UConn Amplifies Sustainability Message with Spring Fling
Earth Day and sustainability initiatives at UConn Storrs were celebrated by students during the Earth Day Spring Fling and Zero Waste Barbecue on Wednesday, April 16.
Vendors and clubs set up shop along Fairfield Way to sell sustainable goods and involve members of the UConn community with green initiatives around campus.
“It’s a good way of getting people excited about sustainability,” said Ross Elliott ’26 (CLAS). “People are naturally drawn to free food and music and fun stuff, but at the same time, it actually gets them thinking about what this is all about.”

One of the featured events was a Party Peddler Bike Tour, where an Office of Sustainability intern shared facts about buildings around campus and how the architecture at UConn incorporates sustainability to help UConn in its strategic plan.
“Herbst Hall, for example, is a LEED-certified building. Every single new UConn building is LEED-certified,” said Amogh Chaubey ’25 (ENG), an intern at the Office of Sustainability. “That means leadership and environmental design.”
There is a bioretention basin beneath the building that helps with stormwater management, Chaubey told passengers. “A lot of the things you don’t really think about, like how come Fairfield Way doesn’t get flooded when it rains, are built into the architecture of our buildings.”
“The bike ride was my favorite part of today,” says Elliott. “It was a great way to learn more about how UConn has committed to sustainability. Everyone was talking, laughing, pedaling and pushing as hard as they can; it was silly, but it was really fun.”

Elsewhere, the Spring Valley Student Farm gave out free marigolds in recycled newspaper pots; UConn Horticulture Club sold plants; the library had a display of sustainability books; and local vendors sold soaps, dog treats, pins, and more.
The annual class tree-planting ceremony took place as well. Members of the first-year student community planted a tree for the class of 2028. This year’s tree was planted near the Hawley Armory, facing Fairfield Way.
Another event that students participated in was goat yoga on Founders Lawn. “The goats are so friendly, they’ll jump on your back,” said Chaubey. “It gets filled up right away. Getting a seat for that is like getting a Taylor Swift concert ticket, it’s hard.”
The goal of the event is to provoke more conversations about sustainability at a high level, said Chaubey. “Right now, we’re working with Dining to bring the zero-waste barbecue and cupcakes to the celebration. Building that partnership could, down the road, help us work with them to bring zero-waste to our dining halls,” Chaubey says. “Our big goal here is to make sustainability centralized.”
The zero-waste barbecue was the main attraction of the celebrations. Students had a chance to enjoy locally sourced foods, many of which were vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free. The food waste is run through food cyclers that the Office of Sustainability runs.

“It’s almost like a dishwasher,” said Chaubey. “It cycles overnight and gives you this composable dust.”
Students can purchase these composters personally or for their residence halls, Chaubey added. “Our pilot program put them in a bunch of off-campus apartments, and the idea is that students can deal with waste super easily wherever you want.”

One way Chaubey encourages students to get involved is by filling out a sustainability literacy survey. This gives the Office of Sustainability a gauge of how students are contributing to sustainability in Storrs and what it can do to improve environmental literacy and green programs around campus.
“I learned about zero-waste vegan food and how that can lead to a more sustainable society,” said Elliott. “I’m not a vegetarian, but I’ve always been interested in how we could shift towards a vegetarian society. It was cool to see how many people were enjoying the vegetarian and vegan barbecue. It surprised me.”
The student response to the festivities was overwhelmingly positive. “It’s windy, it’s cold, but look around, it’s packed,” said Chaubey. “Student engagement is a huge part of our mission, and sustainability can be a ton of fun.”
Latest UConn Today
- The School of Pharmacy to Recognize Three Alumni at the Annual Alumni AwardsThree alumni of the School will be honored in October at the Annual Alumni Reception on October 18th. These individuals have been recognized for their outstanding contributions through three awards: the Exceptional Service Award, the Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Tradition of Excellence Award.
- New Plant and Soil Health Center Named in Honor of Alum George Leigh MinorGeorge Leigh Minor ’56 (CAHNR) passed away at the age of 90 in January 2025, leaving a generous donation, which will be used to fund the renovations necessary to open the George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center.
- UConn and Yale-led QuantumCT a Finalist for Transformative NSF AwardThe National Science Foundation has announced Connecticut’s initiative as one of the few finalists for the Engines Program.
- UConn Medical Student Becomes Region VII Director for Student National Medical Association’s Board of DirectorsMeet Olasubomi Ayomini “Mini” Ajayi of UConn School of Medicine.
- Alumni Spotlight: Akshay Narula in Pharmaceutical SciencesGraduating with his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from UConn’s School of Pharmacy this past summer, Akshay Narula excelled during his time as a Husky. From watching basketball games at Gampel to spending hours in the lab, Akshay ensured he had the best UConn experience!
- Researchers Hope Documentary’s Example Can Promote Common Ground in Connecticut'One of the things ‘The Tennessee 11’ shows us is that people generally are on the side of less firearm injury and death. We may just disagree about how to get there'