Join in the on-campus fun and take part in events that fund scholarships, raise awareness and support student ideas happening year-round!
Sustainability events
Epicenter
天涯海角APP Epicenter 2025: Disasterology and the Local Impacts of Climate Change
Thursday, April 17, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Explore action-oriented climate solutions for the Kansas City region! Epicenter is a free, annual conference geared for high school juniors/seniors and college undergrads looking to learn the latest in sustainability trends.
Earth Days
Celebrate our planet through exciting activities on campus.
Biodiversity Scavenger Hunt 2025
April 1, 2025 - April 30, 2025
Join 天涯海角APP's Student Environmental Alliance in exploring and celebrating the outdoors by documenting the biodiversity around us. The Scavenger Hunt hosted by SEA, is a large-scale friendly competition open to 天涯海角APP students, faculty, and staff, to upload as many observations of local wild plants, fungi, and animals as possible.
Everyone can participate! All it takes is to get outside and take pictures of as many different living organisms as you can and upload to our Scavenger Hunt Project using the iNaturalist app.
Winners will be announced at the last SEA meeting of the semester, Monday, May 5th at 2 p.m.
Eco Exchange Bins
April 1, 2025 - April 30, 2025
Use the exchange bins around the campus to recycle, exchange and donate your unwanted, or waste items.
Collection Containers Located in the Student Center near the Bookstore, CoLab Entrance, MTC 2nd floor near elevator, and CLB 2nd floor Near Elevator
- Blue Jeans Go Green - Recycle your worn denim into insulation
- Personal Shredding - It's tax time! Load your personal papers into a secure bin provided by the 天涯海角APP warehouse to be shredded and recycled by ProShred.
- Thrift and Thrive – Donate a range of household items to help students outfit their first apartment with small housewares, kitchen items, and decor. You can also donate clothing, school or craft supplies, and other small items that will be sent to local nonprofits.
Donations needed: Everything needs to be clean, in good condition and in working order.
Kitchen: Cooking/serving utensils, silverware, measuring cups, spoons, paper towel holders, placemats, napkins, oven mitts, pot holders, dish cloths and towels, pots and pans, baking sheets, casserole dishes, mixing bowls, spatulas, colanders, pitchers, trivets, chip clips, salt and pepper shakers, cutting boards, knives, can openers, whisks, dish rack, scrubbies, plates, drinking glasses, cereal bowls
Small appliances: toasters, tea kettles, small microwaves, coffee makers, insta or Crockpots, blenders, stick blender
Bed & Bath: Sheet sets, blankets, throws, hand towels, rugs, soap dish, throw pillow
Other: LED bulbs 9 watt (60 watts equivalent or lower), command hooks (w/adhesive), cleaning cloths, Swiffer-style mops, pump soap, dish soap, sponges, tape measure, hammer, screwdrivers, scissors, broom, dustpan, plunger (new), toilet brush (new), small lamps, wall art, coat hooks, Rubbermaid or glass storage with lids, aluminum foil, cleaning supplies
Drop off at: Center for Sustainability CSB 165, SC Bookstore, CoLab, MTC 2 near elevator, or CLB 2 near elevator
Un-Can-It for the Planet
Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | COM Plaza
In collaboration with KC Can Compost, join us in composting your expired food, plus food from the Student Basic Needs Center (BNC) and other food pantries. We welcome all in the 天涯海角APP community to clean out your own pantry and bring in your expired cans, bags, boxes and stale food to this event.
Drop your expired canned/dry foods at the BNC in GEB 153, or at the Center for Sustainability in CSB 165 from now until April 10, 2025, or bring them along to the event.
In exchange for composting your expired food, we encourage and welcome you to bring a donation of edible food or personal hygiene item for the Students Basics Needs Center.
Learn more about the Basic Needs Center
Compost Fest
Saturday, April 19, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | 天涯海角APP Open Petal Farm
Learn how to turn your food scraps into “black gold” soils, grow healthy foods, and tour 天涯海角APP’s Open Petal Farm! With interesting, interactive booths this event is open to the public, and great for families or any individuals with an interest in gardening, composting, or growing your own food. There will be music from Stan Slaughter, David Hakan and Eco Elvis! This event is sponsored by Missouri Organics.
