Our power, our planet.
That was the theme for 2026’s Earth Day celebration April 22. Given the current political landscape and shifting environmental laws, this motto was meant to restore power to the community, reinforcing the idea that change comes from individuals’ efforts.
Colorado State University followed through by hosting events throughout April, emphasizing the different types of individual sustainability action, such as planting trees and learning about energy conservation.
As the world celebrated, CSU joined in by hosting its annual Earth Day Festival. This year, it took place on the Lory Student Center Plaza, featuring several organizations from around campus and the greater Northern Colorado area.
“Nothing is going to be done unless the people actually put effort and progress toward it,” attendee Avery Kingsbury said. “People preach about helping, but then nobody actually takes the steps toward fixing it. And I feel like seeing all these programs today helped me realize that people aren’t just saying it; they’re actually putting action toward it, and so I think that’s really awesome.”
Kingsbury said she grew up in a small town in Colorado that didn’t have environmental events like the one she attended Wednesday; going to CSU’s Earth Day Festival gave her the chance to see programs that are geared toward dealing with climate change and environmental well-being.
She attended with Brooke Wageman, who emphasized that sharing information about climate change encourages people to protect the planet, highlighting Citizens’ Climate Lobby as a main example.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby focuses on promoting green energy usage and spreading awareness about climate change, pushing for conversations within communities regarding daily motivations and concerns.
“It’s really easy to feel overwhelmed and scared and very alone in this (or to think) that people don’t care about it as much as you do,” said Lila Quarles, who represented the CCL. “But that’s actually normally not the case.”
CCL had a fact sheet labeled, “This is where Americans stand on climate change.” The highest percentage of respondents, 27%, reported that they were concerned regarding climate change; only 7% reported they were disengaged.
Gretchen Johnson, also with CCL, pointed out that everyone has the power to make change and contribute to a greener future.
“I thought that a way bigger proportion of people did not care about climate change at all,” Johnson said. “So it was really helpful for me, even, to see that a lot of people are on the same page that I am.”
Attendees interacted with the table by placing a button in a jar to indicate how they felt about climate change, specifically whether they were alarmed, cautious or doubtful.
Whether attendees were anxious, hopeful or somewhere in between, organizations like the Community for Climate Anxiety and the CSU Student Sustainability Center offered students a way to become involved with sustainability-driven clubs.
If students aren’t interested in joining an organization but want to make a positive impact, Transfort was there to share the benefits of the city bus system.
“If people make the choice to ride public transit and get those single-occupancy vehicles off the road, it’s better for the planet, and they’re making a conscious choice,” said Anna Russo, a public engagement specialist for the City of Fort Collins.
The American Public Transportation Association reported that the communities that “invest in public transit reduce the nation’s carbon emissions by 63 million metric tons annually.”
Transfort was one of many on the LSC Plaza to advocate for more sustainable practices within the community. But regardless what the organizations were educating attendees on, they all reaffirmed the progress local communities can make.
“(Earth) is just such a beautiful place, and we all love being here, and we want to be able to protect it,” Johnson said.
Reach Sophie Webb at life@collegian.com or on social media @sophgwebb.
