About Earth Week 2022
The Office of Sustainability is holding the 23rd annual Earth Week – a week of exciting sustainability and climate justice related activities at Bellevue College!
The theme this year is “Climate Voices: Sharing, listening, and taking action together“, which centers the importance of conversations, storytelling, and the sharing of knowledge as a powerful tool to spark action and build hope for a sustainable and just future.
All events are open to the entire BC Community!
The week will be a hybrid format, with a combination of in-person events and virtual events. This is subject to change.
Speaker Bios & Land Acknowledgement
Learn about our amazing speakers who will be doing in-person or live, online sessions for you!
Read our land acknowledgement and get resources to recognize the lands on which Bellevue College resides.
RECORDINGS
Earth Week 2022 Recordings – YouTube
If there was a virtual video not in the playlist ask us to see if we have it! Email: sustainability@bellevuecollege.edu
Anytime Events
Click here to check out the activities that are available all day, every day! Participate at your own convenience.
Live Events Schedule
If you are viewing on a mobile device click here for a better viewing.
Monday April 17, 2023
| Event | What It’s All About! | Location/Time |
|---|---|---|
| ALL DAY EVENT! Tree Giveaway with local non-profit 300 Trees | 300 Trees is distributing 100 native trees to the Bellevue College community in celebration of Earth Week. These trees are meant to be planted outside to add to our Urban Tree Canopy. BC students, staff, or faculty interested in a free tree need to register in advance using their BC email address. All trees are in 1 gallon pots and there is a variety to choose from: shore pines, serviceberries, Oregon oak, and cascara. There is a limit of 1 tree per person. | 10:00 am – 2:00 pm In-Person (C Courtyard) Reserve your tree here! |
| Climate Policy and Legislative Advocacy Panel with the Nature Conservancy and Climate Solutions | Join Gregg Small, Executive Director of Climate Solutions, and David Mendoza, Director of Advocacy and Engagement for The Nature Conservancy in Washington, for a conversation about the climate policy, advocacy, and environmental justice work of their respective organizations. Learn about the innovative solutions, partnerships, and legislative and advocacy initiatives being implemented to ensure a thriving, equitable Northwest, powered by clean energy, inspiring the transition to sustainable prosperity across the nation and beyond. | 9:30 am – 10:20 am Virtual |
| Taking Action through Greener Living Workshop | Learn 5 easy, action items that everyone can do locally to help globally, from City of Bellevue. Participants will receive take home tools and resources from the City of Bellevue (limited to first 40 people). This session is a special edition from City of Bellevue’s “Greener Living” class series. The series covers issues and solutions for plastics, how to be a super waste sorter, making non-toxic cleaners, responsible reorganizing, how to reduce food waste, composting and more! Let us know you are coming here! (Not required, but appreciated to ensure enough space and materials for everyone). | 10:30 am – 11:20 am In-Person (D106) |
| Environmental Justice and Community-driven Climate Action with changemaker Jamie Stroble | How do you talk about climate justice with your friends, family, co-workers? What does it mean to support environmental and climate justice in King County? How do we move from performative to systemic change? Addressing climate change and social inequities simultaneously requires bold action to prioritize equity and co-benefits, and address climate change as a threat multiplier to other social issues such as health, affordable housing, and food security. It is important that these efforts are designed and implemented in partnership with community leaders to address broader inequities, and ensure that the benefits from sustainability solutions are distributed equitably. Learn about some of the innovative collaborative BIPOC-led processes within local government and communities, where leaders of frontline communities have established frameworks and guided intersectional priorities for climate action. | 11:30 am – 12:20 pm Virtual (Zoom) Register here (required!) |
