
Events: Every Day is Earth Day
Sustainability at University of Richmond is exhibited in the everyday lives of faculty, staff, and students, as well as in events that bring our community together.
Each year, the University participates in the RVA Environmental Film Festival, showing films that are free and open to the public in this city-wide event. During International Education Week in the fall, members of the campus community can adopt individual actions while learning about global sustainability through an online Ecochallenge. In the spring, the Office for Sustainability hosts a dinner honoring members of the campus community for their efforts supporting sustainability at University of Richmond. At the end of each spring semester, the University puts on the Big Yard Sale to benefit the Falls of the James Sierra Club. These are just a few annual events that support the University’s priority of environmental stewardship
In addition to exploring annual events through these pages, you can also look over some green event tips that we've put together for you. No matter what kind of event you're hosting, we want it to be more sustainable.
Spring 2023 Events
The list below is a repository sustainability-related events happening this semester. Is your department or club hosting an event related to sustainability, the environment, or social justice? Please let us know if you would like to add it to this list.
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January 19: Leadership Lessons Learned: Finding Our Way on the Heels of Failure
Video Recording of Event
Breed Pavillion, Queally Center for Admissions and Career Services
January 19, 2023 at 7:00pm
Sponsored by the Jepson Leadership Forum
Registration is required, register here
Learn more -
January 26: Climate Change at UR Course Module Presentation
Zoom
January 26, 2023 at 11:00am
Sponsored by the Office for Sustainability
RSVP here
In the pursuit of integrating sustainability across the curriculum, the Office for Sustainability has been developing course modules for the purpose of providing foundational education in sustainability, climate change, and environmental justice. Daniel Hart, Associate Director of Sustainability and Environmental Justice, will be hosting a few sessions in January to test run and present on the following topics, and if interested, you are invited to attend to provide feedback so that we can make these offerings as meaningful as possible for your courses. We offer guest lecturing in the topics listed above and are happy to come into your class and present. If this is of interest to you, please feel free to reach out to Daniel Hart at dhart@richmond.edu, and we will tailor the content to your discipline and course! -
February 2: Methane Mapping Methods for the Climate Emergency Presentation
Robins School of Business, Room C114 or on Zoom
February 2, 2023 at Noon
Sponsored by the Department of Geography, Environment and Sustainability
Join Professor Stephen Metts from The New School and Professor Nathan Phillips from Boston College as they demonstrate methane leak detection and mapping methods. Stephen and Nathan will answer questions for geographers and friends who are interested in opportunities to support community organizations like Sierra Club, who will be mapping methane leaks in Richmond over the next months and years.
Check out this video of Nathan’s methane detection devices in use in Boston. -
February 3: Climate and Environmental Justice Course Module Presentation
Tyler Haynes Commons, Room 310
February 3, 2023 at 9:00am
Sponsored by the Office for Sustainability
Register by emailing Daniel Hart at dhart@richmond.edu
In the pursuit of integrating sustainability across the curriculum, the Office for Sustainability has been developing course modules for the purpose of providing foundational education in sustainability, climate change, and environmental justice. Daniel Hart, Associate Director of Sustainability and Environmental Justice, will be hosting a few sessions to test run and present on these topics, and you are invited to attend to provide feedback so that we can make these offerings as meaningful as possible for your courses. We offer guest lecturing in the topics listed above and are happy to come into your class and present. If this is of interest to you, please feel free to reach out to Daniel Hart at dhart@richmond.edu, and we will tailor the content to your discipline and course. -
February 6: Intro to Sustainability Course Module Presentation
Tyler Haynes Commons, THC Think Tank
February 6, 2023 at 10:00am
Sponsored by the Office for Sustainability
Register by emailing Daniel Hart at dhart@richmond.edu
In the pursuit of integrating sustainability across the curriculum, the Office for Sustainability has been developing course modules for the purpose of providing foundational education in sustainability, climate change, and environmental justice. Daniel Hart, Associate Director of Sustainability and Environmental Justice, will be hosting a few sessions to test run and present on these topics, and you are invited to attend to provide feedback so that we can make these offerings as meaningful as possible for your courses. We offer guest lecturing in the topics listed above and are happy to come into your class and present. If this is of interest to you, please feel free to reach out to Daniel Hart at dhart@richmond.edu, and we will tailor the content to your discipline and course. -
February 14: Home Energy: Smart Upgrades and IRA Incentives
Multifaith Room, Wilton Center
February 14, 2023 at 12:00pm
Sponsored by USAC, UR Sustainability, and Department of Geography, Environment, & Sustainability
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) rebates will allow for home improvements that are good for our families and our home, the Earth. Join us to learn how these programs will work over the next decade, calculate your potential benefits, and discuss ways to extend community benefit! Cookies will be provided, feel free to bring your lunch and eat it there. Open to all. -
February 16: Eco-Anxiety: A Queer Crip Approach
Brown-Alley Room, Weinstein Hall
February 16, 2023 at 4:30pm
Sponsored by Department of Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies
Lecture by Dr. Kim Hall (Professor of Philosophy) of Appalachian State University
Many people are anxious about the future in a climate-changed world. In response to this anxiety, a new diagnostic category, eco-anxiety, seems to be emerging. In this presentation, Dr. Hall offers a queer crip perspective on the circulation of climate anxiety as an object of knowledge within the U.S. mainstream and ask whose anxiety is of concern? While many are concerned about what climate anxiety is, she wonders what we might learn by focusing on what the category of climate anxiety does. How might climate anxiety be otherwise understood in ways that are oriented toward climate justice? -
February 17: Anatomy of a Good Idea Workshop
Boatwright Library, Room 156
February 17, 2023 from 11:30am-1:00pm
Sponsored by CIE (Creativity-Innovation-Entrepreneurship)
In “The Anatomy of a (Good) Idea,” Ace Callwood debunks the widely held idea that brilliance is born of epiphany or a knock to the head a la Doc Brown in Back To The Future. Developing a quality idea is characterized by discipline and adherence to a handful of core principles. Beyond the idea, ensuring we’re solving the right problem is paramount for optimal outcomes.
