U-M Climate Week 2026

Win prizes by getting involved with Climate Week! Complete 4 activities on the tri-campus bingo card, and choose a sustainability prize from the Planet Blue Ambassador Program.

A series of 8-10 stand-alone exhibits creating a self-guided walking tour around the law quad, highlighting timely legal climate developments, amplifying issues discussed at the EELP Conference panels, and encouraging an appreciation for the natural world and our environment.

Come tour the Recycle Ann Arbor facilities! We will have 8 tour groups running every 30 minutes from 8:30-12:30. There are 6 station stops. Tour groups will consist of 20 people per group, so sign up soon!

Keep Growing Detroit is a Detroit-based urban farm and organization that exists to cultivate a food-sovereign city where the majority of fruits and vegetables consumed by Detroiters are grown by residents within the city itself. Through education, resources, and connection, Keep Growing Detroit supports thousands of gardeners and farmers across Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck. Together we grow food, strengthen neighborhoods, and build the knowledge and relationships needed for a healthy and resilient local food system.

As part of Climate Week 2026, join the U-M School of Social Work for a service day at Keep Growing Detroit on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Our time at Keep Growing Detroit will happen from 10 am-12 pm. From 12 pm-1:30 pm, folks can explore Eastern Market and grab lunch. Transportation will be provided for volunteers, with the bus leaving from the U-M School of Social Work at 9 am and returning no later than 3 pm. Space is limited to 40 people. For more information, please reach out to Greer Hamilton at sswenvirojustice@umich.edu.

The University of Michigan Athletic Department is striving toward zero waste at Michigan Stadium with an aspirational goal of diverting at least 90 percent of waste from the landfill through recycling and composting.

​Get a special behind-the-scenes look at how this iconic institution diverts a huge percentage of their waste after game day with this walking tour.

​This event requires some walking and stairs! We suggest bringing walking shoes.

The event will be capped at 75 people.

​All Trash Talk Tour events are free but donations are appreciated! Any donations will go towards keeping future Trash Talk Tour events free and open to the public. https://zerowaste.org/donate/

Participants will meet at Shapiro at 11:30am to leave by 11:45am and arrive at Kiwanis Thrift Sale by noon. They will have a chance to learn about the impact they are making when they shop secondhand and everything that Kiwanis does to help reduce waste in the Ann Arbor community. They will get a tour of the store by Kiwanis staff during the first hour, then be able to look around the store on their own and potentially get discounts/student discounts on the items they buy after that. There will be a "leaving early" van that leaves at 2pm and another van that leaves at 3pm (or earlier depending on when participants are ready). Participants will be dropped off at Shapiro after leaving Kiwanis, but accommodations can be made if a student buys a larger piece of furniture that they cannot carry.

Fall Festival is a place for local, Ann Arbor vendors to host fun, zero-waste activities to promote waste reduction in our community. Come check it out!

This open house event is a dynamic celebration of U-M's student-driven food initiatives, emphasizing sustainability and creativity. Join us for lawn games, arts and crafts, live music, delectable food demonstrations, artistry, and informative tables from both student and community organizations.

Buses will run on a continuous loop, departing from the Central Campus Transit Center starting at 12:40 PM. Expect a bus every 20 minutes between these locations.

Join RSSL and Growing Hope for a hands-on afternoon of urban gardening, community, and cooking. Tour the garden, learn about Growing Hope's mission, and work alongside a local chef to help prepare a meal for their annual fundraiser.

Did you love The Mending Lab? Well we’re bringing it back this Fall in a whole new way with focused workshops and some refreshments while you learn.

One Monday a month, we’ll host a workshop with FPA to help you repair your much loved items that you can’t bring yourself to throw away yet. Try your hand at a new skill each month. Want to learn the skill but don’t have the garment? No worries! We’ve partnered with Wolverine Essentials to provide a limited supply of clothing or accessory items for you to practice on and make your own.

This month’s Mending Cafe, we’ll be teaching you how to do quick and easy repairs on your most loved jewelry pieces. Bring what you have and we’ll show you how to make it wearable again.

