University of North Texas

Earth Week will be celebrated with a variety of events, including an art show and tree planting, clean-up projects and a presentation by the founder of TOMS shoes.

Activities promote environmental responsibility and stewardship April 11-14. Worldwide Earth Day celebrations are April 22.

The university's public awareness campaign will promote sustainability events and opportunities, and generate a sense of responsibility and excitement about reducing, reusing and recycling. 

Earth Week also allows UNT to develop partnerships with community groups to reduce Denton’s carbon footprint and promote environmental stewardship.

Events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.

April 11

• UNT-International, Sustainability and Diversity Awards Banquet, 7-9 p.m. University Union, Silver Eagle Suite, recognition of green efforts on campus.
• EarthWurx Art Show, University Union, Art Gallery. EarthWurx is an exhibition that displays individual roles in the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of Planet Earth.

April 12

• Health Fair, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Library Mall – Hosted by the Center for Leadership and Service as a part of Cancer Awareness Week.
• Mean Green Exchange, Green Business Expo, 2-6 p.m., Library Mall – Highlights local businesses with sustainable products, internship opportunities.
• National Library Week, Irving Green Library Presentation, 4 p.m., Discovery Park, Room B135 – Presentation by Irving Public Library and Hidell and Associates Architectural firm about Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified building projects.

April 13

• Being Green Without Spending All of Your Green, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building, Room 120 – The Student Money Management Center will teach you how to be green on a college student budget; part of Financial Literacy Week.
• Discovery Park – EARTH FEST, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., live music, free games, prizes, educational information and free food.
• Center for Leadership and Service Clean Up Day, Noon – 3 p.m. at various Denton sites and Discovery Park.
• Blake Mycoskie. 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. in the Auditorium – Mycoskie will discuss how he started TOMS shoes, which has donated more than 1 million pairs of shoes to children in need around the world, and what it has taught him about business and life.
• Documentary film, The New Frontier: Sustainable Ranching in the American West, 7 p.m., Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building, Room 130. Faculty members Irene Klaver and Melinda Levin will screen the short film, one one of 20 films chosen as an official selection to the American Documentary Showcase, a project of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. 

April 14

• Tree Planting to honor retired biology professor Ken Dickson, Noon – 1 p.m., Eagle Point Pond – 
• EARTH FEST: 5 – 8 p.m., Library Mall – Featuring live music, free food, games, prizes, and a green learning experience.
• Sustainability Fair: 5 – 8 p.m., Library Mall – An interactive and educational fair with businesses from surrounding community and on-campus that will give the students, faculty, staff and community more information and hands-on workshops on how to be green.

Earth Day was founded by U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970. While this first Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and is celebrated in more than 175 countries.

This year’s events are sponsored by the UNT-International the Office of Sustainability, the Division of Equity and Diversity, the Center for Leadership and Service, the Student Money Management Center, UNT Libraries, the Multicultural Center, the North Texas Energy and Environment Club and various campus departments.

• Learn more: Erin Davis, student services coordinator, or 940-565-3825, or Earth Week online.