World Refill Day, a campaign to reduce plastic waste that was celebrated this past Sunday, is a reminder of the simple ways individuals can transition away from single-use plastics toward more sustainable systems.

Eat, drink and shop with less waste in the following ways:

• Bring your reusable water bottle with you and look for refill stations.
• Coffee or tea drinker? Find places that offer discounts or rewards for bringing in your own reusable cup.
• When you head to the grocery store, don’t forget to bring your reusable bags and use reusable items to store your perishable items like fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to glass instead of plastic containers when packing your lunch or packing away those leftovers.

Take Advantage of Sustainable Systems on Campus

Water refill station

Committed to advancing its own sustainability efforts, the University has already taken steps to reduce its plastic footprint by releasing its Plastic Reduction Plan. The plan outlines how the University will work to drastically reduce the use of single-use plastics by the 2027-28 academic year.

Helping the University meet its goals, University community members can take advantage of more sustainable options on campus as it relates to beverages.

Refilling reusable water bottles on campus is easier than ever with a feature on the University’s interactive campus map showing exact locations of .

More of a coffee or tea person? Did you know that Food Services offers discounts for those with reusable mugs? At campus cafés, when you bring your own mug for a fill-up, you receive a 10% discount. If you join the mug club, you receive a 20% discount plus one free fill-up on Fridays when using your mug club cup! .

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about what you can do to help reduce our plastic consumption, email the Sustainability Management team at��sustain@syr.edu.

Members from the YWCA organization pose in front of their van while holding a bin full of ’Cuse Collections donations.

The Office of Sustainability Management hosted ’Cuse Collections during the last week of the Spring 2024 semester to provide a convenient location for students to donate unwanted and gently used items before leaving for the summer. The office partnered with local nonprofits and charities to get the donated items into the hands of those in need, helping to reduce dumpster waste while assisting the local community.

“We are grateful to the Office of Sustainability Management for organizing this event,” said Lydia Montgomery, project manager at A Tiny Home for Good, a local Syracuse nonprofit. “As we work to build community and assist our tenants in creating homes, events like these support our mission for long-term supportive housing.”

Bedding, clothing, shoes, refrigerators, microwaves, household items and more were collected and donated. On-campus departments such as the Mary Ann Shaw Center helped to recruit volunteers. Student volunteers and peer-to-peer educators assisted donors and helped the organizations picking up donations.

In total, over 70 gray bins of items (equivalent to roughly half of an 18-wheel tractor trailer) were donated to 11 organizations, including the Rescue Mission, RISE, A Tiny Home for Good, Mary Nelson Youth Center, Catholic Charities, YWCA, InterFaith Works, Center for Justice Innovation, Huntington Family Center, Spanish Action League of Onondaga County and the Westside Family Resource Center.

“Catholic Charities was able to acquire much-needed clothing items from the event,” said Kerina Herard, program manager of emergency services for Catholic Charities of Onondaga County. “Every day, people come to our door at Cathedral Emergency Services in need of clothing. Thanks to ’Cuse Collections, we are better able to provide for them. This opportunity will make a significant impact on the lives of those we serve.”

Donations loaded into the Rescue Mission van.

Former Sheraton Hotel Donates Furniture

Community members loading items from the Sheraton Hotel onto a truck.

As ’Cuse Collections wrapped up for the semester, the former Sheraton Hotel was able to make a big contribution to the effort. As the hotel closed its doors after Commencement to prepare for its conversion into a 400-bed residence hall, the building’s 200 rooms were cleared of furniture, linens and bedding ahead of the start of construction. The hotel’s furniture was transferred to a local warehouse, where organizations could collect donated items. The response was overwhelming: TVs, mattresses and chairs were quickly reclaimed and given to those in need.

“Mattresses from the Sheraton Hotel will be steam cleaned and used in several of our housing sites,” says Montgomery. “Donations like these allow us to serve more people in the Central New York community.”

Sustainability Management plans to host ’Cuse Collections on an annual basis. For more information, visit the .

Warehouse full of people sorting miscellaneous items from the Sheraton Hotel such as televisions and refrigerators.