Extreme weather events, from flooding events and extreme heat to tornadoes
and extreme cold, do not affect everyone equally. LGBTQIA+ communities face compounding
vulnerabilities during disasters, which are shaped by housing instability, discrimination in
emergency services, and gaps in support networks. Drawing on recently published survey
research and ongoing focus groups with LGBTQIA+ Ohioans, this talk examines how gender
identity, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of social identity shape exposure to climate
hazards and associated negative health outcomes. The first half of the session will share findings on flooding and extreme heat experiences among Ohio’s queer communities, highlighting where existing disaster systems fall short and what queer-centered preparedness could look like. The second half turns from research to practice. Attendees will work through a short, hands-on climate emergency preparedness activity, choosing to focus on either a tornado or an extreme cold event. Using a guided worksheet, which will be available in print for in-room attendees and digitally for virtual participants, attendees will think through the essentials often overlooked in general preparedness advice. This activity will carry into an extended discussion period. Together, we’ll explore what it means to build disaster preparedness that centers, rather than overlooks, LGBTQIA+ communities left out of policy and practice.

Join UM’s Trash Club and the City of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovation on the Diag for an A²ZERO Clothing Swap and build-your-own mending kit to kick off Climate Week!

About the Mending Kits
We will be passing out free, secondhand mending supplies (needle, thread, fabric) to build your own mending kit. Those who attend can learn simple fixes and stitches and continue repairs on their own with their new kit!

About the Clothing Swap
Clothing swaps are an opportunity to refresh your wardrobe, without buying new, and a chance to gift your gently used clothes to other members of your community. Each person can bring up to 10 items of clothing in good condition (no rips, holes, stains or unwashed items please!). Accessories such as bags, jewelry, and belts are also welcome. You can take clothing without bringing anything, or bring clothing without taking anything. A²ZERO Clothing Swaps are completely free events. For more information, visit luma.com/a2zeroclothingswaps.

Telling Stories About Climate Resilience: Junk Journaling and Collage Workshop is presented by the School of Social Work and SEAS's Office of Community Impact & Engagement as part of Climate Week '26. Participants will learn the basics of climate resilience and explore how to apply these concepts to art by using recycled materials. After learning some brief visual storytelling techniques, attendees will tell their own climate stories by creating their own collages/junk journals.

Debut Screening of “The Coalition” a 20-Minute Documentary Nature/Environmental

Film at the Iconic and Historic Michigan Theater. Learn how a 440-million-year-old animal that has survived five extinction events is now being threatened, and what a coalition of scientists, lawyers, activists, bankers, teachers, and biomedical scientists is doing to save it. Check out informational tables before and an interactive panel after. Doors open at 3:45, and the film starts at 4:30. This event is FREE and OPEN to the GENERAL PUBLIC. Reservations are recommended but not required.

This is event 2. Climate change is not only an environmental issue but also a public health issue that requires informed action and civic engagement. This interactive workshop will introduce participants to the role of advocacy in shaping climate and public health policy while highlighting current issues affecting Michigan communities. Attendees will learn how to effectively communicate with elected officials, gain an understanding of the legislative process, and participate in a guided letter-writing campaign focused on climate and public health initiatives. Hosted in collaboration with advocacy organizations, this workshop will empower students with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to use their voices to advance healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable communities.

Issues related to climate change often feel too big and too complicated to address meaningfully. Effective and equitable solutions require organizations to work together across sectors, fields, and disciplines. Researchers, educators, practitioners, advocates, and investors working in public and private sectors, in non-profit and for-profit spaces, need to work together to tackle these multifaceted issues. This session presents a power shifting framework to see how your organization fits into the greater systems at work and how your piece connects to the work of others. This is an interactive session that will give you the chance to think about what you’re doing on climate and envision what collaboration looks like with those working on other pieces. You’ll learn about a specific mapping exercise that will help you collaborate across sectors and connect the dots on how we work collectively to make change to protect our climate and the communities impacted by Climate Change.

Registration

Join us for “A Breath of Fresh Air” and learn practices to refresh energy and reduce stress through mindful nature engagement. Registration encouraged.

