Updated with new events!

Austin Community College celebrates the 47th annual Earth Day April 22 with a week of sustainability events beginning Monday, April 17.

See below for dates and times of Earth Week traditions and new activities. Check the ACC Earth Week 2017 webpage for the latest schedule of events.

Don’t forget to tweet your photos with the hashtags #sustainableACC and #EarthWeekACC.

All week

Eco bag student art contest — Faculty, staff, and students can vote online for their favorite design starting April 17. The winning design will be displayed at each campus, distributed at ACC events, and available for sale for one year. View the Eco Bag Contest flier for entry details and design guidelines.

PIN Plants — Beautify Pinnacle Campus and learn about native plants and invasive weeds. Participants will clean and replant the flower boxes on campus. For more information, contact [email protected].

Walking with Wonder Photo Contest — Walk, talk, and take photos of Mother Earth at the Eastview Campus, Monday through Thursday at 3:30 pm each day. Participants will walk along the outdoor and indoor trails photographing nature along the way. Meet in front of the campus manager’s office (room 3104) each day. If you can’t participate, you can still submit photos to [email protected].

Mother Earth Wellness Walks — multiple campuses

Earthy Break — The Highland Business Center Wellness team is hosting a social media campaign to encourage colleagues to take wellness breaks throughout the workday. An Earthy Break could be an activity such as stepping outside for fresh air or taking a brief walk. Take photos of your activities and share on ACC’s Facebook page with the tag #earthybreakHBC.

Monday, April 17 – Live Locally Day

Plant a Plant, 11 a.m., ACC Service Center — Make wildflower seed balls with the Service Center Wellness Team.  Seed balls are a great way to plant seeds and make great gifts. Once dry, participants can take their seed balls home. Meet at the main entrance. Questions: [email protected] or [email protected].

Live Locally & Sustainably Fair, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Riverside Campus courtyard between Buildings A and G — Learn what Austinites are doing to give back to the community and discover ways to get involved. No registration is required. For more information, contact Heather Campbell, Student Life coordinator, at [email protected].

Riverside Creek Sweep, 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Roy Guerrero Park — Clean up litter with Ecology Action. Dress for outdoor work, bring water, and wear sunscreen. Registration is required. Sign up through the Student Life Common Service Experience webpage. For more information, contact [email protected].

Cypress Creek Campus Clean Up — Join the Cypress Creek Green Team from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help beautify the campus by picking up litter. Meet in front of Building 2000. Dress for cleanup activities, bring water, and wear sunscreen. No registration is required. For more information, contact Charlie Knight at the Campus Administration Office at [email protected].

Film Screening: The Story of Stuff, 11 a.m. and noon in the Student Commons — The Cypress Creek Green Team hosts a screening of “The Story of Stuff,” a 20-minute film on the stuff we consume, how it is made, and how quickly things become waste. No registration or tickets are required. For more information, contact Charlie Knight at the Campus Administration Office at [email protected].

Tuesday, April 18 – Sustainable Gardening Day

Northridge Garden Group: Planting Day, 9 a.m. to noon — The Northridge Garden Group will refresh and add plants to the raised beds at the Mockingbird Garden. Dress for gardening, bring water, and wear sunscreen. Registration is preferred, but not required. Meet in the garden area between buildings 1000, 3000, and 4000. For more information, contact Katt Watts-Martinez, professional photographer professor, at [email protected].

Pick a Pickled Pepper, 11 a.m. to noon at the campus courtyard — Join the Cypress Creek Green Team and repot a plant to take home. No registration is required. For more information, contact Charlie Knight at the Campus Administration Office at [email protected].

Build-a-Salad Potluck , noon to 1 p.m., Highland Business Center Room 411 — The HBC Wellness Team is hosting a healthy potluck event. Sign up to bring a dish.  Questions: [email protected].

Wednesday, April 19 – Transportation Alternatives Day

Electric Vehicle Showcase — In partnership with the ACC Energy & Sustainability Office, Northridge Student Life will showcase the ACC Chevy Volt from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop by Building 3000 to learn about electrical vehicles and alternative transportation options. Student Life will provide do-it-yourself projects with recycled materials, snacks and giveaways. No registration is needed. For more information, contact Kat Atienza, Student Life specialist, at [email protected].

Alternative Transportation Fair, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the Social Staircase — The ACC Highland Green Team and Students for Environmental Outreach host an Alternative Transportation Fair to promote commuting alternatives. Vendors attending include Capital Metro, Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS), Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), City of Austin Urban Trail & Vision Zero Programs, and others. No registration is required. For more information, contact Alyssa Halle-Schramm, sustainability coordinator, at [email protected].

