Earth Day Festival: A Celebration of Diversity and Unity of our World

Estimated Amount to be requested from the CSF: $125,000

Letter of Intent:

Think global, act local”:

A Celebration of the Diversity and Unity of the World

SUMMARY

With the current political climate steering us away from environmental and social justice, now is the time to take action. The UW Sustainability Action Network (SAN), in partnership with Earth Club, Arts & Entertainment (A&E), EcoReps, UW Hip Hop Student Association (HHSA), UW Sustainability and other partners, plans to bring a new level of student leadership and vision to the annual Earth Day celebration. This year’s Earth Day Festival will bring people together through performance, art, food, and activism in an immersive celebration of the unique identities and unity of the world. This festival will be a demonstration of sustainability in action both in its production and in its message. By showcasing the environmental and social initiatives on campus and demonstrating the intersectionality therein, we will provide a live example of the sustainability movement that is happening on campus.

We request $125,000 for this Festival to support national and local performers and speakers, commissioned art installations, professional staging equipment, marketing materials, locally-sourced food ingredients, and sustainable event infrastructure (to include solar power system, compostable materials, water stations, bio-toilets, and more). By combining the vision and leadership of some of UW’s most active and prominent student leaders with the resources and support of the UW, we hope to curate an unprecedented celebration of sustainability, diversity, and unity this coming Earth Day.

Environmental Impact:

This event will communicate and embody sustainable ideologies through the implementation of various media, inspirational performances, sustainable waste disposal, local food sourcing, and the use of renewable energy.

The Festival will feature food from around the world, prepared by an array cultural RSOs. Our organizing partners will provide RSOs with locally-sourced ingredients and supply compostable utensils. In addition, food waste will be diverted to local food banks or homeless shelters. These elements will be made possible through partnerships with campus organizations such as Real Food Challenge and Pairing UW Food Waste With Non-Profit Agencies in Need.

We intend to produce a 100% carbon-neutral event by using a solar-powered stage and providing CSF-funded biogas food carts to the food vendors. Compost and recycling bins will be onsite. There will be water stations and complimentary reusable water bottles to encourage reduction of disposable bottles.

Student Leadership & Involvement:

The Earth Day Festival will be 100% student-lead with the support of select faculty. The UW Sustainability Action Network will coordinate the collaborative leadership of its partners to showcase the growing sustainability movement at the University of Washington. The Festival will feature social justice in conjunction with environmental justice, unlocking vast opportunities for student groups in each area to showcase their work.

The festival’s many components (ie. Logistics, Programming, Food, Art Curation, Marketing, etc) will also provide specific opportunities for student leaders to drive these departments. The UW SAN Council is prepared and equipped to facilitate this process with the help of its key partners and faculty advisors. 

Education, Outreach, & Behavior Change:

SAN is already developing a year-long marketing plan, drawing connections between the initiatives and events of its partners, and building toward the Earth Day celebration throughout the school year. The diverse mix of student involvement, through organizing, performing, exhibiting, or otherwise, will generate a vast draw that reaches throughout the campus.

The planning committee plans to create a compelling brand and story for the festival that wraps key environmental and social issues of today into a collective call-to-action. By creating an event that showcases student advancement of the world that we wish to create, the Earth Day Festival will appeal to audiences beyond the environmental community. To generate the scale of interest and impact that we are envisioning, we will book one nationally-known performer and one nationally-known speaker, both of whom embody the story that we wish to tell with the Earth Day Festival.

Part of the proposed budget is designated to the marketing plan, which will include physical materials such as posters and flyers, as well as social media marketing, and video and graphic content.

Feasibility, Accountability, & Sustainability:

The planning committee currently consists of members of SAN, HHSA, EcoReps, and UWS, all of which bring extensive event-planning expertise. SAN is a coalition of campus organizations focused on environmental and social sustainability, which will serve as key collaborators that bring diverse perspectives to the event. The committee is also developing a partnership with UW Arts & Entertainment and ASUW. Throughout the planning process, the committee will develop key metrics and performance indicators to quantify the sustainability of the event.

The Earth Day Celebration is an annual event which has been primarily planned by UWS for the last several years. In addition, EcoReps has historically provided extensive support in planning this and other sustainability events on campus. The student leaders from these entities will easily secure infrastructure such as tables or tents, while providing prior knowledge as to the permits and permissions required for the event to take place. Faculty advisors in the CCCE, UWS, A&E, and ASUW will provide guidance and mentorship in navigating UW procedures.

The partnership with A&E will allow for professional stage production and programming. Their extensive experience organizing large-scale concerts on campus that feature national talent will be essential in making this year’s Earth Day celebration a historical event. The industry connections A&E holds with performers, speakers, and the channels for hiring them will also be essential in booking the necessary talent.

Contact Info:

Sky Stahl: stahls@uw.edu (509) 260-1105

Alex Urasaki: aurasaki@uw.edu (310) 567-4671

Primary Contact First & Last Name: Sky Stahl