Celebrate Sustainability at U of I’s Earth Jam

MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho will host the second annual Earth Jam, a festival-style event celebrating Earth Day, at 11 a.m. April 18 in the Idaho Student Union Building plaza.

Earth Jam, open to university staff, employees and community members, will offer locally compostable food containers, food supplied by Idaho Eats, a used bike auction and native seed pouches to help local pollinators. Music will be provided by the local band The Moscow Mules, featuring U of I biology professor Paul Hohenlohe, Washington State University geology professor Sean Long and U of I music and psychology undergraduate student Elias Paxton.

“We’re hoping to raise awareness of sustainability in the context of event planning,” said Olivia Wiebe, sustainability coordinator in U of I’s Department of Student Involvement. “We have so many great events at the university. It’s great to look at the back end and ask when we can use second-hand, and when we can replace the plastic with something compostable and ensure recyclable material is properly handled.”

U of I will announce a Green Event certificate at the event which would certify qualifying U of I events and physical spaces as sustainable based on foods offered, transportation available and other criteria.

Earth Jam attendees can take home a free house plant and use a screen printer from the Library’s MILL to make commemorative Earth Jam 2023 T-shirts with second-hand clothing. Fourteen local organizations, including seven on campus, will host booths offering information on how to get involved in sustainability efforts.

Sustainability-focused events are planned throughout April:

• The Soil Stewards Student Farm needs volunteers to assist with farm prep 4:30-5 p.m. Thursday, April 13, at Get Dirty.
• Community members are encouraged to use alternative transportation to commute to work the week of April 17, which is Bike to Work Week. Any Vandal who uses alternative transportation more than three times that week, such as biking, walking or carpooling, can tag @uisustainability on Instagram or submit a photo to ssc@uidaho.edu to be entered to win a sustainable commute prize basket.
• The focus is on biodiversity from April 28 to May 1 with the City Nature Challenge, when people in Moscow are encouraged to download the iNaturalist app and take photos of bugs, plants and other animals to contribute to knowledge about Palouse species.
• Earth Month wraps up with Plant the Palouse from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 29 on the Theophilus Tower Lawn, a partnership with the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute that busses volunteers to sites in Troy to help plant trees.

Media Contact:
Kyle Pfannenstiel
Media Relations Manager
208-329-8947
Kylecp@uidaho.edu