Sustainability News &Events

On-Campus Events

Campus Race to Zero Waste
February 2 - March 29, 2025
The Campus Race to Zero Waste is a friendly national competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. Over an eight-week period in February and March, colleges report recycling, composting, and trash weights to be ranked against participating colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. In 2024, Aquinas finished 8th in the Diversion category and 1st in the Food Organics Category (smaller campus division). Link

Community Garden Work Day
Date: April 7, 2025
Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Location: AQ Community Garden (between AMC and Holmdene)
Join us this spring for a fun and rewarding event in the community garden. Our garden is dedicated to providing fresh, organic vegetables for our AQ community, and we need your help to get it ready for the new season. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a complete beginner, this is the perfect opportunity to get your hands dirty and support a sustainability initiative. We’ll be planting seeds and spreading compost to get ready for a great growing season. Come meet us on Monday, April 7th, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM in the community garden. We'll provide gardening gloves, but be sure to wear clothes you don't mind getting a little muddy. It's a great way to give back to the community and enjoy the outdoors. We can't wait to see you there!

EcoCraft Fest: Crafting Sustainably
Date: April 7, 2025
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Location: TRIO SSS Lounge (lower JLH)
Join us for EcoCraft Fest, where we turn trash into treasure through creative and sustainable crafts. Planned projects include: 

• Sustainable Knitting – Learn to knit with eco-friendly and recycled materials.
• Upcycled Blooms – Transform plastic and straw into beautiful handmade flowers.
• Smart & Sustainable Shopping – Tips to shop green on a budget.
• Bring Your Waste to Create – Help us repurpose waste into unique crafts. Bring plastic bags, Amazon plastic packaging, off-campus straws, and egg cartons to contribute to our upcycling projects.

Attendees will be entered into a raffle to win prizes. Organized by the Art & Craft Anime Club and Co-Sponsored by the Center for Sustainability at Aquinas College. 

PFAS: Forever Chemicals Impacting West Michigan
Date: April 11, 2025 from 9:30am to 11:00am
Location: Aquinas College Donnelly Center
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals," have been a growing concern in West Michigan due to their persistence in the environment and potential health impacts. Staff from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will provide a comprehensive introduction to PFAS—what they are and why they matter—in addition to discussing the sources of PFAS contamination, their impact on water and land, and the ongoing investigation and remediation efforts within the Wolverine Worldwide disposal area in Rockford—a key site in the fight against PFAS pollution.

Presenters include Karen Vorce (Grand Rapids District Supervisor for the Remediation and Redevelopment Division of EGLE), Heidi Hollenbach (Grand Rapids District Supervisor for the Air Quality Division of EGLE), Kent Walters (Geologist, Materials Management Division of EGLE), and Leah Gies (Senior Environmental Quality Analyst for the Remediation and Redevelopment Division of EGLE). This free event is organized by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and Co-Sponsored by EGLE and the Center for Sustainability at Aquinas College.

Create & Explore: 20 Years of Sustainability at Aquinas 
Date: April 14, 2025
Time: 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Wege Mall (Between the Academic Building and Wege)
Join us at Wege Mall on April 14th to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Center for Sustainability at Aquinas College! Check out eco-friendly crafts from the EcoCraft Fest (by the Art & Craft Anime Club), and take part in a fun scavenger hunt featuring our new forest quote plaques. Featuring inspirational quotes, these plaques- a project led by the Community Sustainability Committee—are designed to foster reflection and a deeper sense of spirituality in nature. Winners will receive a gift card to a local sustainable shop like Global Infusions. Stop by Wege Mall from 2–4 PM to celebrate with us!

Fix-It Fair: AQ Bikes Edition
Date: April 15, 2024; 1-3pm
Location: Wege Mall
Fix It: FREE inspection and basic maintenance by a local bike shop. This is the perfect opportunity to fill up your tires, adjust your seat, and inspect your brakes and gears to prepare for the summer riding season.

Donate It: Aquinas College is once again partnering with Upcycle Bikes, a local non-profit, that refurbishes used adult bikes and provides them to partner organizations serving refugees, shelter clients, and other community members needing an affordable and accessible transportation option. Aquinas College will be holding a bike collection for the entire month of April. Adult bikes only.

For the Fix-It Fair or bike donations, contact Ryan at AQbikes@aquinas.edu or call 616-632-2449. To learn more about Upcycle Bikes visit www.upcyclebikes.org. 

Community Garden Work Day 
Date: April 16, 2025
Time: 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: AQ Community Garden (Between AMC and Holmdene)
Join us this spring for a fun and rewarding event in the community garden. Our garden is dedicated to providing fresh, organic vegetables for our AQ community, and we need your help to get it ready for the new season. We’ll be planting seeds and spreading compost to get ready for a great growing season. Come meet us on Wednesday, April 16th, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the community garden. We'll provide gardening gloves, but be sure to wear clothes you don't mind getting a little muddy. It's a great way to give back to the community and enjoy the outdoors. We can't wait to see you there!