Explore the many water-related research opportunities at the University of Michigan! Water is an essential resource for Michigan, providing sustenance to people and crops; transportation of goods; and income from recreation and tourism. As such, there are many opportunities at U of M related to water conservation, quality, and management. This event will feature a lightning-panel of five people involved in Michigan water issues research so that students can get a better idea of the research opportunities available to them and how to get involved. Each person will give a five minute presentation on their research, after which there will be thirty minutes of questions from the moderator and the audience. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be provided. This event is free and open to the public.

Come learn about efforts to amplify and accelerate Campus as Lab activities, linking research and academic activities of the institution to our own land, buildings and infrastructure. This coffee and networking event will include some informal tabling, lightning presentations highlighting examples of CAL projects underway, and an opportunity to tour Nancy Love’s lab for urine-to-fertilizer technology and research. Registration will help us plan for the coffee and snacks.

As the climate crisis accelerates, frontline communities face a polycrisis: skyrocketing utility bills, health burdens of environmental pollution, and water consumption and contamination due to an increasing demand for artificial intelligence (AI). Currently, many frontline communities are being left behind in the energy transition. Energy justice, the principle that all people should have access to affordable, clean energy and a say in their energy future, is fundamentally a social justice issue. Yet, the systemic intersection between energy systems and human well-being is rarely taught in traditional social work curricula. This panel brings together environmental advocates based in Oregon and Michigan to bridge this gap. Panelists will introduce what energy justice and energy democracy are, how they are impacting communities they work with, and how these issues connect to varied social justice issues.

How can international education remain transformative and accessible while becoming more environmentally responsible? 

Join students, faculty, staff, and international partners for a conversation about reducing the carbon emissions of education abroad, incorporating sustainability into program design, and fostering meaningful global learning that goes beyond tourism.

Panelists:

CJ Tremblay

Managing Director 

Alethea Global Cooperative

Eden Driscoll

International Programs Advisor

College of Engineering

Emilia Askari

Faculty

Program in the Environment

Julia Wheeler Ludden

Director of Partner Engagement

DIS Abroad

Talia Fedewa

Student

DRAFT: Spanning Ann Arbor and Detroit, panelists include:

FACILITATOR:
Jen Guarino, Industrial Sewing & Innovation Center (ISAIC) will facilitate.

PANELISTS:
Norihiko Taniguchi, CEO, ASICS Institute of Sports Science America LLC
Gretchen Valade, Director of Sustainability, Carhartt/Wylie Welling
Josh York, Founder, Soft Goods Detroit


September 28, 29, or 30 - 1 hour virtual panel


DISCUSSION FLOW:
Overview of the environmental impacts of the soft goods industry and why this conversation matters in the age of fast fashion
Setting a new vision for the future of fashion, apparel, and other areas within the soft goods industry: what can industry do differently and how are the panelists setting the tone for a new future?
How Detroit has emerged as a global center for a sustainable fashion movement: What are the ingredients that make Detroit uniquely suited as a home for this effort and how did they happen to converge here? (Norihko - why did ASICS choose Ann Arbor and how does Detroit’s fashion and sports scene support your efforts?)
What is your vision for the future of industry?
What can those listening today do to reduce their own climate footprints when it comes to the things they wear

Calling all students, faculty, and staff interested in sustainability on-campus! Select Flint students actively engaged in sustainability work on- and off-campus will present what they’ve learned in their recent sustainability experiences during lightning talks.

After the presentations, meet sustainability organizations and programs that provide sustainability opportunities that you can get involved in, including the upcoming Michigan Climate Action Fellowship.

Food will be provided!

Join the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), College of Engineering, Office of Campus Sustainability, and 50 States of Sustainability for an evening exploring innovative, locally grounded approaches to sustainability. The program will feature a screening of Episode #101 of 50 States of Sustainability, a PBS series highlighting people and communities across the country developing practical solutions to environmental challenges. Episode #101 brings together three compelling stories: a solar farm that produces both renewable energy and food through agrivoltaics; the founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute reflecting on the critical role of energy efficiency; and an 11-year-old beekeeper making the case for protecting bees and pollinators.

Following the screening, a diverse panel of University of Michigan faculty, sustainability practitioners, local leaders, and 50 States of Sustainability representatives will explore the connections among clean energy, agriculture, land use, energy efficiency, and biodiversity.

