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 12:30pm

    Sponsored 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.