| Hope is Not Optional: Managing Emotions for a Changing World with BC’s Sonya Doucette | We cannot afford to remain hopeless despite the daunting systemic challenges required to address the climate change. Psychological research shows that, to create change, we must move away from avoidance and a doom-and-gloom mindset toward hope and empowerment by expressing our emotions, talking about the issues, and taking action. Our minds and emotions naturally shut down in the face of overwhelming threats and avoidance is a common way to protect ourselves against further trauma. But we cannot address what we do not allow ourselves to see, discuss, and feel. While the media focuses on corruption, scandal, and disaster, we need to actively seek out and share positive stories and effective pathways to solutions. Doing these things is not just a good idea, but necessary for resolving the problems we face. This session will explore why these things are important and provide resources on what to do next. | 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm Virtual (Zoom) Click here to register (required)! |
| Meditation & Movement Class: Qi Gong with Trees | Trees are AMAZING! Not only do they provide fresh clean air to breathe, immense beauty to our landscapes, homes for all kinds of creatures, and medicines, they also are some of our most powerful teachers. Come immerse yourself in Qi and Trees in this outdoor Qigong class. Qigong is a Chinese form of meditation, breath and movement that enhances our body’s natural ability to absorb the great Qi of Nature. Join Karen Joy Fletcher, Qigong Instructor, and the beautiful trees, and be prepared to feel refreshed, enlivened and have fun! | 2:30 pm – 3:20pm In-person (In the Outdoor Challenge Course) |
Tuesday April 18, 2022
| Event | What It’s All About! | Location/Time |
|---|---|---|
| ALL DAY EVENT! CSA Produce Boxes | Come get your local, fresh and organic produce all while supporting farmers in the Puget Sound region. Each box is $20.00 and will contain a bounty of organic produce (10 different types of fruits and veggies, types TBD!). Reserve your box now! Boxes are first come, first serve, so don’t delay as there’s a limited quantity available. Once reserved, we will send you a confirmation email and online payment directions will follow. ***All orders must be picked up on campus Tuesday, April 19th between the designated times and there will be no refunds. | 11 am – 2 pm In-person C Courtyard Reserve your box here! |
| BC Beekeeping Club Honey Sales | Support the BC Beekeeping Club and purchase honey straight from their hives! Register now to reserve your jar(s)! Jars are $12 for 12 ounces and there is a maximum of 2 jars per person. It’s first come, first served so don’t delay! Once reserved, we will send you a confirmation email and online payment directions will follow. ***All orders must be picked up on campus Tuesday, April 19 between the designated times and there will be no refunds. | 11 am – 2 pm C Courtyard Signup Required! |
| ALL DAY EVENT! Courtyard Events | -Mobile Library with the BC Library staff. Check-out books on the spot and learn about all the wonderful resources the library provides. -Bikeshare Booth with WHEELS. Learn about how to get around town sustainably and without owning your own bike. -Beekeeping Club, Garden Club, and Climate Justice Club Tabling. See what these clubs are up to and how to get involved! -Plant Start Giveaway (with BC’s Grounds Crew). Start your garden with plant starts harvested from seeds right here on campus. Please signup here to reserve your plants. | 11 am – 2 pm In-person C Courtyard |
| Climate Conversations: Part 1 – Climate Impacts on Outdoor Recreation in the Pacific Northwest | Are you a skier, snowboarder, or hiker? Do you wonder how climate change will affect your favorite outdoor recreation activities in the years ahead? In this session, we’ll look at some of the impacts that outdoor enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest will have to adapt to as the climate warms, especially focusing on our mountain areas. We’ll also touch on how important natural resources are to all of us who live in this region, even if we don’t partake in outdoor recreation. If possible, please attend the following session as well, which will deal with what we can do about this crisis and how to talk about it with your friends, family, and community. | 10:30 am – 11:20 am In-person (D106) |
| Climate Conversations: Part 2 – Take Action! Using Your Voice to Engage Your Community | “But what can I do about it?” is a common response to the climate crisis. Climate scientists say the best thing we can do is to talk about it, but that can be daunting! In this session, we will present ideas about how to have climate conversations that will engage our community. Tools for talking to friends, family, and neighbors, as well as other ideas for taking climate action will be provided. | 11:30 am – 12:20 am In-person (D106) |
