pm, room 132, Cardiovascular Innovation Institute (302 E Muhammad Ali Blvd)
Image result for Dr. Sharrelle Barber from Drexel UniversityThe next guest speaker in the Envirome Institute Medicine Seminar Series is Dr. Sharrelle Barber from Drexel University.  Dr. Barber will present "At the Intersection of Place, Race(ism), and Health: Residential Segregation and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in the United States and Brazil.” Dr. Barber is currently an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Urban Health Collaborative at the Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University. She is also a faculty affiliate of the UCLA Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, & Health. Her research focuses on the intersection of “place, race, and health” and examines the role of structural racism (i.e. concentrated economic disadvantage and residential segregation) in shaping health and racial/ethnic health inequalities among Blacks with a particular focus on the Southern United States and Brazil. To that end, she has conducted a series of empirical investigations in the Jackson Heart Study based in Jackson, Mississippi and the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health, a multi-site cohort study based in six urban centers across Brazil. Dr. Barber’s research employs multilevel analysis and spatial techniques and draws heavily from theories that take a socio-ecological approach to understanding health and health inequalities. Ultimately, Dr. Barber hopes her research will inform the development of multi-level, multi-sector policies that will address the underlying structural determinants of health through economic and social policy initiatives. Dr. Barber holds a Doctor of Science degree in Social Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health, a Masters of Public Health degree in Health Behavior and Health Education from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Bennett College for Women.
Oct. 5, 2019

The Phoenix House (Conn Center HQ)Louisville Solar Tour
Saturday, Oct. 5th, 10am-4pm, various sites. Purchase $15 bus tickets here.
Starts in room 103 Ernst Hall (216 Eastern Pkwy)
This year' s Louisville Solar Tour will kick-off with informative sessions at UofL, after which you'll get to tour solar-powered homes, businesses, and other facilities and catch a glimpse of our renewable energy future! This annual event provides real-life examples of how families and businesses are harnessing free energy from the sun in the River City to generate electricity, heat water & indoor spaces, and slash monthly utility bills! We will start with an opening presentation for context, and then climb in a bus to see various solar installations on site. Owners will explain unique and outstanding features of their solar systems on location. The bus will return to an ending party at Apocalypse Brewing. Schedule:

  • Pre-tour: 10am, Ernst Hall 103, kickoff and educational presentation (with Adam Edelen)
  • Tour: 11:00am – 3:00pm
  • Post-tour: 3:00pm, meet the installers and celebrate, Apocalypse Brew Works (1612 Mellwood Ave.)

Each tour site will offer information and perspectives from homeowners, businesses, and solar installers about the costs, processes, and economic and environmental benefits of going solar.

