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April is Earth Month, a time to engage with sustainability efforts and environmental stewardship. Throughout the month, Planning, Sustainability and Project Management (PSPM) is supporting a range of events to raise awareness, encourage action and advance sustainability work.

Students, faculty and staff can participate in activities like UIC sustainability tours, campus tree tours, personal electronics recycling collections and tabling featuring local organizations. Additional events include Sustain to Summit, a sustainability-focused fitness activity, and the Heritage Garden seed swap. These initiatives align with the university’s Climate Commitment Action Plan 2024 (CCAP 2024) and support efforts to become a carbon neutral, zero waste, net zero water, biodiverse and transformative scholarship university.

For the complete list of campus events, visit the Earth Month 2025 web page.

PSPM welcomes Heather O’Leary as its Sustainability Engagement Program Director. She has contributed to UIC since 2010 by providing expertise in event planning, IT governance, project management and business analysis.

Currently completing a PhD in English studies at Illinois State University, O’Leary has taught since 2018, including courses in UIC’s English department. She has participated in the UIC Teaching Sustainability Initiative, the Chancellor’s Committee on Sustainability and Energy and assisted with the development of the Climate Commitment Action Plan 2024 and the Sustainability Teaching Toolkit.

As Sustainability Engagement Program Director, O’Leary will support campuswide sustainability initiatives, engagement efforts and educational programming.

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the contributions of women in shaping a more sustainable and just world. Ecofeminism highlights the connection between environmental and social justice, emphasizing the role of women in advancing sustainability efforts.

UIC’s Women’s Leadership and Resource Center (WLRC) has assembled a comprehensive library of resources on ecofeminism and sustainability. Visit the WLRC website to explore materials, discussions and opportunities to engage with these topics.

Peregrine falcons have nested on UIC’s University Hall for decades, playing a key role in the species’ recovery in the Midwest. Once endangered, these raptors are now thriving in urban environments. Known for their incredible speed, they can reach up to 242 miles per hour when diving. The university’s FalconCam offers a unique opportunity to watch them up close in real time.

UIC is also a featured site in the Field Museum’s Illinois Peregrine Project, which monitors nesting peregrine populations across the state.

Urban Rivers invites you to discover the Wild Mile, a floating eco-park on the Chicago River, during its Wild Mile Walking Tour. Gain a deeper understanding of the Wild Mile and its impact on urban ecology with a guided tour by an Urban Rivers team member. Tours begin at 1324 N. Halsted St. behind the Lincoln Park REI store. The 20- to 30-minute tour will cover the project's history, architecture and environmental significance and there will be time for questions.

Find the next available date and register by visiting the tour registration web page.

Rachel Havrelock, director of The Freshwater Lab, will be a panelist at an April 24 discussion on efforts to shut down Line 5, a gas pipeline running beneath Lake Michigan. The panel will also include Ojibwe leaders Robert Blanchard and Whitney Gravelle and the speakers will address environmental concerns, Indigenous rights and advocacy efforts related to the pipeline.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. at Patagonia Chicago Fulton Market, 1115 West Fulton Market. Reservations are required and can be made online.

Conservation Planner - Openlands

Sustainability Coordinator – Barnard College

Climate Policy Fellow – Second Nature

Graduate Student Research Fellow – National Wildlife Federation

Connect with us via Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to stay updated about sustainability-related events, news, jobs and involvement opportunities.

Become an EcoVolunteer
EcoVolunteers help eventgoers properly sort waste, set up and run annual events like the Great Stuff Exchange, talk about UIC’s sustainable initiatives and spread the good word at campus events. EcoVolunteers also help plant trees and native plants on campus.

More information can be found on the EcoVolunteer web page.

Join EcoReps
EcoReps act as liaisons between their unit/department and Planning, Sustainability and Project Management. Group members attend webinars throughout the year to learn about sustainability issues and how to make their office space and culture more sustainable. They also share information with their organizations about upcoming sustainability events such as the Great Stuff Exchange, Campus Electronic Recycling Events and Earth Day.

You can find out more on the EcoReps web page.

The Chancellor's Committee on Sustainability and Energy (CCSE) focuses on implementing CCAP 2024 and achieving the UIC Climate Commitments.

Join a subcommittee!