• Quantify the types of single-use plastics used on campus and identify technically feasible replacements or elimination of single-use items.
• Collaborate with vendors to include language in vendor/franchise agreements to eliminate single-use plastics in vending and food service agreements.
• Expand compost capabilities to ensure alternative products can be disposed of properly.
• Educate campus constituents on proper disposal and communicate progress on the website.

The plan touches on areas where progress has already been made and lays out future initiatives. It also includes a timeline of each plastic category and when it will be phased out or reduced.

An important aspect of the plan involves raising awareness around the effort to reduce plastics and promoting responsible plastic use and disposal methods.

“Empowering our campus community with knowledge is key to fostering a culture of sustainability,” says Melissa Cadwell, sustainability coordinator. “Through our peer-to-peer educators, we’re excited to introduce the Plastic Reduction Plan, a vital initiative in our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.”

Student peer-to-peer educators have already had the chance to contribute to this project. Over the next several years, the goal is to expand education and outreach to all campus constituencies.

Cadwell issues a charge to the campus community: “Together, let’s champion sustainable practices, reduce plastic waste and safeguard our planet for generations to come.”

The plan can be viewed in full on the Sustainability Management . In the coming months, the website will also be updated to include a dashboard showing progress toward the goals outlined in the plan.

As the campus community celebrates Earth Month, Lydia Knox discusses the state of sustainability and explores how the University is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2032.

What does it mean for Syracuse University to invent and demonstrate cutting-edge sustainability initiatives?

It means reducing the University’s environmental impact responsibly by identifying, promoting and implementing practices that will meet our current needs without compromising the needs of future generations. And it includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions through wisely managing energy efficiency projects.

Projects like the recently completed improvements to the mechanical systems at the Center for Science and Technology, a multi-year initiative that resulted in a 25% reduction in steam use in 2023 and an annual emissions reduction of over 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e). Or the��recent replacement of the Lally Athletics Complex arena lighting, an effort expected to reduce carbon emissions by 141 metric tons per year.

“Sustainability encompasses a lot, but I think in the most basic sense it’s trying to really have a positive impact on the community and on the environment, and to just make sure that the practices we’re putting forth each day are both benefiting us now at this current moment, but also will have a benefit to future generations of students, faculty and staff here at Syracuse University, and on a larger level, the whole Syracuse community. This is not one fix-all. It’s going to take a lot of people,” says Lydia Knox G’22, the sustainability project manager in the .

During April, the campus community is coming together to celebrate Earth Month. On this ‘Cuse Conversation, Knox discusses the state of sustainability at Syracuse University, the wide range of Earth Month efforts occurring on campus, how the University is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2032, how you can get involved with these initiatives and why she left her career as a television meteorologist to pursue her passion for sustainability and preserving the Earth.

Check out episode 162 of the podcast featuring Knox. A transcript [PDF]��is also available.

Design by Lauren Estabrook ’24, environmental and interior design student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Sustainability Management is happy to announce the dates for the end-of-semester donation event known as ’Cuse Collections. From Wednesday, May 1, through Tuesday, May 7, two storage containers will be placed on North Campus and one will be placed on South Campus to collect donations. Donation drop-off times will be posted on the Sustainability Management social media accounts (, and ) and on . The locations are as follows:

• North Campus
  • DellPlain Hall loading dock
  • Sadler Hall parking lot (next to dumpsters)
• South Campus
  • Carriage House: 161 Farm Acre Road

All students are welcome to drop off unused and gently used items. The following items will be accepted:

• Clothing and shoes
• Sheets, comforters, pillows, blankets
• Non-perishable food items
• Small kitchen items and appliances (microwaves, toasters, blenders, TVs, lamps, silverware, pots and pans, blenders, vacuums and more)
• Tables and chairs

Donations will be collected and distributed to local organizations such as the YWCA, the Transitional Age Youth Project, Recuse Mission, InterFaith Works, the Mary Nelson Youth Organization and RISE (Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment). All non-perishable food items will go to the South Campus food pantry. Volunteers are needed to tend to the locations to help assist those dropping off items and organizations collecting donations. If you are interested in signing up, please .

If you have any questions or would like to partner with Sustainability Management for the next ’Cuse Collections event, email sustain@syr.edu.

