April at the Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, traditionally focused on sustainability and culminated in activities marking Earth Day. The aim of this year’s Sustainable April was to demonstrate that sustainability is not an abstract concept, but a set of practical approaches that can be naturally integrated into everyday academic life as well as personal habits.
A key role was played by the Spring Swap, which offered an opportunity to exchange clothes, books, and plants, promoting reuse and extending the life cycle of everyday items. The same idea was reflected in the initiative “Give a Home to Faculty Bottles”, where faculty-branded bottles with a minor printing defect were offered instead of being discarded. Both activities highlighted how waste reduction can go hand in hand with strengthening the faculty community.
The programme also included a practical educational activity titled Wild Plants – Learning and Tasting, focused on the culinary use of common wild plant species. By combining plant identification with tasting, the activity illustrated sustainability through local resources and everyday food choices. Special thanks go to Majka Šmilauerová and Olga Lepšová for the professional preparation and delivery of this activity.
Sustainable April further featured two thematic exhibitions, offering visual reflections on the relationship between humans, nature, and environmental responsibility. The Close Encounters exhibition by Richard Jaroněk was displayed in the lobby of Building C, while the lobby of Building B hosted the Cabinet of CB Sustainability exhibition, presenting projects and clear visual materials related to sustainability.
A longer-term perspective was provided by the project “A Second Life for Spring Bulbs”, through which a large number of bulbs were collected for future planting. Due to unusually warm weather, the planting itself was postponed until autumn, underscoring the importance of adapting sustainable activities to current environmental conditions.
Sustainable April thus demonstrated that sustainability at the faculty is built through both small and systematic steps, supporting responsible attitudes toward nature, resource sharing, and collective reflection on how the academic environment can contribute to a more sustainable future.
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