Penn Sustainability hosted the university’s annual Earth Week from April 20 to 26.

Since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, the Penn community has come together to celebrate the environment with student and faculty-led programming. This year’s Earth Week theme was “Restore and Regenerate,” featuring over 30 interdisciplinary events focused on education and climate action. The Daily Pennsylvanian photographers captured the many ways students, staff, and faculty recognized Earth Day throughout the week. 

April 22

On Earth Day, students from Fossil Free Penn taped pictures and notes to the LOVE sculpture answering the question: “What does climate justice mean to you?” Answers included “Climate Justice means putting people over profit!,” “Ending Penntrification,” and “stop greenwashing protect communities.”

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April 23

Kings Court and English College House hosted a flower-pressing demonstration. Organized by Biosphere program community manager and Wharton second-year Kaitlin Cruz, the event featured flowers picked by the Kings Court and English College House garden club from the dorm’s courtyard. Throughout the rest of the week, Kings Court and English College House also hosted events like a Earth-Week-themed Quizzo on April 25 and a soap-making workshop on April 27.

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April 24

Wellness at Penn hosted a wellness walk and tour of the Penn Farm, located at the southernmost tip of Penn Park. Lila Bhide, coordinator of the Penn Farm, spoke about the farm’s founding and partnerships with Penn organizations to give away produce to the community. 

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Later in the day, Penn Traditions invited students to plant succulents and learn about alumni in sustainability industries at Sweeten Alumni House. 

April 25

The Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media presented a conversation between Penn professor Michael Mann and artist Gina Siepel, whose exhibit “To Understand a Tree” is on display at the Museum for Art in Wood. The two talked about the intersection between art, science, and climate change before opening for questions from the audience. 

April 26

On the last day of Earth Week, Penn Sustainability organized GreenFest, an annual Earth Day festival that brings together student clubs and Philadelphia organizations engaging in environmental and sustainability work. 

Penn Alternative Protein Club gave out samples of Bored Cow, a lactose-free milk alternative with protein from fermentation. 

My Climate Story, a research project sponsored by the Penn Program in Environmental Humanities, asked attendees to write about “a place [they] love” and how climate change was impacting that place. 

Penn’s Student Eco-Reps painted recycling bins and encouraged students to apply for the program. Eco-Reps collaborate with the university to carry out year-long projects in support of Penn’s Climate Action Plan.