| Interfaith Perspectives on Earth Stewardship and the Climate Crisis | Panelists Rev. Rich Lang (Pastor, Lake Washington United Methodist Church), Muslim Sufi Jamal Rahman (Minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary), Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg (Congregation Kol Ami in Woodinville), and Baha’i Faith member Camila Matamala – Ost will share in conversation their faith perspectives on living the values of Earth stewardship, climate justice, and collaborative community to promote a better future for all. | 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm Virtual Click here to register! (Required) |
| The River That Made Seattle with author BJ Cummings | Once teeming with bountiful salmon and fertile plains, Seattle’s Duwamish River drew both Native peoples and settlers to its shores over centuries for trading, transport, and sustenance. Unfortunately, the very utility of the river was its undoing, as decades of dumping led to the river being declared a Superfund cleanup site. Much of Washington’s history has been told through the perspective of its colonizers, obscuring and mythologizing the changes to these lands that have long been occupied by Native peoples. Through the story of the river, author BJ Cummings explores previously unrecorded Native and immigrant histories, and exposes settler falsehoods about the founding of the state. The river’s story is a call to action to align future decisions with values of collaboration, respect, and justice. This event is being hosted in partnership with Humanities Washington.  | 1:30 pm – 2:20 pm Virtual Click here to register! (Required) |
| Data Analysis for Renewable Energy Production | Join BC’s Ted Spence for a presentation on data analytics and renewable energy generation. In the past decade, solar and wind power have demonstrated dramatic improvements in cost and reliability. Using the metric of levelized cost of electricity, agencies have studied these dramatic improvements and demonstrated how we can use solar and wind power effectively to reduce pollution, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and reduce geopolitical instability due to natural resource extraction. | 3:30 pm – 4:20 pm Virtual Click here to register! (Required) |
Wednesday April 20, 2022
| Event | What It’s All About! | Location/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Defender: Working for the Non-Human World with Activist Joshua Wright Co-sponsored by the Faculty Commons! | The forests of the Pacific Northwest contain more carbon per acre, and more organisms per square foot than almost any other ecosystem on earth. Preserving and restoring these forests will be critical in our fight against climate change. In this talk, Joshua Wright, 18-year-old environmental activist, will discuss his forest defense work with the Fairy Creek Blockades on Vancouver Island, strategies of forest defense, and the urgent need to restore Washington State’s forests. He will talk about ways you might take action and provide time for questions and answers. Make sure to join him after his presentation for a meet and greet in the Faculty Commons! | 9:30 am – 10:20 am HYBRID EVENT In-person (D106) OR Join by Zoom Click here to register! (Required) 10:30 am to 11:20 Meet and Greet In-person Faculty Commons (D104) |
| Create for Change: How Zines are part of the movements you care about and how to make your own! | Zines are part of DIY activism, and that includes zines being part of the climate justice movement! A zine is a homemade publication that is about whatever you want, done in whatever style or voice you want, and no one can tell you what to say or not to say. Join BC’s Outreach Librarian, Elena Maans-Lorincz for a workshop that will cover a brief history of what zines are, show examples of climate justice themed zines, provide instructions on how to make a zine, and will provide enough time to create or at least start your very own zine! | 11:30 am – 12:20 pm In-Person (D106) Let is know you are coming here! |
| Intro to Hiking & Backpacking with BC’S Peter Prescott | Outdoor Recreation is on the rise and great for your physical and mental health; learn to make use of these valuable natural resources and how to plan safe and sustainable adventures. Join Peter Prescott, (lead instructor for the Outdoor Recreation Leadership certificate and Wellness Center Director) for a lecture on outdoor trip planning steps and the required resources for a lifetime of successful adventures. Click here to register! | 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm In-Person (C130) Click here to register (Required) |