Earth Week Chalk Drawing, 11 a.m. to noon in the covered area near the library — The Cypress Creek Green Team hosts a chalk drawing event with the theme “What is your vision of an Earth free of excess waste?” No registration is required. For more information, contact Charlie Knight at the Campus Administration Office at [email protected].

Healthy Snack Chat,  2 p.m., Service Center — Bring a healthy snack to the break room (Room 162) or enjoy some that will be provided. Learn how to get moving through the Exercise Stars program.  Questions: [email protected] or [email protected].

Thursday, April 20 – Waste and Recycling Day

Pinnacle Clean Sweep, 9 to 10 a.m. — Help the Pinnacle Green Team beautify the campus by picking up litter. Meet outside near the book store. Dress for outdoor activity, bring water, and wear sunscreen. No registration is required. For more information, contact David Tucker, campus manager, at [email protected].

Film Screening, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the Student Commons — The Cypress Creek Green Team hosts a screening of “Addicted to Plastic,” a documentary investigating the worldwide production, consumption, and negative environmental impacts of plastics. No registration or tickets are required. For more information, contact Charlie Knight at the Campus Administration Office at [email protected].

Mother Earth Walk, 12:30 p.m. — The Cypress Creek Green Team hosts the Mother Earth Walk. Dress for outdoors, bring water, and wear sunscreen. No registration is required. Meet in the covered area by the library. For more information, contact Charlie Knight at the Campus Administration Office at [email protected].

SVC Clean Sweep, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Service Center — Help clean up the Service Center. Dress for clean-up work, bring water, and wear sunscreen. No registration is needed. Meet at the flagpoles; supplies will be provided. Questions: [email protected] or [email protected]

Friday, April 21 – Energy and Atmosphere Day

Mother Earth Walk to the State Capitol, 8:30 am, Rio Grande Campus — Join a Mother Earth Walk to the Texas Capitol. Bring water and wear sunscreen. No registration is needed. Meet in front of the Rio Grande main building (Building 1000). Questions: [email protected]

Mother Earth Talk & Walk, 10 to 11 a.m., Highland Business Center — Join the HBC Wellness Team for a sustainability talk followed by a Mother Earth Walk. Take photos and share on ACC’s Facebook page with the tag #earthybreakHBC. Bring water and wear sunscreen. No registration is needed. Meet in the HBC lobby. Questions: [email protected] or [email protected].

Back to the Earth: SAC Compost, noon to 2 p.m. — The South Austin Green Team highlights composting efforts. Volunteers will add nutrients “back to the earth” in the courtyard gardens through compost made from paper towels collected on campus over 18 months. Volunteers also will help with chemical-free weed control. Dress appropriately for outdoor activity, bring water, and wear sunscreen. No registration is required.  For more information, contact Tim Kelly, campus manager, at [email protected].

Hang Out with Nature — Join the Cypress Creek Green Team to hang new signs in trees and flowerbeds. Dress for outdoor activity, bring water, and wear sunscreen. No registration is required. Meet in front of Building 2000 at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Charlie Knight at the Campus Administration Office at [email protected].

Frozen Yogurt Social & Trash to Treasure Contest, 2 p.m., Service Center — The SVC Wellness Team is hosting a frozen yogurt social and recycling event. Stop by room 133 for a sundae and create a masterpiece from recycled trash. Bring in recycled items to use; most creative project wins. Questions: [email protected] or [email protected].

Riverbat Lights Out — Tour Eastview Campus and help identify lights commonly left on that could be turned off to save energy. A short discussion by Caleb Crow, ACC’s energy conservation manager, will guide the walk beginning at 6 p.m. Registration is not required. For more information, contact Crow at [email protected].

Saturday, April 22 – Earth Day

Austin March for Science, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Rio Grande Campus — Join the Environmental Outreach and Geology Club in the Austin March for Science. This is a satellite event of the national March for Science, which aims to promote a passion for science and support scientific research, science education, and evidence-based policy-making. The march begins at noon at the Texas Capitol. Gather at the Rio Grande Campus at 11 a.m. to walk together to the Capitol. No registration is required. Bring water. For more information, contact Anne Turner, ACC environmental science professor, at [email protected].

Earth Day Austin — Celebrate Earth Day ATX, the largest sustainability event in Central Texas, from noon to 7 p.m. at Huston-Tillotson University, (900 Chicon St.). This family-friendly event features local sustainability-related organizations, interactive exhibits, food, games, and free music. Parking is available at ACC’s Eastview Campus, and a shuttle bus will run throughout the day. No registration is required.

Tags: earth day, earth week, sustainability

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