Earth Week returned to the University of Pennsylvania this year with a full slate of events focused on learning and action to further Penn’s sustainability leadership. Organized by Penn Sustainability in collaboration with students, staff, and faculty from across the University, Earth Week 2026 aligned with the University’s Climate & Sustainability Action Plan 4.0 and centered on the theme “Inspire Informed Action”—a call to pair academic exploration with real-world impact.

Throughout the week, Penn showcased how sustainability at the University is not a single program or discipline or office, but a shared effort spanning operations, research, teaching, and daily decision-making on campus.

“Earth Week is about translating what Penn does best—research, teaching, and innovation—into meaningful environmental progress,” said Noah Swistak, sustainability manager in the Penn Sustainability Office. “The theme reflected a clear message we heard from partners across campus: people want to take action, but they want it to be grounded in the kind of rigor and learning that Penn is known for.”

Events coincided with wider observances of Earth Day and Arbor Day and ranged from hands-on workshops and operational pilots to academic announcements that will shape Penn’s climate work for years to come.

Energy, Utilities, and Everyday Action: From the Campus to the Grid 

Among the first Earth Week programs was a Red Day Readiness Workshop hosted by Penn Facilities & Real Estate Services, focused on strengthening campus resilience and energy conservation during extreme heat Red Days. Faculty and executive operations staff highlighted how individual choices—when aligned with behind-the-scenes campus operations—can reduce peak electricity demand and support grid stability.

Participants learned how modest actions, such as lowering window blinds to block solar heat, turning off unused monitors, closing laboratory fume hoods where possible, and being flexible with slight adjustments to indoor comfort, can compound across campus. On the hottest days, these collective efforts help reduce reliance on higher-polluting power sources while contributing to cost savings and system reliability.

Additional energy- and operations-focused events included Building a Clean, Equitable Economy at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and a Green Office Information Session for Penn employees interested in reducing their workplace environmental impact.

Strategic Waste: Practical Pilots and Circular Solutions

Waste reduction and circular economy strategies were another prominent theme throughout the week. Undergraduate students in Penn Sustainability’s Eco-Reps environmental leadership program presented findings from yearlong projects embedded in campus operations.

One Eco-Rep team focused on food waste in campus dining halls, using surveys to identify common drivers of waste. Students reported that excess portions and uncertainty around unfamiliar menu items were key contributors. In response, the group piloted a tasting spoons initiative this semester, allowing diners to sample select dishes before taking a full serving. Early feedback indicated that the approach helped students make more informed food choices while reducing unnecessary waste.

Other events explored how Penn is keeping materials in use longer and reducing environmental impacts through reuse and redesign. These included Williams Hall’s clothing swap event, the Grad Center’s swag swap, a composting workshop at Hayden Hall, and an interactive event called Turn Waste into Innovation: Explore Sustainable Materials.

Photo Credit: Tommy Leonardi

Academics: Solutions Spanning Subjects and Geographies

Academic leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration were on full display during Earth Week, underscoring Penn’s role as a hub for climate solutions. A significant announcement came during the Penn Climate Launch Party, where University leadership unveiled $2.4 million in Innovation Seed Grants to support multidisciplinary climate projects over the next three years, with the goal of setting climate solutions in motion.

Penn Climate also announced the creation of a new Penn Climate Student Fellows Program, launching in fall 2026. The program will fund 10 paid undergraduate and graduate fellowships supporting research, data analysis, communications, and project development in collaboration with Penn Climate and affiliated faculty.

In the classroom, Penn expanded climate education access with the announcement of a new Wharton-based course open to all students: “The Climate Challenge” (BEPP2600). The interdisciplinary, project-driven course will examine climate change through the lenses of natural systems, human societies, and economic and policy decision-making.

Additional academic events included recorded sessions such as a faculty lecture on AI and water, a cross-university discussion of Philadelphia’s botanical legacy, and a Perry World House event on maritime security. The week also included a McHarg Center talk about designing landscapes and architecture with indigenous communities, Penn Vet's Semi Annual BioBlitz, and student presentations from schools and departments such as the Annenberg School for Communication and the Department of Earth & Environmental Science.

A Week That Reflects Penn’s Climate Commitment

Taken together, Earth Week 2026 reflected the breadth of Penn’s climate and sustainability work—from individual behavior changes and operational pilots to ambitious research investments and new educational pathways.

“Penn has been a leader in environmental education and climate action since the first Earth Day in 1970,” Swistak said. “Earth Week 2026 highlighted how that legacy continues today, driven by collaboration, curiosity, and a shared commitment to turning knowledge into action.”