With Earth Day approaching, it is time for our annual E.A.R.T.H. Forward event. The Office of Sustainability and South Mountain Community College will host this year's event and invites you to attend! Join students, faculty, employees, and community members and learn about a sustainable future through Education, Adaptation, Resilience, Technology, and Humanities!
Come to the vendor fair, listen to live speaker presentations on various sustainability topics, be part of student sustainability discussions, and collect fun prizes! We have one planet and over eight billion people sharing it — it is time to learn how to work and live smarter together and move toward designing a more sustainable future.
Sustainability Leadership Awards
The 2023 Sustainability Leadership Awards recognize the faculty, staff, and students of Maricopa Community Colleges who have committed to a more sustainable future and are leading sustainability efforts within their campuses and communities. It also recognizes individuals using alternate modes of transportation to reduce carbon emissions. We invite you to nominate students, staff, and faculty who deserve recognition.
The Earth Forward Summit on April 19, 2023, will feature a student showcase highlighting the notable achievements of students at Maricopa Community Colleges. Sustainability touches everyone, regardless of discipline, and EARTH Forward will allow students to connect their concerns about a sustainable future with their majors. Since this is a showcase and not a competition, we will not judge the work. To take part, complete the Student Showcase submission form for consideration.
Earth Forward Agenda
10 a.m. - Noon | Exhibit Fair, SMCC LRC Patio
Noon - 12:45 p.m. | Lunch, Networking, and Student Showcase, SMCC Student Union 100
12:45 p.m. - 1 p.m. | Break
1 - 1:15 p.m. | Welcome
- Kick Off, Anthony Garcia, MCCCD Sustainability Project Manager
- President Welcome, Dr. Daniel
- Speaker introduction, Azra Mahmood, SMCC Communications Faculty and Anthony Garcia, MCCCD Sustainability Project Manager
1:15 - 1:45 p.m | Keynote Speaker: Kaley Blackstock, Sustainability Director, Gensler (SMCC Science building architect)
Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 53 locations and over 7,000 professionals networked across the Americas, Europe, Greater China, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Guided by a mission to create a better world through the power of design, Gensler believes the source of its strength is people. It continues to sharpen its climate action focus with fresh research, new design capabilities and updated priorities to achieve a net-zero carbon portfolio by 2030. Through its Green Materials Initiative, Gensler is also working to reshape the entire building materials supply chain to reduce construction-related carbon emissions significantly.
1:50 - 2:05 p.m. | From Nope to Hope: Transform Your Future with Concrete Actions. Presented by: Danielle Cowan, Librarian, South Mountain CC, and Natalie Case, Education Programs Developer, Scottsdale CC
Every day brings more and more alarming news about the state of the environment. Instead of becoming paralyzed with inaction, we will explore actions that you can take today in your own sphere of influence that can make a difference.
2:05 - 2:10 p.m. | Break
2:10 - 2:35 p.m. | Student Sustainability Talks. Presented by: Azra Mahmood, Communications Faculty, South Mountain CC
Students from around the district will give presentations on sustainability-themed topics they have researched and are excited to share! Each presentation will be three to five minutes long with an accompanying slide show or pre-recorded video.
2:35 - 2:50 p.m. | Dinner for 9.6 Billion - Sustainable food systems. Presented by: Brigitte Bavousett, Cultural Science Adjunct, Mesa CC
The world population has reached over 8 billion—and we’ll hit 9.6 billion in 2047! Yet farmlands continue to diminish as cities worldwide build out, pouring concrete on lands that once grew our food. Some solutions are already up and running—and now you can discover what you can do to help ensure a Sustainable Food System now and into the future.
2:50 - 3:00 p.m. | Closing. Presented by: Azra Mahmood and Anthony Garcia
Sustainability Leadership Recognition
Register Now to attend E.A.R.T.H. Forward
E.A.R.T.H. Forward Vendor List
Westech Recyclers will be collecting electronics at the event for recycling. Please see list of what can and cannot be recycled.
Vendors
Arcosanti
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Arizona State Parks & Trails
ASU School of Sustainability
City of Phoenix Water Conservation - Water, Use It Wisely
The Electric Car Club
Liberty Wildlife
Local First AZ
Population Media Center-AZ Chapter
Rattlesnake Solutions
Reimagine Phoenix/Zero Waste Phx
Sierra Club
SMCC BSU (Black Students Union)
Trees Matter (formerly VPA)
Valley Metro
EMCC Animal Ambassadors
Orchid Society
Arizona Sustainability Alliance
City of Tempe
Matrix Neworld
Odysea Aquarium
Republic Services
SRPMIC - Environmental Protection and Natural Resources
Maricopa Seed Library
Maricopa County Air Quality Department
Westech Recyclers
Green Organics Pest Control
HELP - Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership