Earth Week 2025 Events
Every year, groups and individuals across Columbia celebrate Earth Day as a moment to reflect on the importance of appreciating and protecting our planet and natural resources, as well as an opportunity to plan for the future. This year, the Office of Sustainability and student sustainability clubs across campus hope to combine efforts in one campus-wide Earth Week. There will be various activities and workshops throughout the week hosted by individual clubs, culminating in a panel on Friday as a collaboration between student sustainability leaders and Columbia University. The panel theme is “Rooting Sustainability in an Urban Landscape.”
Climate Finance Summit
April 19, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Low Library Faculty Room and Rotunda
Columbia Sustainable Finance Professionals (CSFPN), Build it Green (BIG), Green Business Club (GBC), Columbia Impact Investing Initiative, and Columbia Alumni Global Sustainability Network (CAGSN) | [email protected]
The race to net-zero requires closing critical funding gaps, especially in underserved markets and hard-to-abate sectors like the built environment. This conference will bring together experts from venture capital, banking, and climate data to explore how different forms of capital—concessional finance, commercial lending, and venture investment—can align to scale solutions effectively. Panels will cover financing models for decarbonizing the built environment, managing risks in emerging markets, and addressing gaps in climate and energy data.
Panels include:
- Climate Capital for Emerging Markets
- Financing Decarbonization in the Built Environment
- Frontiers in Climate & Energy Data for Financial Markets
- How Does Venture Capital Innovate for Risk Mitigation?
- Financing the Future: Scaling Decarbonization through Climate Finance
Design Thinking Workshop
April 21, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. in Uris 332
Circular Economy Club | [email protected]
A hands-on workshop in honor of Earth Day to learn how to apply design thinking and circularity concepts to a real-world problem.
Town Hall: Defending Climate Research
April 21, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. in Mudd 825
Sunrise Columbia | [email protected]
How should Columbia resist corporate influence in the face of federal funding cuts? How have fossil fuel corporations influenced academia? What should the role of fossil fuel companies be in academia? Is receiving fossil fuel funding permissible or at odds with institutional values? At this town hall, we welcome undergraduate and graduate students, professors, researchers, and administrators to share their experiences and opinions on fossil-funded research.
Registration is not required but heavily encouraged. Register here.
Earth Week Letter Writing
April 21, 9 p.m. in Uris 326
EcoReps | Ashley Young
There will be food, cookies, and vibes! Celebrating Earth Week and writing letters to our future selves. Part of creating a better external environment means taking care of our internal environment.
2025 Columbia/CCNY Environmental Justice Summit
April 22, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Bollinger Forum, Atrium West
Columbia and CCNY Collaboration | Leel Moka Dias
This Earth Day, April 22, The City College of New York and Columbia University will once co-host our annual student-centered Environmental Justice Summit. This year's theme will focus on local climate justice wins and activities on our campuses and in our shared Harlem Community. We will begin at CCNY in Shepard Hall 107 at noon, host Environmental Justice Walks between the two campuses from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and conclude with a discussion at the Columbia Forum. Stay tuned for the agenda and list of speakers and presenters.
Registration is free and required.
Earth Day Fair
April 22, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. at Futter Field
Student Government Association - Barnard | [email protected]
Engage in activities and meet other sustainability organizations and clubs.
Climate Action Campaign Letter-Writing and Petition Workshop “POWER HOUR”
April 22, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. at Futter Field
Columbia Policy Institute Energy & Environment Center | [email protected]
Stop by anytime and join for a letter-writing and petition workshop with the Climate Action Campaign! Pizza provided!
Climate & National Security: Finding Common Ground in Energy Policy
April 22, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. in Henry R. Kravis Hall, Rm. 890
Green Business Club (CBS) & Tamer Institute | Drew DiPrinzio (GBC) ([email protected]), Nikhita Singh (GBC) ([email protected]), Lauren Vasek (Tamer) ([email protected])
Join Professors Schizer & Wagner to explore how smart energy policy can boost security, cut emissions & drive market-based solutions.