In this keynote address for the School of Social Work, Rebecca Weston will speak about the field of Climate Psychology and the vital role social workers can play in addressing the profound and intersecting challenges of our time. Recognizing that the word “climate” itself is coded and freighted with emotion and risk, Rebecca will address the challenge of naming. Framing our role as “witnesses,” and placing the climate crisis in the context of an overlapping array of existential threats, Rebecca will also speak on the very specific mental health impacts of extreme weather and the complex ways in which individuals, groups, communities and societies manage exceptionally hard feelings about climate change. She will then explore the spiral of silence and what it means to turn “anxiety into action.” Referencing both the dangerous rise of authoritarianism and the hopeful emergence of a collective, democratic response, Rebecca will conclude with a perspective on finding meaning, the power of our voice and an approach to activism that is both sustainable and hopeful.

public facing longer description: Explore how U-M Library spaces, services, collections, and operations support environmental sustainability across campus. Visit participating library locations to learn about conservation and materials reuse, mending and creative reuse, sustainable digital preservation, energy conservation, seed sharing, and climate-related library resources. This event is free and open to the public and there is no registration required. Buhr Building open house will be between 10AM - 12PM and Hatcher-Shapiro open house will be 12PM - 2PM.

internal description:
The U-M Library Sustainability Open House will showcase how library units support environmental sustainability through everyday practices, services, spaces, and collections. Visitors will be invited to explore participating library locations and learn about sustainability-related work such as conservation and materials reuse, mending and creative reuse, digital preservation and sustainable data storage, energy conservation in library facilities, seed sharing, and climate-related library resources. The event will function as a drop-in open house rather than a single guided tour, with participating spaces open during coordinated time blocks (Buhr units: 10AM-12PM, Hatcher-Shapiro units: 12PM-2PM).

Welcome to Michigan will happen at all Dining Halls during the lunch period which varies from Dining Hall to Dining Hall, so you can tell folks to check the dining website (dining.umich.edu).

How can we inhabit, tend, and experience pleasure in this changing world? What does balance mean on the ground in constant and often violent flux? This workshop invites us into relation with our inner and outer landscapes. There will be guided awareness exercises and creative prompts to tune into our senses, to bring attention to our bodily sensations, and to observe what we notice. We’ll experiment with ways of being with kin from the more-than-human world by spending time with plants indoors or outside in the building courtyard. How can we write/draw/sing/dance an offering to them? Where do we witness resilience? How can interdependence and collaboration inform our practices? Together, let’s explore how we can hold grief and despair alongside adaptability and well-being. Writing will be the main medium, with an open invitation to work in whatever form resonates (drawing, movement, voice memo, etc.) There will be space to share responses and experiences in an atmosphere of support, curiosity, and play. No experience necessary, all bodymindspirits welcome, disability culture friendly. Bring your desired writing/art materials. Space is limited to 40 people, pleaseregister by September 23.

STPP is excited to welcome three of our recent alumni, Tyler Baird (MPP/SEAS MS '25), Ana Boyd (MPP/SEAS MS '25), and Zack Quirk (Earth and Environmental Sciences PhD '24) for an engaging conversation about their educational paths and current work in energy and environmental policy.

Join us for a walk around central campus to view and learn more about exciting sustainability features in our buildings and Grounds. This event will be outdoors and require walking approximately 1 mile on paved surfaces. We will meet at the Hatcher Library steps.

Building on the momentum of last year’s event, the 2026 Climate-Health Mixer will bring together U-M researchers from across campus who are working at the intersection of climate and health. The event will showcase the breadth of climate-health research occurring across campus, create opportunities for meaningful interdisciplinary connections, and help strengthen a vibrant, collaborative climate-health research community. Registration

An opportunity to learn about our new major on sustainability in the Social Sciences and meet program faculty.

How do you know when a building's HVAC is working well and efficiently? How do we dream up energy conservation retrofits for existing buildings and systems? Come hear about the UM building tune up program, where we're applying it, and how it helps us work towards our carbon neutraility and energy efficiency goals.