| Repair What You Wear: An Introduction to Mending | Join Rachel Weigelt with Frayed Threads Mending to learn how mending your clothes and textiles can be climate action. We will review some basic mending techniques and tools, as well as the impact of fashion and textiles on people and the planet. Bring a few of your favorite, well-loved garments in need of simple repairs (a small tear, missing button, open seam) and we’ll review options for mending them. We will be covering how to prepare a needle and thread for hand sewing, a few basic hand sewing stitches and how to attach a button. Basic sewing supplies (needles, thread, pins, patch fabrics, buttons, marking tools) will be provided. Let us know you are coming here! (Not required, but appreciated in order to ensure sufficient space and materials for everyone. | 1:30 pm – 2:20 pm In-Person (D106) Let us know you are coming here! |
Thursday April 21, 2022
| Event | What It’s All About! | Location/Time |
|---|---|---|
| College Issues Day | Currently no Earth Week events scheduled. | |
Friday April 22, 2022
| Event | What It’s All About! | Location/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gardening Organically in Really, Really Small Spaces with Microgreens | Would you like to grow food in your dorm room? Do you have the world’s smallest patio, and it faces north? You can still produce nutritious greens! Join BC’s Karrin Peterson to see how! | 9:30 am – 10:20 am Virtual (Zoom) Click here to register! (Required) |
| Factory Farming- It’s Impact and the Actions We Need to Take | Join Brandon Blake for an interactive session on the work and advocacy efforts of the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition (www.ffacoalition.org). The FFAC is a nonprofit that talks to people about where our food comes from and the impacts of our food choices. He’ll discuss what’s happening in factory farms, the environmental impact and wrap up with solutions. | 10:30 am – 11:20 am Virtual (Zoom) Click here to register! (Required) |
| Campus Tour with the BC Grounds Crew | Join the BC Grounds Crew for a tour around campus that features all their environmentally friendly work, strategies, innovations, and practices. You’ll even get to see their greenhouse where they sustainably grow plant starts from seeds harvested on campus! | 1:30 pm – 2:20 pm In-person Meeting spot R Building Courtyard Let us know you’re coming here! |
| Group Bike Ride on the Palouse to Cascades Trail | Join the BC Wellness Center for a community building bike ride in a beautiful wilderness setting! The Palouse to Cascade is a rail trail that heads from Rattlesnake lake into the Cascades with a grade that’s almost flat. We will provide the bike, helmet and great views- you bring your spirit of adventure, snacks and your camera! GET OUT THERE! **No experience or equipment required** Registration required! Click here to register! | 3 pm to 6 pm In-person Click here to register! (Required) |
Saturday April 23, 2022
| Event | What It’s All About! | Location/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Climate Conversations: Part 1 – Climate Impacts on Outdoor Recreation in the Pacific Northwest | Are you a skier, snowboarder, or hiker? Do you wonder how climate change will affect your favorite outdoor recreation activities in the years ahead? In this session, we’ll look at some of the impacts that outdoor enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest will have to adapt to as the climate warms, especially focusing on our mountain areas. We’ll also touch on how important natural resources are to all of us who live in this region, even if we don’t partake in outdoor recreation. If possible, please attend the following session as well, which will deal with what we can do about this crisis and how to talk about it with your friends, family, and community. | 10 am – 12: 30 am (Both Part I and II) In-person Community Event (U208+209) For more information and to register (optional) click here! |
| Climate Conversations: Part 2 – Take Action! Using Your Voice to Engage Your Community | “But what can I do about it?” is a common response to the climate crisis. Climate scientists say the best thing we can do is to talk about it, but that can be daunting! In this session, we will present ideas about how to have climate conversations that will engage our community. Tools for talking to friends, family, and neighbors, as well as other ideas for taking climate action will be provided. | 10 am – 12: 30 am (Both Part I and II) In-person Community Event (U208+209) For more information and to register (optional) click here! |
Tuesday April 26, 2022
| Event | What It’s All About! | Location/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Repair Cafe! | Bring your items in need of repair to the RISE MakerSpace and use the tools, resources, and expertise provided to learn how to fix your item and keep it out of the landfill! The library will also be on-site to help look up manuals, guides, and resources for items like appliances. Resources available: • Sewing • 3D Printing • Electronics • Gluing Signup here! | RISE MakerSpace |
Connect With Us!
Email: sustainability@bellevuecollege.edu
Last Updated March 22, 2023