Back again for the fourth year is the Office of Sustainability’s 30x30 Challenge, encouraging all Penn students, faculty, and staff to spend at least 30 minutes outside for all 30 days in April.

Participants might try solo activities, like biking or walking to work each day, eating lunch outside, or going for a jog outdoors rather than at the gym. The goal is to turn away from electronic devices and connect with nature—perhaps by listening to a bird song, watching for local wildlife, or simply breathing fresh air.

Available throughout the month will be a slew of Sustainability Office-hosted group events, such as a picnic on Monday, April 3, on College Green; a Schuylkill River Trail Walk on Thursday, April 6; and a Campus Ecology Tour on Wednesday, April 26, where popular Pocket Naturalist Guides will be handed out.

New this year is the Sustainability Office’s partnership for 30x30 with both Campus Health and Campus Recreation. Together, they will hold a special afternoon yoga session at Shoemaker Green on Sunday, April 9. On Monday, April 10, Outdoor Adventure will lead a group on a night hike at Fort Washington State Park in Montgomery County. There will be a discounted fee for 30x30 participants. Also new is a collaboration with the Student Sustainability Association at Penn for Green Fest on Friday, April 14. For more information, visit the Sustainability website.

“The first time I did the Challenge, I didn’t realize how little time I spent outdoors until I found I needed to pencil it in,” says sustainability intern Karema Seliem, who’s managing the 30x30 Challenge this year. “Studies show Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors. This Challenge is a good way to get people together, get them involved with Penn sustainability, and also help with mental health and overall happiness.”

The Sustainability Office has a list of weekly challenges on its website to follow. For instance, during week one, it suggests participants take their reading outside, snap a nature selfie, or explore a new neighborhood.

Those interested in participating in Penn’s 30x30 Challenge, which is based off a similar initiative created by the David Suzuki Foundation in Canada, are asked to register by Friday, March 31.

Sign up for the most events and share the best pictures on Instagram (use #Penn30x30Challenge or tag @pennsustainability) to be entered to win a hand-painted S’well water bottle. This year, 30x30 will again utilize the mobile application Cluster, too.

“Go out and appreciate nature, learn about local ecology and the environment, and just give yourself a little break,” says Dan Garofalo, Penn’s environmental sustainability director.