Clothing Swap
April 23, 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. in the Bollinger Forum, Atrium
Columbia Climate School Office of Undergraduate Programs in partnership with: SUMASA, EcoReps, GBC (CBS), CCGC, SUSD, RLG (CBS), Sunrise, CU SEA | [email protected]
Join the Office of Undergraduate Programs, Columbia Climate Partner Programs, and sustainability-oriented clubs and organizations for a sustainable clothing swap on Wednesday, April 23rd, at The Forum! 👗
Bring your gently used clothes to trade and discover new-to-you pieces, while connecting with friends across climate and sustainability programs. Don’t miss this chance to give, swap, and celebrate together. See you there!
Environmental Justice in Action: A Conversation with NYC Community Leaders
April 23, 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in Henry R. Kravis Hall, Rm. 1090
Green Business Club (CBS) & Tamer Institute | Drew DiPrinzio (GBC) ([email protected]), Nikhita Singh (GBC) ([email protected]), Lauren Vasek (Tamer) ([email protected])
Join us for a discussion on environmental justice with Prof. Diana Hernandez & NYC leaders—exploring equity, advocacy, and real-world impact.
LionTank Climate Pitch Event
April 23, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in Ari E.Y.M. Rennert and Ira Leon Rennert Classroom, Geffen 590
Green Business Club (CBS) & Tamer Institute | Drew DiPrinzio (GBC) ([email protected]), Nikhita Singh (GBC) ([email protected]), Lauren Vasek (Tamer) ([email protected])
Join us for Climate LionTank, our climate-focused startup pitch event which is now in its 3rd year! During the event, 4-6 climate founders will pitch their business to a panel of premier VC investors, who will provide feedback and ultimately vote for a winning startup.
Annual Earth Month Showcase
April 25, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. in Lerner 555
Office of Sustainability, The Climate School | Yana Zeltser [email protected]
Every spring, the Climate School hosts the Student Research Showcase, which provides an opportunity for Columbia and Barnard students researching sustainability, climate and environmental topics to present their work via a poster. “Earth Month Showcase: Student Research and Plan 2030 Progress” will open with updates from the Columbia’s Office of Sustainability leaders on “State of Plan 2030,” following which guests will circulate and chat with students. Refreshments will be served.
Conversation with Chris Levesque, CEO of TerraPower
April 25, 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in David Geffen Hall
Green Business Club (CBS) & Tamer Institute | Drew DiPrinzio (GBC) ([email protected]), Nikhita Singh (GBC) ([email protected]), Lauren Vasek (Tamer) ([email protected])
Join us for a Distinguished Speaker Series event featuring Chris Levesque, CEO of TerraPower.
Rooting Sustainability in an Urban Landscape
April 25, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. in International Affairs Building (IAB) 404
A collaboration between student sustainability groups & the Office of Sustainability
Panel 1 - Building Resilient Futures: Collaborative Paths to Net Zero
Panelists:
- Cory Rouillard, Preservation Architect at Henson Architecture
- Tom Sahagian, Lecturer for the Analysis for Energy Efficiency class in SUMA
Panel 2 - Sustainability in Community Life, from Food to Education
Panelists:
- Neeti Jain, Sustainable Food Policy for the Mayor's Office
- Kelly Vilar, Staten Island Urban Center (EJ Group)
- Radhika Iyenhar, Columbia Center for Sustainable Development
Networking & Refreshments (Hosted by Build it Green)
Evening for the Environment
April 26, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. in SIC House Basement, 619 W 113th St.
People of the Environment (POTE) | [email protected]; @peopleofenvironment on Instagram, www.peopleoftheenvironment.org
Join us at our art gallery, exhibition, and inaugural magazine launch for The Warbler! We will celebrate and display art, literature, poetry, photography, and more at this gallery event and have performances from our magazine contributors. We will have light refreshments, mingling, and a space to reflect on and celebrate the environmental humanities.