Native Plant Workshop – Kent Conservation District 
Date: April 16, 2025
Time: 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Location: Albertus Hall Lecture Hall
Aquinas College is excited to host the Kent County Conservation District for a presentation on Native landscapes in West Michigan. Presenter Vern Stephens (Owner and Grower for Designs by Nature) will walk us through the native species and design techniques to build an eco-friendly native plant landscape. This will include how to design for water quality and soil health, information on native plants, a step-by-step of preparing and installing these species, and examples of how this restorative process has been done successfully. This is a fantastic opportunity for AQ community members to learn from an expert on how to restore ecosystems one landscape at a time. Aquinas staff, faculty, and students may attend for free with no registration required, while external groups must register. More information and registration >Link

Combined "We All Live Here" Service Day and Community Day
Date: April 25, 2025
Time: 8:30am to 3:30pm (multiple shift options)
Location: Registration is in the Wege Student Center, Ballroom
Let’s come together as a community to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day with a day of service. The Spring Community Day for faculty and staff will take place alongside the college’s We All Live Here Service Day, giving Aquinas students, staff, faculty, and community members an opportunity to give back to our campus and the surrounding community. Potential activities include improving wooded paths, picking up trash, planting trees, and working in the community garden. More information and registration >Link

28th Annual Wege Speaker Series 
Date: April 24, 2025
Time: 4:00pm (ET)
Location: Virtual
"Presenting is Dr. Suzanne Simard, Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia and author of Finding the Mother Tree. Her groundbreaking research has reshaped our understanding of forests, revealing them as deeply interconnected communities. At the heart is the Mother Tree—a central figure in forest resilience and regeneration.

Dr. Simard will explore how the wisdom of forests can guide us in addressing the urgent challenges of climate change, and environmental justice. Just as trees in a forest collaborate to ensure their collective survival, human societies must embrace cooperation and reciprocity to build more sustainable and resilient communities.

A pioneer in forest ecology and a vital advocate for Indigenous-led land stewardship, Simard has profoundly influenced the fields of conservation, climate adaptation, and stewardship. This lecture will highlight how applying these natural principles can lead to more effective conservation strategies and a healthier planet for future generations.

Dr. Simard has presented at conferences around the world, including her TEDTalk “How trees talk to one another”. In addition, her work has influenced filmmakers such as James Cameron with the Tree of Souls concept in the blockbuster movie Avatar. She was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for 2024."

More information on Suzanne Simard. >Link 
TED talk by Suzanne Simard. >Link 
Register for the virtual event: https://wegespeaker2025.eventbrite.com

Off-Campus Events

AASHE 2025 Conference & Expo Link
Dates: October 22, 2025 - October 24, 2025
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
The AASHE Conference & Expo is coming to Minneapolis, MN, on October 22-24, 2025! Get ready for three days of inspiration, collaboration, and insights to drive sustainability in higher education and beyond. Join higher-ed sustainability practitioners, faculty, students, and advocates as we explore bold ideas and solutions. Whether you want to expand your knowledge, share best practices, or connect with peers, this is the place to be. See you in Minneapolis!

Sustainability News

Holiday Update (December 2024):
As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible community at Aquinas College. With a dedicated leadership team shaping a bright future, Saints living out our mission daily, and a vibrant campus welcoming community members who come to enjoy its beauty, there’s so much to celebrate. The Center for Sustainability remains steadfast in our commitment to fostering an organization rooted in the Triple Bottom Line Framework and empowering personal life skills that promote ecological and human flourishing. Together, we’re building a sustainable future.

Here are some exciting updates we’re thrilled to share with you:

• Advancing Climate-Sustainable Education: With support from the Economicology Leadership Fund, the School of Education is enhancing sustainability within the Education major. This year’s plans include faculty training, sessions with guest experts, and in-depth exploration of academic resources. This initiative aims to equip future educators with tools to integrate climate-conscious practices into their teaching. Learn more about this innovative project in the latest “Tuesdays with Terry” episode. Link
• Real-Time Weather Data on Campus: Over Thanksgiving, a new Davis Vantage Pro 2 weather station was installed on Albertus Hall, thanks to Jim Rasmussen and Kevin Boyd. Also funded by the Economicology Leadership Fund, this station provides real-time weather data for environmental projects like the River Narrative. Accessible online, the station will enhance classroom learning, engage the public, and contribute to refined local weather models. Learn about the River Narrative Project here.
• Empowering Citizen Scientists: The Aquinas Chemistry Society (ACS) hosted Girl Scouts on November 16th, teaching them how to become “Citizen Scientists.” Through hands-on activities, the scouts did experiments like water quality testing, explored the trees, created action plans and earned journey patches—plus, they left inspired to tackle environmental challenges like Buckthorn in their own communities.
• Creating a Legacy of Environmental Justice: Students in Elizabeth Chamberlain's block class, “Unsung Heroes in Our Backyard: How We Can All Be Social Justice Activists,” dedicated their time to social and environmental justice. They transformed the area near Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel, replacing invasive English ivy with native plants. The new Coldbrook Creek Native Plant Garden, dedicated on November 13th, will stand as a testament to their efforts and the value of experiential learning.
• Celebrating Our Campus Forest: We had an exciting fall focused on our exploring our campus forest and reflecting on the value of nature. Nominated by Coreena Marsiglia, we named the Sugar Maple just west of the Chapel the 2024 "Tree of the Year". The Class of 2028 planted a Shellbark Hickory near Wege Pond as their class tree, bringing us closer to having all Michigan-native species on campus—just six more to go! Because Ryan Wendt's outstanding leadership, our campus came alive with K-12 students discovering the wonders of our trees. Ryan led an impressive 56 tours, welcoming a total of 529 visitors to our campus. Truly inspiring work!
• Commitment to Zero Waste: The college remains committed to the Zero Waste Initiative. It is one of the first sustainability initiatives new students are exposed to, offering an easy and practical gateway into living sustainably that continues to develop well after our students graduate. Our waste diversion rate has increased to 63.2%, up from 62.0% last year, thanks to the collective efforts of our amazing community.

Looking for more? Visit our News:Archives page for older news about the Center for Sustainability.