Among the goals are:

• Achieve the University’s net-zero goal by 2032.
• Dramatically reduce single-use plastics by the 2027-28 academic year through a phased approach.

defines a feasible path to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and details a two-phase approach to reach the goal of carbon neutrality by 2032. Those phases are:

• Phase I focuses on energy efficiency projects, the Steam Station modernization, the transition to zero emission vehicles and policy updates. Energy efficiency projects currently in progress include the installation of a heat pump at the Carriage House on South Campus and into the existing energy recovery loop at the Life Sciences Complex. Additionally, LED lighting projects are underway.
• Phase II includes the sequestration of carbon through forest properties, sequestration of carbon in the built environment and onsite renewables. The sequestration in the built environment means removing or storing carbon in construction and building materials such as mass timber or revised concrete mixes.

“Reaching carbon neutrality in eight years is an ambitious goal and the updated CAP highlights feasible strategies to get there,” says Lydia Knox, sustainability project manager. “It is exciting to see the plan laid out knowing the positive impact these projects will have on the environment and campus.”

The Climate Action Plan also highlights projects in progress and recently completed, including:

• Mechanical upgrades to the Center for Science and Technology
• LED lighting replacements in the John A. Lally Athletic Complex
• Steam Station modernization

“Many of the initiatives outlined in the plan are currently underway, and it’s encouraging to see the progress we are making in energy and emission reduction,” says Jason Plumpton, assistant director of engineering, utilities and sustainability. “We appreciate the Sustainability Oversight Council and are grateful for their valuable input during the plan’s development.”

Every year, Sustainability Management will calculate and assess the greenhouse gas inventory based on data gathered through building meters and University databases. Informed by that data, the Climate Action Plan will be adjusted and revised as necessary based on evolving technologies and regulatory changes. To read a copy of the plan visit the .

A heat recovery chiller in located in the penthouse of CST. This equipment pulls the heat from the chilled water loop and allows us to use the heat for heating the building ventilation air.

The heat recovery chillers pull heat from the campus chilled water loop and heat the building’s dehumidification coils. At the same time, they reduce the chilled water load on the campus loop. This upgrade has reduced chilled water usage by over 67,000 ton-hours. This system, along with the lab exhaust energy recovery loop, helps to reduce steam and chilled water consumption, putting fewer demands on the district steam system and reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions.

The biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions at Syracuse University is burning natural gas to create steam. Steam is used to heat University buildings and power a turbine chiller, which provides chilled water to cool buildings. Reducing steam-chilled water use at the buildings is a great way to reduce natural gas consumption and related emissions. This project is an example of energy efficiency strategies Sustainability Management is using to meet the 2032 carbon neutrality goal. The graph below shows the notable reduction in total energy use (MMBtu) and steam usage from 2022 to 2023.

“Instead of thinking of excess building heat as something that we needed to remove, we thought of heat as a resource that we needed to recover and reuse,” says Jason Plumpton, assistant director of engineering, utilities and sustainability. “We were able to make some minor adjustments to��how we arranged the building mechanical systems to take advantage of this resource. This project was a great example of how we can incorporate sustainability into capital improvement projects.”

The heat recovery coil on the building exhaust system. This pulls heat from the building exhaust air and allows us to reuse it in the building.

The Center for Science and Technology was completed in 1989. Over three decades later, the mechanical systems needed an update to support modern research. This project presented a great opportunity for Sustainability Management to align the need for an update with building decarbonization. Open labs were designed with efficiency in mind, allowing for shared use of equipment such as energy-intensive fume hoods. This design prevents hoods from going unused, and the installation of high-performance fume hoods further cuts down on energy use. Installing an energy recovery loop and reconfiguring the chillers to operate in heat recovery mode harnesses energy that would otherwise have been exhausted and gone unused. This project improved both capabilities and efficiency of the entire building.

Energy improvements in laboratory buildings are a major focus. A benchmarking study completed in 2023 confirmed that laboratory buildings that use a lot of outdoor air are the largest energy-consuming facilities on campus. Sustainability Management is focused on reducing energy usage in CST and other energy-intensive buildings to have a more meaningful impact on emission reductions and reduce utility costs.

Students from Professor Patrick Penfield’s green supply chain class partnered with the Sustainability Management team for a presentation in Bird Library on Bee Campus USA.