Join us for "From Measurement to Movement: How Data Can Drive Climate Action," a fireside chat with Tim Mohin, CEO of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and former CEO of the Global Reporting Initiative. Drawing on his deep expertise in corporate sustainability, Tim will unpack how standardized carbon accounting became the backbone of corporate and government climate action—and where it still falls short. Attendees will get a candid, insider's look at the gap between sustainability pledges and actual emissions reductions, including the thorny debates over Scope 3 accounting, net zero claims, and greenwashing. This event will be a fireside chat between Tim Mohin and Erb MBA/MS students, Reilly Gertiz and Wendy Palomino Alvarez.

This will be an interactive, nonpartisan workshop led by Kye Lynne from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Students will learn about the connection between elections, environmental issues, and public health, and participate in postcard writing to specific decision-makers.

Join award-winning forager, outdoor educator, and James Beard Award winner Alexis Nikole Nelson for a lively conversation about wild foods, sustainability, and the rich cultural traditions connected to the plants growing all around us. With more than 5 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, Alexis has become a beloved social media creator known for her joyful and informative foraging videos. She inspires audiences to see the natural world in a new way while exploring the intersections of food, history, and environmental stewardship. Through storytelling, humor, and practical insights, she invites us to reconnect with the land—and maybe discover a few tasty surprises hiding in plain sight.

Due to overwhelming interest, our event has reached capacity. Please complete this form to join the waitlist for this event.

Join us for a screening of the award-winning documentary We Are Guardians, a powerful story of hope and resilience in the face of the Amazon rainforest crisis. Directed by Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene, and Rob Grobman, and produced by Academy Award winner Fisher Stevens with Leonardo DiCaprio as Executive Producer, the film offers an intimate look at the communities and ecosystems most affected by environmental destruction — and the global stakes tied to their future.

Before the film, join us for a conversation with internationally acclaimed Brazilian biologist and primatologist Dr. Julio Bicca-Marques. A professor of primatology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Dr. Bicca-Marques is the first Latin American scientist to receive the Distinguished Primatologist Award from the American Society of Primatologists. His decades of research on forest fragmentation, habitat loss, and infectious diseases affecting non-human primates have helped shape wildlife protection and public policy across Brazil and beyond.

Together, the screening and discussion will explore how collective action, community leadership, and informed choices can help shape a more sustainable future for the Amazon and our planet.

As the considerable and alarming impacts of climate change continue to grow, understandably so do the emotional responses to it. This brief overview of psychological responses to climate change and climate-fueled extreme weather events introduces attendees to the ways in which climate change influences mental health and wellbeing, as well as to concepts in climate psychology and environmental justice. Research and practice on eco-emotions and beliefs, along with topics and issues related to therapy for climate distress, are covered as well. This presentation is designed as an educational program for students in the School of Social Work, but members of the public are also invited to attend.

The Farm Stand is a weekly pop-up market and education project that sells produce grown by students for students.

Powered by the U-M Sustainable Food Program (UMSFP) and the Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens (CF). In addition to fresh, local produce, the Farm Stand offers hands-on food system education by creating opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to engage with farming, food, and sustainability at U-M.

Stop by the Diag for a festival celebrating sustainability initiatives across U-M and the surrounding communities. Discover opportunities to engage with sustainability via more than 40 student groups, U-M departments, and local nonprofits. Sample local food, help plant a pollinator garden, bring your bike for repairs, screen print an item, and more! This event is free and open to the public.

This is your opportunity to get hands-on and give back to your community during Climate Week! Sign up for one of the many service projects, including a native planting, an insect hotel workshop, a lunch & learn, Sustainability Grad cord crafting, and a park cleanup with our neighbors. Sign up for more information.

Climate change is increasingly impacting human health through extreme heat events, worsening air quality, the spread of infectious diseases, mental health challenges, and disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities. This panel discussion will bring together professionals, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to explore the connections between climate change and public health. Participants will gain a better understanding of how climate-related changes affect individuals and communities, learn about current efforts to address these challenges, and discover ways students can become involved in climate and health advocacy. The event will include individual presentations, a moderated panel discussion followed by an audience question-and-answer session, creating opportunities for education, engagement, and meaningful dialogue during University of Michigan Climate Week 2026.