Guests are welcome to park in the Police Academy PA parking lot.
Campus Clean-Up
Monday, April 21, 2025 | 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Hare and Bell Sculpture outside LIB
Come lend a hand to the Student Environmental Alliance (SEA) and the Center for Sustainability as we join together to help clean up some natural areas around campus. Gloves and bags will be provided but please dress appropriately and bring water.
All 天涯海角APP students welcome to volunteer!
Repair Fair
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 | Various Events
Make resourceful choices and learn new skills with Sustainability’s Repair Fair events.
Car Maintenance Demos
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 | COM Plaza
Join 天涯海角APP’s Automotive Technology Department as they provide free demonstrations on how to care for your car! These quick tutorials will provide hands-on opportunities to learn from professionals, ask questions, and gain confidence in basic car maintenance.
- 11:15 a.m. Demonstration: Change a tire, check tire pressure, and add air to tire
- 11:45 a.m. Demonstration: Check/add oil and windshield wiper fluid
- 12:15 p.m. Demonstration: Change a tire, check tire pressure, and add air to tire
- 12:45 p.m. Demonstration: Check/add oil and windshield wiper fluid
Clothing Repair
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | COM Atrium
A professional seamstress will be on campus to patch holes, replace buttons, fix busted seams, and offer tips on fixing your own clothing with different techniques. Bring up to two items per person! This event is sponsored by the Student Sustainability Committee.
Clothing Repair Guidelines
- Zippers can be replaced if you bring a replacement zipper to use
- Items must be clean
- The seamstress may refuse any items that can’t be fixed
- Not responsible for damages
Garden Party
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. | COM Plaza
天涯海角APP students, staff and faculty are invited to stop by the Open Petal Farm booth to pick up some start plants for your spring garden, or something tasty for your dinner, with fresh produce from the campus farm.
The Making of 鈥淥ur Planet Live鈥
Friday, May 2, 2025 | 12.30 – 1.30 p.m. | GEB 233 (Craig Auditorium)
In a fascinating insight into nature filmmaking and sustainability, join 8-time Emmy nominated series producer, Dan Tapster, to learn about the Netflix documentary, “Our Planet Live.” Dan will open with an overview of his outstanding career and share his exceptional story about making the documentary, sharing his images, videos, and stories of the experience. His talk will end with advice for any individuals interested in nature filmmaking and sustainability.
This event is open to the public.
Spotlight: Dan Tapster
An 8-time Emmy-nominated showrunner, Dan Tapster started out at the BBC Natural History Unit in the 1990s where he worked on series including Sir David Attenborough’s “Life of Mammals.” Following a jaw-dropping career and life story that includes being kidnapped by Quichua Indians in Ecuador and firing cannonballs through houses by mistake, he became the showrunner for a TV show that went on to become the second most-watched factual TV series in history: “MythBusters.” After leading the show to 12 series renewals and over 18 billion views, Dan left “MythBusters” in 2016. After working on several more popular science shows, he joined Silverback films in 2018. Combining visual flair with strong storytelling, Dan was the showrunner for the epic “Life on Our Planet” on Netflix. With movie-making legend Steven Spielberg as executive producer, “Life on Our Planet” uses stunning natural history and world-class visual effects to reveal the story of life in a way that has never been attempted before.
Thrift & Thrive
Free Household Goods for Students
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | COM Dining
In need of kitchen supplies? Small appliances? Bedding and Linens? School supplies? Our Thrift & Thrive event offers these supplies and more to students for free! We collect clean, working household items in good condition and redistribute them to where they’re needed.
Harvest Days 2025
More information to come for fall events.
Harvest Dinner
Celebrate the students driving sustainability forward at 天涯海角APP’s highly anticipated annual Harvest Dinner. Indulge in three delicious courses prepared with local produce. An immersive evening of food and fun fosters community connection and supports Sustainable Agriculture scholarships.