• Wednesday, April 3, 6-8 p.m.
• Maxwell Auditorium

Sustainability Management, in collaboration with SUNY ESF and Hendricks Chapel, will host grocery bingo. Students will play bingo and those who win will be offered a bag of groceries as a prize. All Syracuse University and ESF students are welcome to attend.

• Wednesday, April 10 or 17, 11 a.m.-noon
• Pete’s Giving Garden, South Campus

Spend an hour contributing to Earth Month by gardening with Sustainability Management, in collaboration with Wellness Initiatives. Volunteers will help prepare the gardening beds for seeds and seedlings that will be planted in late May. Alongside readying the beds for future seeds and plants, cold-weather seeds like broccoli and cauliflower will be planted. For those with mobility concerns or a preference for standing while gardening, Pete’s Giving Garden provides ADA beds. The garden is behind the Inn Complete on South Campus.

A sign attached to a fence reads “Pete’s Giving Garden” and is decorated with drawings of vegetables and bees.

• Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Bird Library

Sustainability Management student interns will host a tabling event to raise awareness about the importance of bats and their role as pollinators and hand out pamphlets on how to build a bat house. Seeds from Pete’s Giving Garden and our Bee Campus USA Garden will also be given out. All are welcome to stop in and learn about pollinators!

• Thursday, April 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Promenade, outside Schine Student Center

A Sustainability Management intern will host a tabling event to educate faculty, students and staff on the importance of composting and how to dispose of items properly. There are also plans to offer pots to replant plants. The table will be outside on the promenade, weather permitting.

• Monday, April 29, noon to 1 p.m.
• Vitral event,

In this virtual event session, Sustainability Management will touch on how the University’s greenhouse gas emissions are tracked and categorized. Additionally, you’ll learn about the energy efficiency projects recently completed and other strategies to reduce energy use and emissions both on campus and at home.

Earth Day 2024

Keep in mind that Earth Day is officially Monday, April 22.

In addition to these events, Sustainability Management is actively working towards the University’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2032. If you’re interested in getting involved with Sustainability Management, .

Donations of unwanted items were collected in the Goldstein Student Center in spring 2023.

In spring 2023, an end-of-year donation event was hosted on South Campus, now known as ’Cuse Collections. Boxes were placed in the Goldstein Student Center to collect any unwanted clothing, bedding, food and small home appliances. Donations were picked up by local charities and food was taken to the South Campus food pantry, which is supported by Hendricks Chapel.

This year’s goal is to expand the program for spring of 2024. The program helps community members in need and keeps items out of the waste stream, limiting the amount of trash sent to a landfall and ultimately, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is for ’Cuse Collections to have a lasting impact and become part of the Syracuse University culture. A logo will help students recall the event and recognize the program.

Any undergraduate or graduate student can submit a logo design. Please follow the criteria below when submitting. Designs that do not follow the criteria will be disqualified.

• The logo should say: ’Cuse Collection. Note the apostrophe before the “C” in “Cuse” should appear as a curved right single quote, facing away from the “C.”
• Otto may be used in the design so long as brand guidelines are maintained.
• The logo needs to be able to expand and minimize without losing clarity.
• File formats accepted include .eps, .png and .svg.
• Adhere to Syracuse University marketing (i.e., proper font, colors).
• Designs must be submitted via email to sustain@syr.edu.
• Only Syracuse University students may submit a design.

Submissions are due Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. Sustainability Management and members of the Mary Ann Shaw Center will review submissions and choose the winning design. The winning designer will receive credit but will not own the logo. The winner will receive a sustainability gift box, including the University’s honey and other prizes. Please email sustain@syr.edu with any questions.

Tucked away on the University’s South Campus, on a plot of land off of Skytop Road, is a photogenic garden full of life.

Pete’s Giving Garden and the University’s two food pantry locations bring together students, faculty, and staff to combat food insecurity through environmentally conscious practices. As part of this flourishing community garden, students are not only provided with fresh produce, but also a sense of collective responsibility for the wellbeing of the University community as a whole.