Oct. 5, 2019 UofL Students at Louisville Grows Tree PlantingLouisville Grows - Green Heart Tree Planting
Saturday, Oct. 5th, 8am-4pm, Southside Baptist Church (804 Camden Ave)
Please join UofL, Louisville Grows, and our Taylor-Berry, Jacobs, Hazelwood, Beechmont, Oakdale, and Wilder Park neighbors as we dig toward our goal of planting 1000 trees this season! We need 200 volunteers on the day of the planting. No experience is necessary; everyone is welcome to come play in the dirt with us. Our Citizen Foresters will be there to lead you in becoming a proper tree planter! Other volunteer opportunities include registration, breakfast, and lunch volunteers. A light breakfast and full lunch will be provided to all volunteers. Louisville Grows will provide gloves and water bottles. Please dress appropriately for the weather. Waterproof outerwear is recommended if rain is forecasted. You'll be digging in dirt and handling mulch, so please dress to get dirty. Closed-toed shoes are required. This planting will be in partnership with Green Heart Louisville, a University of Louisville study that seeks to determine how increased green space affects health and relationships within these neighborhoods.
Oct. 1, 2019 Louisville Sustainability Forum
Tuesday, Oct. 1st, Noon – 1:30pm, Passionist Earth and Spirit Center (1924 Newburg Road)
This always interesting forum, with a wide variety of presenters, has been held monthly since 2006.  Topics for October 1st will include University of Louisville's Masters in Sustainability, the new Every Commute Counts regional carpool/vanpool matching and incentives program, and the emergent threats to Bernheim Forest.
Sept. 27, 2019 WaterStep - Home - Water Chlorination SanitationEcoReps Lunch & Learn: WaterStep - Safe Water Sustainably Secured
Friday, Sept. 27th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
Join us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshop featuring a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability! This month we'll discuss how to respond sustainably to the global need for safe water with Mark Hogg, Founder of the Louisville-based International Humanitarian Relief NGO, WaterStep. Come learn what they do to help provide the most precious resource that sustains us all and how you can get involved! He will also be discussing Sustainability Organization Development with us.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepEco-Reps logos 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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. Join us for lunch and bring your reusable plate, utensils, and cup to minimize waste! All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website.
Sept. 27, 2019 Sustainability Roundtable: Laura Grabowski, Metro Louisville - Louisville Vacant Properties
Friday, Sept. 27th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Laura GrabowskiPlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. On September 27th, our speaker will be Laura Grabowski, Director of Metro Louisville's Vacant and Public Property Administration. Laura oversees a team of 8 staff and three boards charged with alleviating vacant and abandoned properties, including real estate sales, foreclosures and condemnation proceedings, rehab, and demolition. She manages a $2 million annual budget and develops innovative solutions to address vacant and abandoned properties.
Upcoming Fall Roundtables include:
Oct. 11 – Allison Smith, Metro Louisville - Brownfields
Oct. 25 – TBA
Nov. 8 – Jessica Eggleston, UofL Masters in Sustainability student
Nov. 22 – Lilias Pettit-Scott, Urban Agriculture Coalition - High Tunnel Production
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Sept. 26, 2019 Prepare Louisville Community Dialogue (Climate Adaptation)
Thursday, Sept. 26th, Noon-2pm, Ekstrom Library W210
Louisville is experiencing the impacts of climate change with record rainfall, major flooding and more intense and frequent heat waves. Louisville Metro has launched the Prepare Louisville initiative to increase our community’s resilience to extreme weather and other climate impacts. The newly-merged Louisville Metro Office of Advanced Planning & Sustainability is working on a Climate Adaptation Plan for Louisville and they are seeking public input to guide this effort as well as raising awareness and providing community members with resources to take action. Please join us at this open house event to learn more about the impacts that climate change will bring to our city and be a part of our effort to plan strategies to reduce the effects in our communities.
• Lend your voice to the development of the Climate Adaptation Plan.
• Explore potential adaptation strategies for Louisville, with ongoing discussion throughout the event.
• Learn how you can prepare yourself and your home for emergency situations and extreme weather.
• Take home free trees and emergency preparedness kits.
The city is asking for input from experts across the region, but we also want to bring the larger Louisville community along in this process. UofL's Sustainability Council is proud to host one of three Community Dialogues with the aim of collaborating with residents to analyze the climate risks and develop the adaptation strategies. All are welcome at the table - students, faculty, staff, and the public. We will begin with a brief presentation about the analysis and the planning effort, followed by a facilitated dialogue. Residents also can offer their input through the Prepare Louisville online survey.Image may contain: 3 people, people standing, outdoor, text and nature
Sept. 25 - Oct. 6, 2019 Anthropocene: The Human Epoch
Wednesday, September 25, 6 pm (Special screening in conjunction with the United Nations Climate Summit)
AnthropoceneFriday, October 4, 6 pm
Saturday, October 5, 3 pm
Saturday, October 5, 6 pm
Sunday, October 6, 3 pm
Speed Cinema, Speed Art Museum on UofL's Belknap Campus
A stunning sensory experience and cinematic meditation on humanity’s massive reengineering of the planet, Anthropocene: The Human Epoch is a years-in-the-making feature documentary from the award-winning team behind Manufactured Landscapes (2006) and Watermark (2013) and narrated by Alicia Vikander. The film follows the research of an international body of scientists, the Anthropocene Working Group who, after nearly ten years of research, argue that the Holocene Epoch gave way to the Anthropocene Epoch in the mid-twentieth century as a result of profound and lasting human changes to the Earth. From concrete seawalls in China that now cover 60% of the mainland coast to the biggest terrestrial machines ever built in Germany, to psychedelic potash mines in Russia’s Ural Mountains and metal festivals in the closed city of Norilsk, to the devastated Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the filmmakers traversed the globe using state of the art camera techniques to document the evidence and experience of human planetary domination. At the intersection of art and science, Anthropocene witnesses a critical moment in geological history—bringing a provocative and unforgettable experience of our species’ breadth and impact. Directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky, Nicholas De Pencier. 2019, Canada, DCP, in English, Russian, Italian, German, Mandarin, and Cantonese with English subtitles, 87 minutes. Recommended for 12+.
Sept. 20, 2019 Plant Propagation Workshop
Friday, Sept. 20th, 5-6pm, BAB 325
Join the new UofL Botanical Society for a workshop about how to propagate house plants! You can bring your own plants to propagate or propagate some of ours in the plant room. We will be covering how to propagate from cuttings, how to propagate from leaves, and how to propagate succulents.
Sept. 18, 2019 Belknap Farmers Market: Fall MarketBelknap Farmers Market Logo
Wednesday, Sept. 18th, 10:30am-2pm, Red Barn
The Belknap Campus Farmers' Market returns for one-day only during Fall 2019! Stop by for farm-fresh local products, including produce, eggs, baked goods, honey, ice cream, coffee, and more. We'll also highlight sustainable resources on campus. Vendors will include:
  • Berserker Brew coffee
  • Bernoulli's ice cream
  • Rogue Petunia bakery
  • UofL Free Store
  • UofL Health Promotion
  • UofL Zero Waste / Bombas
  • Lowe Creek Farms
  • Barr Farms
  • Full Heart Farms
Sept. 14, 2019