Join us at the Lab Swap Shop to repurpose surplus lab supplies into fun art activities! This is a great way to reduce waste, rehome lab equipment, and unite departments across campus. This event is free .

Join the Planet Blue Ambassador program in a Day of Service to take action during Climate Week! Sign up for a variety of projects throughout the afternoon across North Campus, Central Campus, and in Ann Arbor. Registration required.

Take action with the Planet Blue Ambassador program in a Day of Service during Climate Week to create tangible change! There will be a variety of projects all over campus and in Flint. Registration required.

"We’re celebrating Sustainability Week with a tri-campus Day of Service. Join UM-Flint Planet Blue Ambassadors, the Thompson Seed Library, and Department of Natural Science as we provide three opportunities for you to give back!

Interested in a traditional clean-up? Join the Planet Blue Ambassadors at Riverbank Park as we tackle litter around the Flint River before the rainy and snow season.

Need something a little less physical? Join the Thompson Library’s Seed Saving workshop and learn how to conserve seeds from harvest to use next spring.

Interested in a new opportunity to volunteer on-campus? Bird collisions into buildings are being monitored on campus and you can become trained in how to spot them. Volunteers are especially needed during their migratory season later this year.

Choose your own adventure, or if you have the time, attend more than one opportunity during this year’s Day of Service!"

On Oct 1, join an interactive negotiation role play exploring how communities, industry and decision-makers can navigate the complex choices surrounding data center development — from energy and water use to community impact and climate goals.

Participants will step into the shoes of diverse stakeholders and work to reach consensus and discover a shared agreement while navigating differing interests.

Through this hands-on simulation, you will practice moving beyond zero-sum thinking, applying strategic framing, coalition-building, and navigating compromise without sacrificing core priorities. You will leave with a deeper understanding of the trade-offs and perspectives shaping this timely, local topic, along with practical collaboration and negotiation skills you can use anywhere.

The event is free and open to any U-M community member, but registration is required. Appetizers and refreshments provided.

A note about participation: This is a skills-building exercise intended to foster learning across different perspectives and does not advocate, promote, or endorse any particular position, policy, or project. Because each role is essential to the simulation, please register only if you can attend the full session. If your plans change, please cancel promptly so someone else can participate.

Join the Institute for Energy Solutions (IES) for an opportunity to learn about quantitative sustainable design for emerging sustainable energy technologies. As a special addition to our IES Energy Seminar Series, Joshua Jack, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will be hosting Jeremy Guest, from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Guest will demonstrate the value of transparent systems-level analysis, connecting process-scale analyses with broader infrastructure and spatial models. Snacks will be provided. This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required.

Virtual discussion via Zoom with a panel of our global partners discussing title-related topics

The conference “Responding to Federal Retreat: Reimagining Environmental and Energy Law in the Great Lakes Region” will convene students, professors, lawyers, government representatives, and industry leaders to reflect on the latest developments in environmental and energy law in response to the withdrawal of federal regulation and enforcement. The conference, which is free and open to the public, will focus on pressing issues in the Great Lakes region, with an emphasis on opportunities for state, local, and tribal governments to advance environmental protection and energy goals and mandates.

Explore the connections between nature, creativity, and well-being through the living language of willow. Join artist and farmer Howard Peller, botanist Dr. Selena Smith, and invited Indigenous and campus voices for a conversation on willow's cultural history, ecological importance, materiality and role in fostering resilience and human well-being. Prior experience is not required. Free and open to the public.
Attendance at both events is not required. Limited space available.
Registration is requested for the talk. Participants are welcome to join at 9 a.m. for refreshments; the talk will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Separate registration required for the workshop. 

The state of Michigan is uniquely positioned to become a national leader in the emerging mass timber economy and become a regional leader in low-carbon construction. Building on the momentum generated by the leadership of MassTimber@MSU (Michigan State University) and co-developed in partnership with them, this event convenes leaders from policy, industry, design, and education to explore the innovations needed to scale mass timber adoption across the Great Lakes region. Additional details about the event, including the schedule and speakers, can be found here. This event is co-sponsored by Climate Futures & MassTimber@MSU (Michigan State University).

Registration is not required to attend.