“It’s definitely something that they (SU students) can incorporate into their diet and takes a little bit of stress off their grocery bill,” says Justus Holden-Betts, student manager at Pete’s Giving Garden and a dual major in the Falk College. As the student manager at the garden, she plants the crops and harvests them to be sent to the pantries. “Something I am very intentional about is the planning process,” says Holden-Betts, “in terms of vegetables, growing ones that people will know how to use and enjoy eating.” After harvesting the produce, Holden-Betts brings the produce to the South Campus food pantry, located in the Carriage House at 161 Farm Acre Road, rinses it and leaves it for the students to grab during their visit.

Sustainability Coordinator Melissa Cadwell worked with Hendricks Chapel and joined the team when it first opened at the Carriage House in 2017. Cadwell warmly welcomes Syracuse and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) students in and manages the South Campus pantry. Her goal to help all students get the most out of Syracuse University is vital to the mission of the pantry itself. “All students should have the same experience at Syracuse University,” says Cadwell. “That experience includes going out with your friends for coffee, going to the farmer’s market, joining clubs. If you don’t have the funds to get the whole student experience, then you should come to the food pantry. It’s here to catch you and help you.”

Student coordinator for the South Campus pantry Leondra Tyler stresses the benefit that the pantry has on the University community. While the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning, so was Tyler’s history with the pantry. During the pandemic, Tyler witnessed the true impact of her work. “I noticed not only the impact of having food but also a social impact. A lot of people would come here and stay here for hours to talk to me. I really enjoyed that and that’s what made me love the pantry a lot.”

The food pantries are open to any Syracuse University or SUNY ESF student. The South Campus food pantry is open from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays during the summer. For anyone who wants to help with Pete’s Giving Garden, there are open volunteer hours on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information about sustainability initiatives on campus, please visit the .

Story by Angelina Grevi, Syracuse City School District communications intern

Otto the Orange knows the importance of being sustainable.

Whether it’s your first time living in a residence hall or you’re moving back to campus or somewhere off campus, you can make your move as environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible. Plus, save money, time and space in the process.

“Sustainable practices are meant to have a lasting impact. By making a few small changes in your move-in routine, you can reduce the amount of waste produced, help protect the environment and make your life easier,” says Sustainability Project Manager Lydia Knox.

Catch these tips from the University’s team before you start to pack for the fall semester:

Water bottle refilling station and water drinking fountain.

• Communication: Coordinate with roommates ahead of time to reduce duplicate items in the new space.
• Quality Over Quantity: Space is often limited in residential halls and apartments for students, bring only what is necessary and leave the rest home. If possible, swap out clothes seasonally with items from home.
• Wait to Buy: Only pack and move essentials; secondhand stores like offer great options for gently used items.
• Pack Smart: To reduce waste, avoid using boxes, pack items in suitcases, totes and reusable containers.
• Ditch the Printer: Save space and leave printers at home. Students are each given a for the year.
• Stay Hydrated: Bring a reusable water bottle and to find out where the water bottle filling stations are available all over campus.
  

  Don’t forget to pack a power strip for your electronics.

• Pack LEDs: For desk and floor lamps, select LED bulbs, which use less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting.
• Power Saver: Pack power strips, which give you the ability to easily turn electronics off when not in use.
• Pedal Power: One of the best ways to get around campus is on a bicycle. Bike racks are located all over campus and can be easily located on the . If you do bring a bike to campus, don’t forget to and use a U-Bolt lock to secure it.

Van full of items to be donated at the end of the year

Upon arrival to campus, be sure to familiarize yourself with what . This is important to know because what is recycled back home could be different than what we recycle on campus.

As the semester goes on, put aside things you may no longer need and if they are in good condition, consider donating them at the end of the year. Sustainability Management piloted a move out donation program on South Campus last year and expects to expand this program across campus at the end of the Spring 2024 semester.

Students in the Dynamic Sustainability Lab sift through items to be sorted.

On a sunny October morning, students arrived at the Carriage House parking lot on South Campus where the bags were delivered by Facilities Services. Once students were properly dressed in gowns, gloves and shoe covers to avoid contamination, they went to work. After carefully weighing and taking note of each bag, students poured the contents onto a large blue tarp. Using small rakes, items that were disposed of incorrectly were separated and placed in the appropriate receptacle. For instance, water and soda bottles were taken out and placed in recycling bins, while food to-go containers were taken out of the recycling bins and thrown out.

