E.A.R.T.H. Forward 2025 – Water for Life! 🌎💚

Arts and Culture
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E.A.R.T.H. Forward 2025 – Water for Life!

With Earth Day just around the corner, it’s time to come together for E.A.R.T.H. Forward 2025! This year’s theme, “Water for Life,” highlights the vital role water plays in sustainability and our future.

Join the Office of Sustainability and Glendale Community College on April 8, 2025, for an exciting day of discovery, innovation, and action. Explore sustainability through Education, Adaptation, Resilience, Technology, and Humanities with interactive exhibits, expert speakers, and student-led discussions.

Event Highlights

✅ Interactive Vendor Fair – Explore eco-friendly businesses, sustainable initiatives, and electric vehicles.
✅ Inspiring Speaker Presentations – Learn from water conservation and sustainability experts.
✅ Engaging Student Discussions – Hear from students leading green initiatives.
✅ Sustainability Scavenger Hunt and Kahoot Challenge – Play and win exciting prizes!

With over 8 billion people sharing our planet, it’s time to learn, innovate, and take action—together! Let’s build a sustainable future for all.

 

 

 2025 Sustainability Leadership Awards – Nominate a Champion!

The Sustainability Leadership Awards celebrate Maricopa Community Colleges’ faculty, staff, and students who are making a real impact on campus and in their communities. Whether they’re leading sustainability efforts or promoting eco-friendly transportation, these individuals are shaping a greener world.

Know someone who deserves recognition? Submit your nomination by March 31, 2025. Let’s honor those making a difference! 🏆

Nominate a Sustainability Champion

 

 

Student Showcase – Share Your Sustainability Projects!

The E.A.R.T.H. Forward Summit will highlight the incredible work of Maricopa Community Colleges students, demonstrating how sustainability connects to every field of study.

💡 This is a celebration, not a competition! No judging—just an opportunity to share, inspire, and connect.

Want to showcase your work? Submit your project for consideration today! 

Submit Your Work

 

📅 Event Schedule

9:30 a.m. – noon | Exhibit Fair and Scavenger Hunt (The Mall outside SU Building)

  • Meet wild birds of prey and reptiles up close!
  • Check out electric cars and sustainability vendors.
  • Join the Scavenger Hunt and win prizes!

11:50 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Lunch and Guest Speakers (SU-104)

  • Dr. Tiffany Hernandez – Welcome remarks.
  • Chancellor's Welcome (video)
  • We are partnering with Bold Reuse to provide reusable containers for lunch. Composting will be done by Recycled City.

Listen to the livestream of afternoon speakers from 12–2:30 p.m.

Guest Speakers:

Joanne Toms - Joanne Toms is the Environmental Program Administrator for the City of Glendale Water Services Department – Conservation and Sustainable Living Division. Joanne oversees the City’s water conservation program and Drought Management Plan. Having grown up in the Midwest, she relates to customers who have challenges with desert landscaping. Joanne has a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science and a M.S. in Water Resource Management. Joanne is naturally drawn to water, and coincidentally, her maiden name, Vokoun (Vo-Kin), means fish in Czech.

Vineetha Kartha - Vineetha Kartha is currently employed as the Colorado River Programs Manager with the Central Arizona Project. In her capacity with CAP, Vineetha and her team provide technical and policy support to management and the CAWCD Board of Directors on Colorado River issues, including developing and implementing strategic planning efforts and projects protecting and enhancing CAP’s interest in the Colorado River water supplies. Prior to that, she worked with Freeport-McMoRan as their water resources manager, working on water rights management issues across Freeport mines in Arizona. She has previously served as the Manager for the Colorado River Management Section at the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). Vineetha has also worked in the capacity of environmental planner for a private engineering firm and acted as the principal long range planner for the City of Surprise. Vineetha Kartha has almost two decades of experience working on water management and natural resource issues.

1 – 1:15 p.m. | Kahoot! Challenge (SU-104) 
Bring your phone or tablet, test your sustainability knowledge, and compete for awesome prizes!

1:20 – 2:10 p.m. | Student Presentations (SU-104)
Hear from GCC students as they present innovative sustainability ideas and solutions!

2:15 – 2:30 p.m. | Awards Presentation and Closing (SU-104)
Join us in celebrating Maricopa’s sustainability champions—the students, faculty, and staff leading real change!

 

 

E.A.R.T.H. Forward Vendor List

Westech Recyclers will be collecting electronics for recycling during the event. Check the list of acceptable items before you bring them!

Featured Exhibitors Include:

  • Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
  • Arizona State Parks & Trails
  • Arizona Sustainability Alliance
  • Audubon Society
  • ASU School of Sustainability
  • City Of Glendale Recycling
  • City of Glendale Water Conservation
  • City Of Peoria Recycling
    City Of Phoenix - Water conservation department
  • Coca Cola
  • Dress for Success
  • EMCC - Animal Ambassadors
  • GCC - Trip Reduction 
  • GCU Sustainability Program
  • Green Living Magazine
  • The Electric Car Club
  • Liberty Wildlife
    Local First AZ
  • Maricopa Seed Library
  • Maricopa County Air Quality Department
  • Sierra Club
  • Trees Matter
  • Valley Metro
  • Spaces Of Opportunity
  • Phoenix Herp Society
  • Population Media Center
  • Prescott College
  • Odysea Aquarium
  • Rattlesnake solutions
  • Reimagine Phoenix / Zero Waste Phoenix
  • SRPMIC - Environmental Protection and Natural Resources
  • Scottsdale Community College - Center of native and urban wildlife
  • South Mountain Community College table - Moroccan theme
  • SRP
  • Westech Recyclers
  • Wild At Heart Raptor Rescue

 

Let’s take action for a greener, smarter, and more resilient future! 🌎💚

Be part of the movement—reserve your spot for E.A.R.T.H. Forward 2025 today!

  • Upcoming Event
    • to
  • Cost
    Free
  • Location

    Glendale Community College
    6000 W. Olive Avenue Glendale, AZ 85302 
    Student Union (SU-104)

    Exhibit Fair & Scavenger Hunt will be in the mall outside the SU Building. 

    Register Here!