The Life & Legacy of Wendell Berry
Saturday, Sept. 14th, 9am-5pm, SAC Ballroom. Registration: $20 students, $50 others.
Lauded Kentucky author, farmer, environmentalist, and champion for sustainability, Wendell Berry will be the focus, and featured guest, of this day-log conference hosted by Front Porch Republic (FPR). Conference registration includes lunch and refreshments. FPR, which turns 10 years old this year, is committed to restoring to the public conversation concepts such as human scale, the distribution of power, and our responsibility to the future. It's members come from different backgrounds, live in different places, and have divergent interests, but are convinced that scale, place, self-government, sustainability, limits, and variety are key terms with which any fruitful debate about our corporate future must contend. To mark this anniversary, FPR is gathering at UofL to discuss Wendell Berry’s vision and legacy. They’ll also be handing out copies of the inaugural issue of Local Culture: A Journal of the Front Porch Republic.

All are encouraged to register to attend and join us for what promises to be a rich day.

Image result for wendell berry9:00 Welcome, Gary Gregg, Director of the McConnell Center

9:15-10:45 Community

  • Jake Meador, Community in an Orphaned World: Belonging in a Time of Rootlessness
  • Eric Miller, Creating a Current: Wendell Berry and the Fellowship of the Word
  • Jeff Bilbro, Convocation: Burley Coulter and the Membership

11:00-12:30 Farms and Households

  • Susannah Black, Front Porch and Empire: Political Authority and the Blessings, and Limits, of Limits
  • Gracy Olmstead, “It Takes a Village”: Why the Nuclear Family Is Insufficient for Agricultural Sustainability
  • Jason Peters, “Who Started the Fight?”: The Farm and the Language of Particularity

12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:00 Wendell and Mary Berry in Conversation

  • Wendell Berry and Mary Berry

3:15-4:30 Empire and Law

  • Caleb Stegall, Obedience to the Unenforceable: Is Port William Lawless?
  • Bill Kauffman, “Where Have They Gone?” Wendell Berry on War and Peace