They found significant contamination from the bags taken from the food court area in Schine. It was noted that these receptacles included a “recycling” label but did not have the paper/bottle cutout that is typically found on other receptacles across campus.

To decrease waste/recycling contamination, Sustainability Management worked with the Dynamic Sustainability Lab and Campus Planning, Design and Construction to install new receptacle cutouts in Schine. Three new granite tops were ordered and cut with the same recycling slots as the gray recycling bins around campus. The hope is to improve recycling rates and make it easier to dispose of waste properly. This work is a reminder of the importance of collaborations like these across campus.

The original waste/recycling station in the Schine dining area (left) led to contamination. By updating the receptacle tops (right), the hope is that recycling rates will improve in Schine.

If you have any questions regarding what’s recyclable on campus, head to the .

Campus Race to Zero Waste Results

Throughout February and March, Syracuse University was part of the Campus Race to Zero Waste competition. Colleges and universities from across North America competed to promote waste reduction activities and now the results are in.

Syracuse recycled a total of 212,846 pounds! This includes bottles, cans, cardboard, paper and other recyclable items. While recycling rates are slightly down compared to previous years, Sustainability Management is attributing this partially to the pandemic and a growing number of students bringing reusable water bottles and containers on campus. 239,892 pounds of food organics were composted, and the University ranked No. 16 out of over 100 schools in the food organics category. With more recycling and waste reduction education, the goal is to increase recycling rates and decrease the amount of waste sent to a landfill. .

South Campus Move Out

With the semester coming to an end, the University partnered with local non-profits to collect student donations of unwanted items prior to leaving campus. Boxes for food, clothing and bedding were set out in the Goldstein Student Center on South Campus during the final weeks of the semester and students dropped off items as they moved out. The Boys & Girls Club, RISE, Peace, Inc., InterFaith Works and other organizations picked up donated items each day.

The results were outstanding, filling the Boys & Girls Club van, donated by the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, to the brim. Sustainability Management plans to partner with the and other departments and local organizations next year to organize a campuswide move out event. If you’re interested in getting involved, reach out to Sustainability Management at sustain@syr.edu.

Bags and boxes of donations were collected at Goldstein Student Center during move out. At right, Boys & Girls Club program director Kenyata Callaway loads items into a van donated by the JIm and Juli Boeheim Foundation to the Boys & Girls Club.

The goals are part of the University’s long-term sustainability plans and align with several recommendations made in a report by the Student Association released in December 2022. The report was developed after Chancellor Kent Syverud charged Student Association President David Bruen ’23 in late spring 2022 with making recommendations about the University’s sustainability practices and policies.

Highlights of the new goals include the following:

• Advance the University’s current net-zero goal from 2040 to 2032. To support this goal, the University will create a Sustainability Oversight Council to oversee and audit the office to ensure emission goals are met.
• Commit to dramatically reduce single-use plastics by the 2027-28 academic year through a phased approach.
• In a collaboration between the Student Association and the University, create an annual sustainability research competition, as proposed in the Student Association’s .

“These ambitious new goals set a high standard for where the University needs to be in terms of our climate action plan. We are committed to creating a more sustainable campus,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “I am grateful to David and all the students who worked on the report. Their leadership, insights and efforts, in partnership with Chief Facilities Officer Pete Sala and his team, will help the University in achieving our sustainability goals.”

Last year, the University released its , which documents progress and outlines strategies over the next five years for the University to edge closer to emissions neutrality.

In its report, the Student Association, which also worked with students from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Le Moyne College on the project, called on the University to “amplify and expedite sustainability and climate pledge efforts in response to current events, technological advancements and government incentives.” A student leader team of Student Association Sustainability Director Harrison Vogt, Vice President of Community and Government Affairs Ben Cavarra and Student Advocate Liv Curreri, led by Bruen, oversaw the development of the report.

“As members of the University community, and as part of the greater community, students play a role in helping to move forward ideas and promoting decisive action in creating a more sustainable future,” says Bruen. “With the University’s commitment and collaboration of our students, these goals are not only achievable but will be realized by all of us and make Syracuse University a national leader in sustainability.”

