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!