Earth Day 2023: Saturday April 22nd

The annual, global celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earths natural resources for future generations.

Environmental activism during the 1960s inspired Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson to create a national celebration uniting the environmental movement. The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, educating participants in the importance of environmental conservation. 

Today, the Earth Day Network (EDN) brings together more than 20,000 partners and organizations in 190 countries, supports the Earth Day mission year-round. The mission is founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment.

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

  • Where: 15th Street Courtyard
  • When: Tuesday, April 18, 2023 from 12 pm  – 4 pm

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

  • Where: SE Entrance outside of Dining Commons
  • When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 12 pm – 4 pm

Join us to celebrate Earth Week and learn about ongoing initiatives + enter drawings for giveaways! 

We will be joined by our waste hauler, Athens Services, and other sustainability vendor partners including Masimo and Stryker to share about their partnerships for helping UCLA Health reduce our waste. 

Members of the UCLA Transportation team and UCLA Health Security and Parking Services teams will be onsite to provide information about commuter benefits and sustainable transportation.

Our Food Services & Nutrition team will be welcoming sustainable food vendors and promoting some of our delicious, plant-forward menu options, including the recipe winner of Nutrition Month's Plant Forward Contest!

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

  • Where: Corner of 16th and  Arizona
  • When: Tuesday, April 18, 2023 from 11 am  – 12 pm 

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

  • Where: Corner of Le Conte and Westwood
  • When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 1 pm – 2 pm 

Cigarette butts are toxic environmental waste. Please join us to help create a tobacco-free generation by participating in our Cigarette Clean Up event, led by our EH&S team. 

You can be a part of the movement by collecting cigarette butts in the surrounding areas of the UCLA Health medical centers in Westwood and Santa Monica.  

Prizes will be awarded to the person or team that collects the highest volume of cigarette butts. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference!

Thursday, April 13th at 6 PM: Speaker panel on Conservation and Environmental Justice, featuring Leah Thomas, founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, Ary Sanchez-Amaya, an Indigenous ecologist and UCLA grad, and Nurit Katz. We are so incredibly thrilled to hear them discuss conservation in LA! RSVP using this link to be sent the location. 

Friday, April 21st, from 12-4 PM: Annual Earth Day Fair! Come to Dickson Court for games, presentations and trivia from student organizations, an art installation from SAR teams, live music, awesome prizes being raffled off, and more! Celebrate our Earth with us!

Saturday, April 22nd from 10 AM - 12 PM: Join E3 and ERA on Earth Day to volunteer at Stone Canyon Creek for invasive species removal and cleanup. We'll also be having a picnic afterwards with snacks and games. Help give back to the planet with us!

 

  1. Advocate for change and volunteer: your voice and your time matters – advocate for changes in your community and contribute your time towards environmental conservation and justice.
  2. Eat more plants: plant based diets are up to 50% less carbon-intensive than eating meat.
  3. Rely less on your car: take advantage of public transit options, organize a carpool, or ride your bike/walk when you can.
  4. Reduce single-use plastic: bring your own bags to the grocery store; bring your own coffee mug and water bottle for refills at work.
  5. Compost: U.S. food waste is estimated to create 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG emissions annually – equal to the annual CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants. Help prevent methane emissions from landfilled food waste by composting at home and as available at work.
  6. Reduce energy use: upgrade to LED bulbs at home, or request updates in your office, as LED bulbs can be up to 75% more efficient and last 25x longer than traditional light bulbs. Turn off lights when you leave a room to avoid waste.
  7. Save water: use a timer for your showers and turn off the water while brushing your teeth or lathering your hands, if possible while also keeping best hygiene practices in mind.
  8. Go paperless: sign up for paperless billing and ask for receipts to be sent via email, avoid printing documents at the office unless necessary and print double-sided.