In this interactive session, Ace, an award-winning Founder, entrepreneur, facilitator, and educator, unpacks the process of problem identification to idea generation. He creates structure and a tool kit for groups in pursuit of the next idea that will help solve minor problems with nimble teams, navigate significant structural conundrums in massive organizations, and come up with elegant solutions for all types of environments in between.
This is offered to all UR students, staff, and faculty.
Register here -
February 21: Rethink Waste Basketball Game
Robins Stadium
February 21, 2023 at 7:00pm (Volunteers arrive at 5:00pm)
Sponsored by Rethink Waste
Join us for a zero-waste basketball game as the Richmond Spiders go against the St. Louis Billikens. Interested in volunteering to help spectators sort their waste during the game? Register here! -
February 21: Student Environmental Advocacy Talk
Virtual (See registration link)
February 21, 2023 at 7:00pm
Sponsored by Sierra Club Falls of the James Group
Registration required
Learn more and register -
February 24: JOLT Symposium: New Frontiers in Energy Trading and Blockchain for the Grid
Virtual (Zoom)
February 24, 2023 from 10:00am-4:00pm
Sponsored by School of Law
Speakers this year will be covering topics such as P2P energy trading, vehicle-to-grid connectivity, blockchain-backed carbon markets, and cybersecurity ethics. The Symposium will be held virtually, but attendees are also invited to attend a watch party that will take place on campus in the Moot Court room with lunch provided.
Registration for the event is free but required
Learn more -
February 28: A Conversation with the U.S. EPA’s General Counsel
Moot Courtroom, Law School
February, 28, 2023 at 12:00pm
Sponsored by Richmond School of Law and Merhige Center for Environmental Studies
Jeffrey Prieto, General Counsel of the U.S. EPA, will appear via Zoom to discuss his career path in government and in environmental law and offer words of wisdom to students interested in careers in government.
The event is at noon on February 28 in the law school’s moot courtroom. This event will be conversational, so please come prepared with any questions you may have for our guest.
Questions? Contact Kiara at kiara.anguiano@richmond.edu, Haley at haley.edmonds@richmond.edu, or Professor Noah Sachs at nsachs@richmond.edu.
Lunch is provided. No advance registration required. -
March 14: "Utama" Film Screening and Community Involvement Fair
Ukrop Auditorium, Robins School of Business
March 14, 2023 // Community Involvement Fair from 5:45-6:45pm and Film at 7:00pm
Sponsored by UR Sustainability in partnership with the RVA Environmental Film Festival
Learn more -
March 20: Neumann Lecture on Music: Music After Oil
Robins School of Business, Ukrop Auditorium
March 20, 2023 at 7:30pm
Sponsored by the Department of Music
Learn more -
March 21: Sounds of Sustainability: Discussion on Plant-Based Eating and Music Performance
Wellbeing Center Lobby
March 21, 2023 at 1:00pm
Sponsored by UR Sustainability and Department of Music
Join UR faculty member Dr. Joanne Kong and visiting artist Christoph Wagner for a wonderful lunchtime mini-concert featuring beautiful music for cello and piano. Advocates for sustainability and well-being, they will also discuss how plant-based food choices can benefit personal health and the environment. They will also share tips on how to integrate more plant-based choices into your diet. Plant-based snacks will be provided.
RSVP by Sunday, March 19 -
March 29: 1 Million Cups with Felix Garcia
Robins School of Business, iLab Room 123
March 29, 2023 from 8:30am-10:00am
Sponsored by Robins School of Business
Learn more -
March 31: Perspectives: Urban Rewewal
Tyler Haynes Commons, Room 305
March 31, 2023 at 12:30pm
Sponsored by the Center for Civic Engagement
Learn more -
April 5-7: El Poder del pueblo: Environmental justice and decolonial worldmaking in Puerto Rico and beyond
International Center Commons and Courtyard
April 5-7, 2023 at 7:30pm
Sponsored by the Tucker Boatwright Festival of Literature & the Arts
Learn more -
April 7: Perspectives: Beekeeping and Urban Ecology
Tyler Haynes Commons, Room 305
April 7, 2023 at 12:30pmSponsored by the Center for Civic Engagement
Learn more -
April 7: E-Waste Collection
Parking Lot C66 (Across from the Robins Center)
April 7, 2023 from 8:00am-12:00pm
Sponsored by Rethink Waste (Custodial Services)
Do you have e-waste you need to dispose of? Recycle it with Rethink Waste! Some examples of standard items to recycle are computers, desktops, laptops, CPUs, cell phones, office phones, speakers, microwaves, printers, toner, and ink cartridges, among others. Examples of prohibited items include alkaline batteries, household batteries, vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, refrigerators, and light bulbs. Please see our Instagram @ur.rethinkwaste or reach out by email at rethinkwaste@richmond.edu for the full list of prohibited and accepted items. -
April 10: Sustainability Banquet
Jepson Alumni Center
April 10, 2023 at 6:30pm
Sponsored by Office for Sustainability
Join us for a celebration of sustainability at UR. -
May 20: Campus Yard Sale
Location TBA
May 20, 2023 at time TBA
Sponsored by Rethink Waste (Custodial Services) and the Falls of the James Sierra Club Group.
Save the date! Our annual yard sale partnership with Sierra Club: Falls of the James Group will be on May 20. Come by and play your part in diverting items from the landfill! Donations will be accepted at this event, too. Stay tuned for more information about the UR-only presale.