Where can you learn about DIY clothing dyes, sustainable chickpea farming, and insect pets — and find inspiration from live theatre, original music, and ephemeral wildflowers? Where can you take action to clean up your community, boost local pollinator populations, and make sustainable food choices? Whether you’re skimming the surface or diving deep into environmental research — and whether you lead with your right or left brain — UW–Madison Earth Fest unites all aspects of the environment and sustainability under one banner.
Building on its standout inaugural year in 2024, Earth Fest 2025 spanned April 21 through 29 and featured more than 60 events, all held across the UW campus and hosted by dozens of departments, units, and student organizations. Here are some highlights of the education, inspiration, and motivation found at this year’s Earth Fest.
EDUCATE
Poetry with a Pulse
Undergraduates in Environmental Humanities 113 share their original ecopoetry at an open mic on Wednesday, April 23, which followed an ecopoetry workshop on Monday, April 21 led by UW–Madison faculty member Heather Swan. Photo by Chelsea Rademacher
El Niño in Tune
On Monday, April 21, climate science and musical composition came together at the Hamel Music Center’s Collins Recital Hall. Featuring an overview of the importance of El Niño by Elizabeth Maroon, professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, and an explanation of sonification (turning data into musical notes) by undergraduate Hunter Glassford (pictured, at podium), the event culminated in the world premiere of Earth Signals: El Niño, an original jazz-classical piece composed by Mead Witter School of Music PhD candidate Ben Ferris and played by the UW Bridge Ensemble. Photos by Hedi LaMarr Rudd (2)
Facing Change with Courage
Held at the Discovery Building on Wednesday, April 23, the Earth Fest Forum brought campus and the community together for a day of art, action and resilience. The event explored the topic Climate Courage: Building Resilience in the Midst of Change through panel discussions, performances, and more. First, Dr. Richard Davidson, Dekila Chungyalpa, and Christy Wilson-Mendenhall of the Center for Healthy Minds and the Loka Initiative shared research insights on ecological emotions and emotional well-being. Closing the event, student Kira Adkins moderated a panel discussion on climate courage featuring Gary Besaw, Dekila Chungyalpa, Christopher Kilgour, and John Francis.
INSPIRE
Plant Swaps and Polaroids Selfies
“How did you guys take selfies?” asked Kate Scroggins, student intern with the Office of Sustainability, while attempting to work a “vintage” disposable camera. “We didn’t,” replied UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin. Taking home a tomato plant, Chancellor Mnookin joined students, faculty, and staff at an Earth Day plant giveaway and swap hosted by the Allen Centennial Garden on Tuesday, April 22. Photos by Chelsea Rademacher (3)
Earth Day in Color
What does Earth Day mean to you? During the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board (WASB)’s Chalk the Block event on Tuesday, April 22, students translated Earth Day into art — completely through sidewalk chalk. Among them was Laila Smith (pictured), Nelson Institute communications assistant, who used her art to reflect on time spent in nature with her mother during the Covid shutdowns.
Ephemeral Beauty
Eve Emschwiller, professor of botany, carefully points out wild ginger (Asarum canadense) during a guided spring wildflower walk on Sunday, April 27. Emschwiller, alongside Glenda Denniston, Lakeshore Nature Preserve volunteer steward, led about 30 participants on an hour-long walk through the preserve, pointing out ephemeral flowers including trout lilies, Mayapples, bloodroot, and more.
MOTIVATE
Fit for a Queen
Armed with crayons, stickers, and empty snack boxes, students harnessed their creativity to make bee hotels in an event led by members of UW-Madison’s GreenHouse Learning Community outside of Leopold Residence Hall on Thursday, April 24. Hollowed-out sticks — collected and drilled by the students — offer temporary nesting spots for bees and wasps, which helps draw more pollinators to the area. Photo by Chelsea Rademacher
Walking Toward Change
UW–Madison alumnus and famed environmental activist John “Planetwalker” Francis (second from right) joined students and community members for a moderated Q & A and free screening of the short documentary Planetwalker, which chronicles his decades of traveling only by foot and without speaking. The event was held on Earth Day — Tuesday, April 22 — at Union South’s Marquee Cinema. (L-R) Christopher Kilgour, Nelson Institute outreach manager; Bobbi Skenadore, Nelson Institute alumna; Francis; and Lizzie Condon, director of science and climate programs at the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, & Letters. Photo by Hedi LaMarr Rudd
Taking Charge
Angel Salas poses for a picture to celebrate the installation of a solar little free library at Allen Centennial Garden on Thursday, April 24. The library — which offers free seed packets in addition to books — hosts a small solar array that charges the garden’s electric tools. Salas, a student in the Nelson Institute’s community and environmental scholars program, is also a member of the Engineers for a Sustainable World student organization, where he served as the project’s lead. Photo by Chelsea Rademacher
See more photos from Earth Fest 2025.