April: Earth Month Events Showcase Many Ways to Transform Lives
Mar 23, 2026This April, Bellevue College's annual Earth Month will promote activities that support the health of the planet. Attendees can learn, shop, connect with others, and roll up their sleeves to help the community.
Discover How to Live Sustainably at Bellevue College’s Earth Month
This April, Bellevue College’s annual Earth Month will promote activities that support the health of the planet. Attendees can learn, shop, connect with others, and roll up their sleeves to help the community.
The schedule features a diverse set of attractions. For example, the Electric Vehicle Car Show will fill Bellevue College courtyards with a dazzling array of EVs. The Clothing Swap promises a wide selection of free wardrobe items. And the Habitat Restoration project offers a chance to remove invasive plants on campus.
“There’s not just one solution to the environmental problems we’re facing,” said Sara Holzknecht, Bellevue College director of sustainability. “Earth Month events highlight all the ways that we can contribute to sustainability campuswide.”
Earth Month is rooted in the college’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to propel the campus to carbon neutrality by 2050. Events are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members.
The program is now in its 27th year. This year’s theme, “Transforming Lives: Our Power, Our Planet,” echoes the college’s 60th anniversary message about changing lives. It also alludes to positive change that happens when people unite behind sustainable practices.
Other Earth Month freebies include snacks and prize drawings at every event. Prizes are designed to minimize waste, such as a nifty car litter bag made from recycled material by Recooped PNW.
A sampling of the many Earth Month events includes the following:
Electric Vehicle Car Show displays EV brands and custom builds.
- April 13, 10 AM–2 PM., Courtyards near the C Building and E Building
The Zero Waste Fair keeps usable items out of the landfill. Everyone shops for free. The fair includes the ever-popular Clothing Swap, which welcomes both clothing donors and shoppers. It also includes the Waste-Free Bellevue College Market, where you can exchange household items. Bring your own containers to a refill station to fill up with free soap, shampoo, and detergent.
- Fair: April 22, 10:30 AM –2 PM, C Building Courtyard
- Clothing Swap Donation Session: April 14, Cafeteria in C Building
Produce Box Pickup Day is when $20 buys a big box of local, organic produce, thanks to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Register and pay by April 26.
- April 27, 10:30 AM –1:30 PM, C Building Courtyard
The Earth Market brings community partners to campus, offering sustainable goods like soaps, honey, and flowers. It’s also a great chance for students to connect with potential employers for internships.
- April 29, 10:30 AM –1:30 PM, C Building Courtyard
Spend an afternoon grooming campus gardens or restoring a habitat—while enjoying the company of other volunteers. Crews will remove invasive Himalayan blackberry plants and English ivy, allowing native plants to thrive. Removal also helps stormwater filtration, which protects Coho salmon.
- Grounds open volunteer sessions: April 7, 14, and 21; 12:30-2:30 PM; meet in Cafeteria
- Habitat restoration: April 30, 9:30–10:30 AM; meet in Parking Lot 5/BURito Restoration Site
The E-Waste Collection Bin welcomes drop-offs of old or broken electronic devices for recycling.
- April 1-30, C Building
The Dye Bath is a fun way to refresh old textiles. Bring your own items to dye. Staff members will supply dye and explain dyeing techniques.
- April 15, 11:30 AM–12:30 PM, Room 106, D Building
Grab some free popcorn and settle in for two acclaimed documentaries. “Earth’s Greatest Enemy“ exposes the environmental cost of the U.S. military. “Fashion Reimagined” shows how one designer avoided the environmental pitfalls of fast fashion.
- April 14, Cafeteria
Among the many talks are:
Target 2030, charting the path to Bellevue College’s emission reduction goals
- April 20, 10:30–11:30 AM, Room 110, Fitness Center/Gym (G Building)
Battery Talk, focusing on a new energy storage technology that recharges 50 times faster than lithium-ion batteries
- April 21, 1:30–3 PM, Room 201, N Building
AI/Data Centers, exploring how data center construction affects energy and water resources
- April 28, 9:30 –10:20 AM, C130
Bellevue College is located at 3000 Landerholm Circle SE in Bellevue, Washington. View a map of campus. Visitor parking is available on campus for $3 per day.