Celebrating Earth Day

April 20, 2026

Dear Wolf Pack Family,

As Earth Day nears, it serves as a wonderful time to highlight the teaching, research and outreach that have established our University as a climate and environmental leader. Our University students, faculty and staff are sustainability champions and environmental innovators working collectively to make “Silver and Blue the New Green.” This is a key tenet of the University’s strategic plan that’s working to establish the Reno-Tahoe region as an epicenter of sustainability, research and education.

Our faculty are global experts in climate change, drought, wildfire and more. Our academic efforts such as the creation of the Sustainability Certificate offered at the Lake Tahoe campus, our minor in sustainability that allows individuals of all disciplines to work together to find solutions to important societal problems, or our Desert Farming Initiative that helps to fight food insecurity and enhance Nevada grown sustainable crops, further cement this commitment to create a more sustainable community for our future. 

Plastic film recycling is another effort that began this year. Campus community members can recycle plastic films such as grocery bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags and more at various campus drop-off locations. After 2,000 pounds of plastic film material is collected, a partnership with local company Trex will turn the plastic into a plastic bench made from the recycled material.

These unique efforts reflect only the beginning of our plans for a sustainability-forward culture throughout our campus and beyond. I hope you will take a moment to learn more about efforts through Sustainable Nevada, or join this campus group working to develop green initiatives on campus. University events, listed below and held throughout the next few weeks, emphasize, celebrate and explore sustainability efforts throughout our campus and community.  

• Waste Not, Want Not Competition: Ongoing through April 
  Think you can out‑green our culinary team? This April, join us for the Waste Not Competition, a month‑long Earth Month challenge where students go head‑to‑head with our back‑of‑house chefs to see who can reduce their food waste the most. Think before you build your plate! The winners will be announced at our Results Day event on Stop Food Waste Day.
  
  
• Earth Day Thrift Swap: Monday, April 20 from noon to 3 p.m. at the JCSU Plaza
  Exchange clothes you no longer wear for something new to you. For every item you contribute, you will be able to take something someone else has shared. It’s a fun, sustainable way to refresh your wardrobe while giving clothes a second life. 
  
  
• Earth Day Farmer’s Market: Wednesday, April 22 from noon to 3 p.m. at the JCSU Plaza
  Environmental-based clubs and organizations will be present to inform campus about ways to help the planet. Event will also include activities and sweet treats. 
  
  
• Plant-a-thon: Wednesday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the roundabout in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union 
  The Graduate Students Association will team with University Facilities to plant flowers in the roundabout in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union. Participants can stop by any time during the event to plant flowers. Snacks and water will be provided. 
  
  
• Arbor Day Tree Planting in Las Vegas: Friday, April 24 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the A.D. Guy Knowledge Center Extension Office
  Celebrate Arbor Day at the Extension Botanic Gardens as we plant two bottle trees in the Australian tree collection. 
  
  
• Earth Day 2026: Tahoe Getaway Weekend: Friday, April 24 to Saturday,  April 25 at the Lake Tahoe campus
  Celebrate Earth Day at the Lake Tahoe Campus with activities focused on sustainability, community, and environmental awareness. Enjoy hands-on experiences, educational booths and outdoor festivities highlighting our connection to the natural world.
  
  
• Earth Day at University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe: Friday, April 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Lake Tahoe campus
  Celebrate Earth Day at the Lake Tahoe campus with activities focused on sustainability, community, and environmental awareness. Enjoy hands-on experiences, educational booths, food trucks and outdoor festivities highlighting our connection to the natural world. Live music by Jenni Charles and Jesse Dunn of Dead Winter Carpenters.
   
• Spring into Science: Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.at the College of Science museums 
  Spring is in the air, and so is curiosity. This free, family-friendly event allows participants to explore all three College of Science museums on campus with interactive exhibits on wildlife and conservation, the night sky or earth science, exclusive activities, and hands-on experiences for all ages. 
   
• Stop Food Waste Event: Wednesday, April 29, all day at Pack Place 
  Celebrate the annually recognized Stop Food Waste Day as we host a menu that reduces our carbon footprint and announce the winners of our Waste Not Competition!
   
• Nevada Esports E-Waste Recycling Extravaganza: Wednesday, April 29 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the Matthewson-IGT Knowledge Center Lawn
  The Nevada Esports Club and Environmental Health & Safety’s Waste Management team, part of the Research & Innovation division, are inviting students and community members to recycle old electronics, including wires and charging cords, computer mice, keyboards, cell phones, headphones and tablets. Please note, no University owned technology can be accepted. E-waste can also be dropped off on campus during usual operating hours at the IGT Knowledge Center breezeway information kiosk and the DeLMare Science and Engineering Library Makerspace.  
   
• I-80 Highway Clean Up Project: Saturday, May 9 from 8 a.m. to noon
• This rescheduled event, in partnership with Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful and Nevada State Assembly member Heather Goulding, will be a community clean-up of the 1-80 freeway from Keystone Avenue to Wells Avenue, near the core of the University main campus. More information will follow soon.

Go Pack!

Sincere regards,

Brian Sandoval
President