DENTON (UNT), Texas— The University of North Texas will celebrate Earth Week April 22-25 (Monday-Thursday) as part of the university’s Celebrating Great Global Citizens Month. The university will offer events to educate students, faculty, staff and community members about sustainability. Earth Day is nationally recognized each year on April 22.
The week’s events are sponsored by the Office of Sustainability and the UNT Libraries.
One of the main events, EarthFest, will take place from 4-7 p.m. April 22 (Monday) at the Library Mall outside of UNT’s Willis Library, which is located one block east of Highland Street and Avenue C. Local businesses, nonprofit organizations and public agencies will have booths with information on how to live green on and off campus.
Other events for Earth Week, which are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated, include:
April 5-25 (Friday-Thursday) – 3arthWurx, an annual exhibit featuring the work of UNT art students. All of the art is made from sustainable materials. The closing reception begins at 4 p.m. April 24 (Wednesday). Refreshments will be served. The exhibit will be held at SCRAP Denton, located at 215 W. Oak Street.
April 22 (Monday) —UNT Speaks Out on Water Conservation, which will feature three UNT professors discussing the Trinity River, fracking, water conservation and other topics. The event is from 6-8 p.m. in the Forum on the first floor of UNT's Willis Library, which is located one block east of Highland Street and Avenue C. Speakers include:
- Irene Klaver, associate professor in UNT’s Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies
- Rudi Thompson, associate professor in UNT’s Department of Biological Sciences
- Jim Kennedy, Regents Professor in UNT’s Department of Biological Sciences
April 23(Tuesday) - Living Downstream, a documentary film about ecologist Sandra Stiengraber’s journey with cancer and her quest to bring attention to human rights issues of cancer prevention. The film will begin at 5 p.m. in Room 255 of UNT’s Eagle Student Service Center, located across from Willis Library with parking on Highland Street between avenues A and C. More information on the film can be found online.
April 24 (Wednesday) – Sustainable Entrepreneurship Panel. The Department of Studio Art in UNT’s College of Visual Arts and Design and UNT’s Office of Sustainability will host a panel of three different organizations who share a common goal in providing communities with an environmental, social and economic sustainable pathway. Artists/speakers include:
- Lesli Robertson, moderator, senior lecturer in the Department of Studio Art,
- Dr. Tony Mendes, director of the UNT’s Murphy Center of Entrepreneurship
- Heather Gregory, community engagement coordinator of SCRAP Denton
- Arthur Porter, co-founder of Dallas Designing Dreams
In addition, the Earth Week Awards Ceremony and Commemorative Tree Planting will be held at 1 p.m. on April 30 (Tuesday) at Eagle Point Duck Pond, near Apogee Stadium, located at 1251 S. Bonnie Brae. The ceremony will celebrate and recognize sustainable legacies at UNT. Refreshments will be served.
A schedule of all the events for Celebrating Great Global Citizens Month, and other UNT events in April, is available online.
For more information about Earth Week at UNT, contact Nicole Cocco, outreach coordinator in the Office of Sustainability, at 940-369-8304.