Earth Days

2025 Theme: Climate Change and Biodiversity

Salem State began celebrating Earth Days in 2000. The April event has grown to encompass a judged research poster competition, an art exhibition and competition, and a series of lectures, panels, films and activities. These events bring renowned researchers, activists and officials to campus to engage students, faculty, staff, alumni and the larger community. 

View summaries of past events:

• 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021 celebrations.

Please consider supporting our work by visiting our annual crowdfunding page. Follow Earth Days and SSU Sustainability on Instagram and on Facebook. 

Upcoming Events:

 

Monday, March 24 

Deadline for Submissions for the Earth Days Student Writing Contest. Open to all undergraduate and graduate students. View details and the writing prompt. 

 

March 31-April 18

Trash Transformed: A Binational Perspective on Art and Sustainability 

Ellison Campus Center Winfisky Gallery

The "Trash to Art" initiative, a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project between Salem State University in the United States and Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, exemplifies the transformative power of global shared learning. Guided by Professors Tereza Swanda and Francisco González Romo de Vivar, this project engages students from diverse cultural backgrounds in repurposing discarded materials into meaningful artworks, promoting a profound understanding of environmental sustainability and cross-cultural collaboration. See related events on Thursday April 10. 

 

April 1-30

Earth Day Display, Berry Library, IDEA Den

This physical and digital display highlights SSU material, and outside resources, focusing on Climate Change and Biodiversity. Items include print books, ebooks, streaming films, posters, art activism, Zines, and more!

 

Monday, April 7

Earth Days Technical Research Poster Competition and Message in a Bottle Art Competition | Ellison Campus Center, Veterans Hall

Set-up: 10-11 am

Judging and Public Viewing: 11 am-Noon

The Technical Research Poster Competition is the only juried, undergraduate research poster competition at Salem State.

The Message in a Bottle Art Competition calls on students to consider the impact of plastic on our lives and the environment. Student entrants have fabricated sculptural works using found objects, plastic and petroleum-based products, and consumer refuse. Contact arts@salemstate.edu to learn more.

 

Campus Tree Walk

Meet at Alumni Plaza in front of the Ellison Campus Center, 12:15-1:30 pm

Join Professor Nicholas Geron for a tour of campus trees. He will discuss the special challenges and benefits of urban trees, focusing on key species on campus.

 

Tuesday, April 8

Pollinator Gardens and Miyawaki Forests

12:15-1:15 pm | Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King Jr., room

Landscape expert Suzanne Hale

1:40-3:15 pm | Film Inundation District, Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King Jr. Room

Directed by Pulitzer prize-winning director David Abel, this film explores the implications of Boston’s decision to ignore the threats posed by climate change and spend billions of dollars building a new waterfront district — on landfill, at sea level, and in the bullseye of rising seas. Trailer: HOME (inundationdistrict.com)

Sponsored by the geological sciences department, geography and sustainability department, and SSU’s North Shore Policy Forum

Wednesday, April 9

Cities at the Frontiers of Climate Resiliency

10:50-12 pm | Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Room, Professor Joy Winbourne, University of Massachusetts Lowell 

As climate change accelerates, cities are at the forefront of resilience efforts. This presentation explores two research projects: one examining carbon and water cycling in urban vegetation to optimize green infrastructure for climate adaptation, and another investigating the role of urban food forests in modifying biogeochemical cycles and enhancing climate resilience.

 

 

The Dismantling of Environmental Protections: The Trump Administration and Project 2025

12:15-1:30 pm | Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Room

Panelists: Jennifer Jackman, SSU politics, policy and international relations, Marcos Luna, SSU geography and sustainability, John Hayes, SSU geography and sustainability

Moderator: Keith Ratner, SSU geography and sustainability

 

A Just Energy Transition in Salem, MA

1:45-2:50 pm | Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Room

Salem, MA has become a hub for exciting projects that are shifting society towards renewable and sustainable energy. As one of two primary offshore wind port terminals in Massachusetts, Salem plays a key role in ensuring that the Commonwealth meets its climate goals. Meanwhile, the City has partnered with resident groups to ensure that local residents benefit from this transition. This moderated panel will spotlight local policies by highlighting three groups working to promote sustainable energy and environmental justice goals in Salem, MA:

• Salem Alliance for the Environment (SAFE) and community benefits agreements – Bonnie Bain

• Heaven and Earth: Networked Geothermal and Microgrids at San Pedro’s/St. Peter’s Church - Rev. Nathan Ives

• Resilient Together in El Punto/The Point – Neenah Estrella-Luna

• Discussant: Neal Duffy, City of Salem

Hosted by The North Shore Policy Lab, a program of the William H. Bates Center for Public and Global Affairs

 

Thursday, April 10

Arbor Day Celebration 

11 am-12 pm | In front of Sullivan Building along Lafayette Street

Join SSU College of Arts and Sciences Brian Vanden Heuvel, Department of Conservation and Recreation arborists, and others to plant a Tulip Tree and learn about the benefits of trees.

Sponsored by the SSU Sustainability Council students

Branching Out with Sustainability Council Interns

12:15 – 1:15 pm | Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Room

Sustainability Council students will provide an update on campus tree planting and tree certification initiatives.

 

Trash Transformed: A Binational Perspective on Art and Sustainability

Ellison Campus Center,  Winfisky Gallery

• Artist Talk: 12:30 pm

• Reception: 1:30-3 pm

 

Earth Days Award Ceremony

5-6:30 pm | Charlotte Forten Hall Room 123

Student Friend of the Earth and Friend of the Earth awardees (to be announced) will be honored and the latter will give brief remarks. Student research poster contest, art contest, and creative writing contest winners will receive awards and winners of the writing contest will read their winning entries. Food will be provided.

 

Friday, April 11

Climate Change and Seaweeds, Professor Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis, SSU Biology Department

9:25-10:40 am | Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. room

Dr. G leads the Marine Ecology Lab at Salem State University and studies how humans impact marine communities. In particular, she focuses on investigating how climate change and its associated impacts, including warming sea surface temperatures, affect the distribution and abundance of seaweeds (nuisance and habitat-forming). Since seaweeds form the base of many marine food webs and provide habitat to countless species, alterations in their populations will have wide consequences for marine ecosystems. Return to this page for hyflex option for remote viewing. 

 

Using eDNA to Support Fisheries Assessment and Conservation in Massachusetts, Research scientist Tim O'Donnell

Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute

11 am-12:15 pm | Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Room

The focus of Tim’s research is to investigate fundamental aspects of fish populations using advanced molecular techniques. Using genomic sequencing, he investigates genetic population structure, diversity, and effective population size for the accurate assessment and sustainable management of fish stocks. He also uses environmental DNA (eDNA) to learn about the spatial and temporal distribution of important species and how they might interact with anthropogenic activities and changing ocean conditions.

 

Worldviews and their Impacts: Bringing in Indigenous Perspectives 

12:15-1:30 pm | Meier Hall Room 426, Lynn Fletcher, SSU Biology Department

Worldviews shape our relationship to the life around us. Today’s ecological crisis is primarily driven by human activity, leaving us with the impression that humans inherently have a negative impact on the planet. However, indigenous cultures have persisted for millennia, living in ways that promote biodiversity and create conditions of mutual thriving. Let’s learn about the values held in Indigenous worldviews and see how we as humans can have a positive impact on the world around us!

 

Salem’s Coalition Success Story: Environmental Justice and Community Benefits Agreements

1:40-2:55 pm, Ellison Campus Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. Room Sponsored by the Salem Alliance for the Environment (SAFE)

Panelists: Anxhela Mile from the Conservation Law Foundation; Lucy Corchado, Salem State Center for Justice and Liberation

Moderator: Marcos Luna, Salem State geography and sustainability department

Join SAFE for a moderated discussion regarding Salem's wind port and community benefits agreement. Registration link here. Sponsored by the Salem Alliance for the Environment (SAFE).

Register for this event. 

 

Swap and Shop, Sponsored by the Student Government Association Social Justice and Inclusion Committee

2-4:30 pm | Alumni Plaza 

We will accept gently used clothing, shoes, accessories (jewelry, purses, belts, hats, etc.), and books!

 

Recordings of Past Events

From Air to Makeup: Addressing Environmental Justice in the US
Micaela Martinez, Director of Environmental Health at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, New York City
View the recording.

Climate Change and Psychological Well-being: Impacts and Resilience
Professor Susan Clayton, Psychology Department, College of Wooster, Ohio. 
View the recording.

Reparations and Climate Justice
Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University. 
View the recording.

Climate Change, Racism and Health Justice
Dr. Abi Deivanayagam, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Public Health
View the recording.

Impacts of Climate Change: They have only just begun
Stephen Young, Geography and Sustainability, Salem State University
View the recording.