OHIO to celebrate Earth Day 2021 with special events

Ohio University’s Office of Sustainability and Voinovich Zero Waste Initiative will be holding a virtual recognition of the 51st anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2021. The OHIO Earth Day celebrations will feature online content and several special announcements, including the 2021 Sustainability Award winners.

As Earth Day approaches, the campus and community can engage daily with sustainability content, including local initiatives, on social media (@OHIOsustainable and @OHIOzerowaste, #OHIOearthday). The campus and local community Earth Month calendar, supported by the Climate and Sustainability Ambassadors, will include special highlights of OHIO Sustainability Hub themes.

Kick off Earth Week by joining the April 19 Sustainable Infrastructure Hub Seminar at 5 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. Engineering professors Jesus Pagan and Andrew Weems and their students will be demonstrating plastics recycling research occurring in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.

Between April 19 and 21, experience The Need to Grow, a film with an intimate look at unique innovators in the food movement, offered virtually by the Athena Cinema through the Sustainability Film Series. A post-viewing panel will begin at 7 p.m. on April 21.

On April 22 follow @OHIOsustainable and @OHIOzerowaste all day to celebrate sustainability initiatives during the 2020-21 academic year with online events including:

Sustainability Awards Announcement

The Sustainability Awards are given to individuals and organizations nominated by their peers. The awards are separated into five categories: Faculty Sustainability Award, Student Sustainability Leader(s) Award, Staff Sustainability Advocate Award, Exemplary Sustainable Department Award and Community Sustainability Recognition. Watch Facebook at noon on April 22 for a special announcement of the 2021 award winners, and follow individual highlights of the winners released throughout the afternoon on social media.

Arbor Day Celebration

Learn about trees on campus. Celebrate the Arbor Day Foundation’s designation of Ohio University as a Tree Campus Higher Education (formerly Tree Campus USA) awardee for the fifth straight year. Find out how you can have your very own red oak sapling grown from a Campus Green acorn.

OHIO Earth Day Parade

Relive the 2019 OHIO Earth Day Parade through a video made by graduate student Vicky Kent. See the Passion Works Honey for the Heart costumes, hear the noise makers, and virtually walk with Rufus, The Bag Monster and Pawpaw as paraders march through campus and Athens to show their excitement for Earth Day.   

Pollinator Programs

Watch for special announcements about pollinator commitments both on campus and in the community.

ReBike Program

The annual ReBike Program sale of salvaged, affordable used bicycles will not be held this semester. Watch social media for information about ReBike, including a possible sale to be organized early in the fall.

Join the celebrations on social media and see the Virtual Earth Month calendar for sustainability tips, activities, how-to videos, webinars, photos of spring arriving in Southeast Ohio and more.

For more information about the OHIO Earth Day Celebrations visit the Office of Sustainability website or follow it on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) @OHIOsustainable.