Connect with fellow U-M community members in a safe space to pause, connect, and talk about their experiences regarding the environment and climate change, a.k.a. Climate Café. In this small group, we encourage participants to share their stories and discover connections between our experiences. During this event, participants will bridge gaps between climate emotions and sustainability action in our lives, and learn how to care for ourselves and others. Light refreshments will be provided.

We wish to provide uninterrupted discussion time, and make sure that everyone has a chance to speak and be heard. Due to the nature of this activity, participants should arrive at the start time promptly.

The event is free and open to any U-M community member, but registration is required. Please email pba-information@umich.edu with questions. The Climate Café structure utilized is inspired by Dr. Michaela Zint’s EAS581 course and the Climate Psychology Alliance-North America (CPA-NA) café framework. This event is brought to you by LSA Sustainability, Student Life Sustainability, and the Planet Blue Ambassador program.

The workshop will introduce the Living Willow Structures future campus wide project, through a hands-on willow weaving workshop where participants can experience the mindful, restorative process of creating with this remarkable material. Following the earlier talk with artist and farmer Howard Peller and guests, Peller will lead a separate hands-on willow weaving workshop where participants can experience the mindful, restorative process of creating with this remarkable material.

Registration Required due to limited space.

Join U-M Health Sustainability Leaders for a conversation with Victor Dzau, MD, Immediate Past President of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), Chancellor Emeritus and James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Duke University, Past President and CEO of the Duke University Health System, and U-M Health Board Member to discuss the critical role of the healthcare sector in driving meaningful climate action. Come learn about national efforts to decarbonize healthcare systems and what these sustainability movements mean for U-M Health’s clinical practices, facilities, and procurement processes. Discover how our faculty and staff can champion climate-resilient care and lead the way toward a greener future for Michigan Medicine.

The Planet Blue Ambassador Training is your entry-point to sustainability on campus. Learn more about UM-Flint's campus sustainability initiatives and U-M's commitment to carbon neutrality. You'll become a certified Planet Blue Ambassador at the end of this training, something you can put on resumes and CVs!

This will be a Shark Tank style competition where students can pitch their sustainability improvements for the Residence Halls
at the University of Michigan. We are still working on the details, but we are hoping to fund the winning improvements if it is
feasible.

Join LSA Sustainability and the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology staff for a sustainability tour of the Museum! Have you ever wondered what reuse and recycling looked like in the ancient Mediterranean world? Learn more about how people repurposed old building materials, glass lamps, and shipping containers to give them new life. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Speakers to be announced soon!

We’re looking for future nature enthusiasts! If you’ve never had the opportunity or access to experience the great outdoors, or just want a little more knowledge before planning a day in nature, now’s your chance. Join us for this inclusive, day-long excursion as we build community with each other.

Kayak, hike, and learn about the outdoor activities that will make your time in the elements fun. End your day around a campfire, roasting smores.

This is a full-day event, and you must be available for all of it. Spots are limited, so register early!

Lunch and snacks will be provided.

Climate Science & Society is the kick-off event for four STEMM Festival style events at UMMNH. This event will highlight UMMNH's role in supporting public understanding of and engagement with climate resilience. The three later events will build on that theme throughout the year while exploring the related themes of Innovation, Food and Energy, and the importance of Night.

***Climate Science & Society: October 4, 2026 Explore how communities are responding to climate challenges and building resilience through research, innovation, and collaboration.

Science & Innovation - January 17–18, 2027 Celebrate discovery, creativity, and the tools and technologies helping us better understand our world, past and present.

Food Science & Energy - April 10–11, 2027 Investigate the connections between food systems, energy use, sustainability, and community well-being.

Science Under the Summer Stars June 12, 2027 Discover the science of the night—from astronomy and ecology to light pollution, human health, and the wonders that emerge after dark

Oak trees are more than familiar features of our forests and landscapes. They play an important role in healthy, resilient ecosystems, supporting an extraordinary range of plants, wildlife, and ecological relationships. Join Mike Kost of Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum and the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability to explore the importance of oaks in Michigan, the ecosystems they support, and why their stewardship matters in a changing climate. Participants will have the opportunity to take home a free oak seedling. Space is limited; registration is required.