Earth Month
Earth Month and Earth Day are a reminder to celebrate the natural world around us, reflect on our connections to the Earth, and re-dedicate ourselves to the care and protection of our world. Here in Wisconsin we have a special connection to Earth Day, as one of the co-founders of the original 1970 teach-in event was none other than Gaylord Nelson, former Wisconsin Senator and Governor (read more about this at National Geographic). Look below for information on this year's Earth Day theme, as well as activities and learning opportunities to take advantage of.
Earth Day 2026: Our Power, Our Planet
The theme for Earth Day in 2026 emphasizes not just the importance of power generation to our species and our world, but also the people-powered movements that are instrumental in creating positve change in our society.
Each year, EarthDay.org sets a different theme, intended to inspire participants and create a focal point for the day and month. Some recent themes have been:
- 2025: Power Our Planet
- 2024: Planet vs Plastics
- 2022 & 2023: Invest In Our Planet
- 2021: Restore Our Earth
Check out the Earth Day website to learn more about this theme, and to get a taste of all the events taking place locally, or to get inspiration from those occurring farther away. EarthDay.org also leads campaigns around the world to help drive progress in areas such as plastics reduction, forest protection, climate education, regenerative agriculture, and earth-focused fashion choices. Learn more on the Earth Day Campaigns page.
Fitchburg Shred/Recycling Event
Fitchburg's Spring Recycling Day Event is Saturday, April 11 from 8am to 11am at the City Hall Campus (5520 Lacy Road) and will include confidential paper shredding and electronics recycling.
Many electronics can be recycled at no cost, though items like TVs and microwaves will be recycled for a fee — see the page linked below for a full list of items and fees. For paper shredding, this is your chance to responsibly dispose of old tax records, financial statements, and other sensitive documents. If you can't make the event but need to shred documents in the meantime, you can shred at home, place the shreds in a clear plastic bag, and put them in your curbside recycling cart — the clear bag is essential, keeping the shredded paper together while also helping collectors identify the materials.
This free community event is a great opportunity to responsibly retire old laptops, printers, phones, and monitors rather than letting them collect dust or, worse, end up in the trash. Check Fitchburg’s Recycling Event page for the full flyer and fee schedule.
Bilingual Conservation Fair / Día de la Tierra
This year, Fitchburg will help host an annual event bringing together environmental education, community, culture, and celebration all in one place. The Bilingual Conservation Fair — Día de la Tierra — hosted by Wisconsin EcoLatinos, takes place Saturday, April 18 from 12pm-4pm at Hosto Hoci (2220 Traceway Dr). The event features connections to resources on environmental conservation, sustainability, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and the health impacts of pollution, alongside music, free tree saplings, and raffles for water filters and kites.
This is a family-friendly, fully bilingual (Spanish-English) event open to everyone in the community. Whether you're looking to connect with local environmental organizations, pick up a free tree sapling for your yard, or simply enjoy an afternoon of music and community, it's well worth the trip. Learn more at wisconsinecolatinos.org.
RoundTrip Spring Roll Challenge
This April 1-30, RoundTrip Greater Madison will host its third annual Spring Roll Challenge celebrating green trips for Earth Month! The Spring Roll Challenge is free and open to everyone ages 18+ in Dane County. This year’s goal is to reach 10,000 sustainable trips in Dane County during Earth Month.
To participate, register with the RoundTrip program and log your trips by bike, bus, carpool, walking & rolling throughout the month for chances to win 35+ weekly and grand prize drawings. Prize sponsors include Ian’s Pizza, Willy Street Co-op, Forage Kitchen, Madison BCycle, and The Soap Opera.
Trips for work, school, errands and entertainment all count—anything you might otherwise drive alone but can swap for something greener. You’ll save money, feel great, and make a difference in Dane County!
Learn more at bit.ly/SpringRoll2026.
Sustain Dane Accelerate Sustainability Workshop
If your workplace or organization has been wanting to make real progress on sustainability but isn't sure where to start — or how to make the case to leadership — this workshop is built for exactly that moment. Sustain Dane's Accelerate Sustainability Workshop is a half-day professional development gathering designed to connect participants to the tools, people, and case studies needed to prioritize and act on sustainability. The 2026 workshop takes place Friday, April 17.
Topics covered include how to communicate sustainability in ways that resonate with leadership during a time of shifting priorities, local business case studies featuring implemented initiatives in energy efficiency, renewables, food, and alternative transportation, and strategies for building an internal sustainability team — including framing the work within Dane County's Climate Action Plan. Networking with peers working toward similar goals in the county is also a key part of the day.
Register at sustaindane.org/accelerate-sustainability-workshop — and consider bringing a colleague so the momentum continues after the workshop ends.
EarthFest at UW Madison
Every April, UW-Madison transforms into one of the region's richest spaces for environmental learning, connection, and community — and this year's Earth Fest will be no different. Earth Fest 2026 runs April 17–23, organized by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the UW Office of Sustainability. Events are free and open to students, alumni, faculty, and members of the broader community — meaning anyone curious and willing to make the trip to campus.
Highlights include Climate Games Day on April 17, where participants can play environment-focused games like Catan: New Energies and Daybreak; a talk on April 20 by MIT's Kate Brown on how urban gardeners are reclaiming vacant spaces; and a Water@UW Symposium on April 22 — Earth Day itself — exploring how emerging technologies and policy are shaping the future of water systems. The centerpiece Earth Fest Forum on April 21 features a keynote by environmental educator Isaias Hernandez, along with an exhibit hall with art and T-shirt printing.
This week-long festival is a wonderful reminder that Wisconsin's tradition of environmental stewardship — from Muir and Leopold to Gaylord Nelson — is alive and thriving right here. Check the full schedule at earthfest.wisc.edu and make your plans to join now!
Earth Month Tree Plantings
Fitchburg will celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day with two community tree planting events. Volunteers are welcome at both and encouraged to bring water and gloves.
- On Arbor Day, Friday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to noon, volunteers will plant approximately 25 trees and shrubs at Chicory Meadows Park as part of an Alliant Energy Million Trees Grant project.
- A second event will take place on Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to noon at Western Hills Park, where volunteers will plant 10 trees in partnership with the Urban Tree Alliance, funded through an Inflation Reduction Act grant.