Concluding Remarks, Mark Mitchell, FPR President
Sept. 13, 2019 Research!Louisville 2019 awards ceremony & keynote address
Friday, Sept. 13th, 1pm-2:45pm, UofL’s Clinical and Translational Research Building (Ali & Hancock), Rooms 101-102
Keynote speaker Cheryl Lyn Walker, PhD, Director of the Center for Precision Environmental Health at Baylor College of Medicine, will deliver "What the epigenome can teach us about environmental causes of disease.” Dr. Walker is internationally recognized for her work in environmental health and elucidation of molecular mechanisms of disease. Her studies on the role of the epigenome in gene-environment interactions have yielded significant insights into mechanisms by which early life environmental exposures influence health and disease across the life-course. Also at this event, award recipients of the Research!Louisville Showcase will be recognized.
Sept. 13, 2019

Ballin' on a Budget: Ethical Fashion 101Image may contain: text
Friday, Sept. 13th at 12:00pm - 2:30pm, Red Barn plaza
Come join us and learn about the harmful social and environmental effects of the fashion industry, and how you can shop sustainably!

We will be having a free "yard sale" where you can bring your used clothing, accessories, and other items, and shop the other donated pieces!

We will be serving free Heine Brothers coffee and iced tea, along with a tasty vegetarian lunch from Heart and Soy!

We will also be offering DIY sustainable hacks for your old clothes: stain remover, minor sewing repairs, and will be sending you out with an informational flier with ethical fashion tips and important information!

Hosted by the Engage. Lead. Serve. Board's Green Initiatives. Facebook Event.
Sept. 13, 2019 Mark Wourms forest under threatSustainability Roundtable: Mark Wourms - Bernheim Forest Under Threat
Friday, Sept. 13th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. On September 13th, our speaker will be Mark Wourms, Executive Director of the Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest just south of Louisville in Clermont, KY. Bernheim has launched a Forest Under Threat campaign to highlight two proposed infrastructure projects that have Bernheim in the cross-hairs: KYTC's proposal for the "next Gene Snyder" (an interstate bypass), and LG&E's proposal to install a natural gas pipeline through the forest.
Upcoming Fall Roundtables include:
Sept. 27 – Lilias Pettit-Scott, Urban Agriculture Coalition - High Tunnel Production
Oct. 11 – Allison Smith, Metro Louisville - Brownfields
Oct. 25 – TBA
Nov. 8 – TBA
Nov. 22 – TBA
The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers throughout the year, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch! Anyone with an interest in sustainability can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Tamara Sluss.
Sep. 12, 2019 Joshua PoeRedlining Louisville: The Racist Origins of Real Estate, Planning and Wealth
Thursday, Sept. 12th, noon-1pm, Kosair Charities Clinical and Translational Research Building, Room 101/102
Joshua Poe is a nationally recognized city planner, data journalist, community organizer, and movement geographer.  He started in grassroots organizing around housing, labor, and economic justice.  Mr. Poe has a B.A. in Political Science from Berea College, and an M.A. in Urban Planning from the University of Louisville.  In 2017, he authored and published the interactive storymap, Redlining Louisville: The History of Race, Class, and Housing in Louisville, KY, which received recognition from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.  He is a pioneer in documenting and exposing intentional city planning as a weaponized tool for denying Black people land ownership and access to generational wealth.  His work on the history of city planning, inclusive design and equitable development makes him a nationally featured speaker.  Mr. Poe is currently working on developing equitable development strategies, organizing around anti-gentrification efforts, creating new funding models, and addressing root systems of power to create sustainable social change.
This presentation will explore the legacy of structural discrimination through federal housing policies and the far-reaching impact they have had on social determinants of health and economics.  The presentation will explore how early 20th century housing policies and the profession of city planning were intentionally weaponized to isolate Black communities, create a permanent caste system, and prevent access to jobs, housing, capital, and the accumulation of generational wealth.  The presentation will also discuss how the legacy of redlining is furthering current gentrification patterns, along with strategies for policy development to create equitable urban development and justice-based philanthropy.  (Lunch will be served.)
OBJECTIVES:
- Define how urban policy and the profession of city planning were weaponized in the early 20th century against Black communities to prevent wealth attainment through these four policy areas: zoning; the Federal Housing Administration; urban renewal; and the construction of interstate highways.
- Recognize how segregation and concentrated poverty are the results of structural systems of oppression rather than individual choices.
- Describe the intentionality behind discriminatory housing policies and the relationship between racism, capitalism, and real estate.
- Illustrate and contextualize redlining in present-day urban redevelopment and gentrification strategies.
- Outline the history and implications of the racial wealth gap.
- Compare and contrast the differences between outcomes, root causes, and systems of oppressions and the need for policy changes that address structural issues.
Sept. 6, 2019 Garden Commons Workshop: Herbal Tea-Making
Friday, Sept. 6th, 12pm-1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural CenterHerb & Tea Workshop
Interested in learning more about how to use the herbs in our garden? Want to taste some delicious, fresh herbal teas like you've never had before? Stop by the Garden Commons next to the Cultural Center for our workshop led by UofL's Sustainability Coordinator, Dr. Justin Mog. Bring your own jars and containers to take herbs and tea home with you! This is part of our fall series of Garden Workshops on Fridays at noon. Join us again for: Nov. 22, 12pm - Wreath Making.
The Garden Commons is open to participation any time from students, staff, faculty, and community members. Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on our Facebook Page.
Aug. 30, 2019 Food Justice WorkshopGarden Commons Workshop: Food Justice with New Roots
Friday, Aug. 30th at 1pm, Garden Commons at the Cultural Center
Join us for the very first Food Justice Workshop at the University of Louisville Garden Commons in partnership with New Roots, Inc. New Roots ignites community power for fresh food access. Join us in this interactive, popular democracy gathering to discuss the history of food in Louisville, how and why food apartheid exists, and how Fresh Stop Markets utilize cooperative economics to unite communities to spread food justice. Come share your food story.
Aug. 30, 2019 BIOL Native Plant Garden with BeeEcoReps Lunch & Learn: Can Biophilia Save Native Species Around Us?
Friday, Aug. 30th at Noon, Ekstrom Library room W210
Join us for our monthly EcoReps Lunch & Learn workshop featuring a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability! Our guest speaker to kick off the new year will be UofL Biology Professor Emeritus, Margaret Carreiro, who is an expert on native plants and the role they play in supporting pollinators and the entire web of life that we all depend on. As species around the world and in our region go extinct at unprecedented and alarming rates, many of us feel powerless to contribute directly to conservation solutions because we think “real” Nature can only be sustained in parks and reserves. But, believe it or not, by creating more thoughtful species-friendly habitat, people in cities, suburbs and rural areas can weave more local Nature into the very places where we live and work. Can ordinary people play an important species conservation role for our region in cities and towns? What types of support might we need to save and enjoy more of our local biological heritage in our neighborhoods? Come hear Dr. Margaret Carreiro speak about some success stories. Then let us all contribute our ideas to this critical and hopefully ongoing discussion so, we can create more win-win situations for both people and nature around our homes, schools and workplaces.
The Sustainability Council’s EcoRepEco-Reps logos 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. This fall, we continue our series of in-person workshops each month on last Fridays at noon in Ekstrom Library room W210. Join us for lunch and bring your reusable plate, utensils, and cup to minimize waste! All are welcome. More info on EcoReps website.
Aug. 30, 2019 Russ BarnettSustainability Roundtable: Russ Barnett, UofL - Indoor Air Quality
Friday, Aug. 30th, 11am-noon, Urban Studies Room 200 (426 W Bloom St)
Please join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable on alternate Fridays throughout the fall at 11am. On August 30th, our speaker will be Russ Barnett, from UofL's Envirome Institute, who has been studying Indoor Air Quality inside hundreds of homes around the region. Upcoming Fall Roundtables include:
Sept. 13 –