Reducing food waste is currently rated as the #1 way to mitigate the climate crisis. In the U.S. alone, nearly 40% of food is wasted at the consumer level, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, wasted resources, and keeping food-insecure people hungry. Notre Dame International, Student Government, and Sustainability are encouraging the ND family from every corner of the world to participate in a service event in honor of Earth Week to help mitigate food waste. This service can be in whatever capacity is a viable option for you. Some sample actions include:Participating in the canned food drive in Dublin April 22-26 or donating unwanted food to your local food pantry Volunteering at Cultivate in South Bend on April 23 or volunteering at a local food rescue near you Starting an at-home composting program Participate in a Waste 'n Weigh event in the Dining Halls Make a plan and pledge to reduce your food waste at home The possibilities are endless for you to make an impact on our food systems. If you're planning a service event for Global Day of Action, be sure to let us know and gain participation! If you can't participate on April 27, feel free to provide an act of service in anticipation of the Global Day of Action. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to tag @NDInternational and @SustainableND on Instagram with #NDEarthWeek.

Join Notre Dame to be the best university for this year's #LeaveNoTrash University Challenge! From April 19 through 25, Notre Dame will compete against Colorado State University and North Carolina State to pick up and record the most trash. The school with the most trash picked up will win prizes from Leave No Trace and All Trails! To partake in the project, the process is simple: Join the CitSci project by creating an account on Citsci.org or download the Leave No Trace app. Join the University of Notre Dame project.Pick up some trash as you walk around the campus or your neighborhood. Any amount of trash, whether it is a couple of pieces or a trash bag full, makes a difference and counts toward the total challenge.Record your cleanup using CitSci. No matter how big or small, tell us the amount of trash and type to help us understand how we can better minimize waste on campus. Win prizes! 

Please join ND Energy for the Seventh Annual ND Energy Research Symposium, a daylong event that brings together faculty, research associates, students, sustainability professionals, and energy-interested individuals from diverse disciplines and multiple areas to share their expertise and participate in discussions on some of the most critical energy challenges facing the world today. This year, we are delighted to welcome leaders from other regional energy centers and institutes, as well as our own communications experts at Notre Dame for a special session on driving change through strategic communications and translating research in sustainable energy.  This event is free and open to the Notre Dame community and invited guests. Registration/Call for Posters Registration is not required, yet appreciated at the link below to help us plan for the right amount of food and refreshments. All Notre Dame students, postdocs, and faculty are invited to present their energy-related research projects during the morning poster session. If you would like to present a poster, please express your interest when registering for the symposium and submit your abstract no later than noon on April 19 using the abstract template here.   REGISTRATION Symposium Schedule8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.8:30 a.m.  Registration and Welcome Breakfast9:00-11:45 a.m.   Poster Session and Networking (light refreshments) (Abstract Book coming soon)12:00 p.m.Luncheon and Overview of ND Energy, Ginger E. Sigmon, Managing Director, Center for Sustainable Energy (ND Energy), University of Notre Dame1:00 p.m. Overviews of Regional Energy Centers and Institutes Liping Guo, Professor and Faculty Associate, Institute for the Study of Environment, Sustainability and Energy, Northern Illinois UniversityJeff Henderson, Associate Director of Marketing, Communications, and Education, Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, Northwestern UniversityKen Anderson, Professor of Geology and Faculty Associate, School of Earth Systems and Sustainability, Southern Illinois UniversityKira Edwards, Program Manager, Institute for Energy Solutions, University of Michigan2:00 p.m. Strategic Communication Beth Grisoli, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Communications, Office of Public Affairs and Communications, University of Notre DameJill Pentimonti, Executive Director of Research Advancement, Office of Federal and Washington Relations, University of Notre DameSusan Ryan, Executive Director, Media Relations, Notre Dame News, University of Notre Dame2:45 p.m. Snack Break3:00 p.m.Keynote Panel* on Driving Change through Strategic Communications and Translating Research in Sustainable EnergyModerator: Peter C. Burns, Director of Center for Sustainable Energy (ND Energy), University of Notre DamePanelists: Participants from Regional Energy Centers and Institutes4:30 p.m. Closing Remarks and Poster Awards Announcement*All attendees will participate in the panel discussion and explore specific topics, including those cited below, while sharing their personal insights and recommendations for future actions and improvements. We look forward to your participation in this interactive exchange of best practices and lessons learned. Collaborative Communications: How can centers/institutes communicate with each other in a more collaborative way to demonstrate major advancements in energy research and education to industries, government, and the general community?Community Knowledge and Understanding: What can centers/institutes do collaboratively to increase the knowledge and understanding of tax payers on the global energy challenges and what is being done to address the issues?Methods of Gaining Attention: What methodologies can centers/institutes employ to gain more attention from local, national, and global news media on advancements in research and other sustainable energy practices?Government Support and Resources: What resources do centers/institutes have in Washington D.C., local communities, city governments, and state capitols to better communicate with the general public, internal and external constituents, and elected officials?Influencing Change: How can centers/institutes influence changes in policies and regulations, research and development, STEM education, and workforce development through local, state, national, and global communications?Questions/More Information?  Please direct any questions or requests for more information to Ginger Sigmon, gsigmon@nd.edu, and Barbara Villarosa, bvillaro@nd.edu. We look forward to seeing you at the symposium as your schedule allows! DownloadsDigital Ad-HorizontalDigital Ad-Vertical   Originally published at energy.nd.edu.

The University Archives and the University’s shred provider, Shred-it, are offering a free and secure personal document shredding event for the Notre Dame community.Paper only — staples and paper clips are acceptable. Limit to no more than five file-size boxes. Remain with your material until it is in the shred truck as Notre Dame cannot be responsible for documents left unattended.  Originally published at alresources.nd.edu.

Get an inside look at how much food is wasted in our dining halls at the post-consumer level, and see how Notre Dame diverts it from the landfill! Join Campus Dining in weighing food scraps in our dining halls, and learn how you can make an impact to reduce food waste. Campus Dining will be hosting these events on April 17th in South Dining Hall and April 24th in North Dining Hall from 4-9 PM! Register to volunteer for a 2-hour shift here.  Did you know? Reducing food waste is currently rated as the #1 way to mitigate the climate crisis. In the U.S. alone, nearly 40% of food is wasted at the consumer level, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, wasted resources, and keeping food-insecure people hungry.

You're invited to the second webinar in the Hoosier Environmental Council's Native Plants series, Rethink your Lawn: Adding Native Plants to Your Home Landscape, on Wednesday, April 24 at 7 pm EST. Interested in getting started with native plants? Join in for a look at native plants that thrive in home landscapes in Indiana! Learn how to select them, where to buy them, and how and where to plant them at home to create beautiful and beneficial native plant gardens at home. Also, learn how to convert areas of your turf grass lawn to a stunning native plant landscape. Get ready to watch your dead-zone lawns come to life! Register here for the webinar! This event is hosted by the Hoosier Environmental Council and the Indiana Native Plant Society.