In helping to oversee the net-zero goal through Sustainability Management, the Sustainability Oversight Council will be composed of a representative from the Student Association, a representative from the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor and a faculty member with an expertise in sustainability.

As part of the Student Association recommendation for the creation of an annual sustainability research competition, students will have the opportunity to propose ideas in which the University can minimize carbon emissions. Students will submit proposals, which will be reviewed by a select panel of judges consisting of student leaders, faculty and staff. The winner of the competition will receive a prize.

In addition to the competition, faculty will also be able to submit their own proposals, to be reviewed by the panel of judges and University leadership, which will determine implementation at the University.

These advancements toward a more sustainable future will make Syracuse University a national higher education leader in sustainability.

A student completes work outside on campus.

The student survey was created with a Sustainability Management student intern, while the faculty and staff survey was created by staff in Sustainability Management. On both versions, questions seek to assess respondents’ general understanding of sustainability and environmental problems. Some questions are opinion-based while others gauge interest in becoming more involved in sustainable initiatives or programs.

Responses will help inform Sustainability Management where to focus efforts and evaluate the campus community’s sustainability related concerns. These surveys will ultimately help the University gain points toward the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). STARS is a self-reporting assessment to measure higher education institutions’ sustainability performance. Colleges and universities can earn points toward different level ratings: Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Syracuse University is currently rated Silver with goals to reach Gold and eventually, Platinum.

There are plans to re-survey the same respondents in the future to measure if there have been any changes in responses. The more data received over time, the more helpful it will be. Surveys are sent randomly to selected students, faculty and staff via their syr.edu email address. Each survey should only take a few minutes and upon completion, respondents can submit their name for an Amazon gift card.

Keep an eye on your inbox and take the time to include your valuable feedback so the University can continue to improve and enhance its sustainability initiatives. With a heightened awareness of climate change and environmental issues, there is greater demand for action from students as well as faculty and staff.

This survey will provide vital information and help Sustainability Management prioritize certain areas. If you have any questions, email sustain@syr.edu. To stay up-to-date with Sustainability Management, follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @SustainableSU.

The first event will be a virtual learning and development session on April 6: . Recycling laws and regulations vary by county, state and country and there is often confusion over which items belong in the recycling bin. In this session, students, faculty and staff can sign up to learn what is recyclable and what happens to your recyclables on and off campus. Sustainability Management will decipher how commonly confused items should be disposed of and answer any questions.

Another virtual learning and development session hosted by Sustainability Management will be held April 10: . Native habitats are disappearing rapidly. Are you missing Monarch butterflies and other native butterflies?��In this session, learn how to select and plant a native garden to help support pollinators to provide nectar and pollen, and support pollinator habitats. As a affiliate, Sustainability Management will share insights into starting a new pollinator garden and how to start your own.

On April 18, Sustainability Management will host a at Schine Student Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sustainability-related campus organizations, services and groups that serve Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) have been invited to attend, including:

• Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA)
• Syracuse University Student Association Sustainability Committee
• Syracuse University Dynamic Sustainability Lab
• Syracuse Haulers
• Syracuse University Food Services
• Syracuse University Graduate Student Organization Climate Action Committee
• SUNY ESF

Learn how these organizations and others play a part in sustainability on campus, how to get involved and come with any burning questions you might have.

Other events include a clothing swap on April 19 from 1 to 4 p.m., hosted by the Student Association Sustainability Committee. Students can bring a few items, browse the selection and try on their choices before swapping!

The Dynamic Sustainability Lab will also host a Sustainable Film Festival and screening of “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax” with a special interview with director Chris Renaud on April 7. On April 11, 2020 presidential candidate, businessman and climate activist from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Eggers Hall.

One of the goals of the most recent is to improve communication and engagement with the campus community. Events like these are an opportunity for Sustainability Management to engage with students, faculty and staff, answer questions and learn how we can improve as a department to limit the University’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

For more details on many of these events, check out the . For the virtual sessions, you can click on the registration link to attend. Follow Sustainability Management on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @SustainableSU or visit for more information. With questions or suggestions, email sustain@syr.edu.

uses a software called EnergyCAP to track building energy usage and cost. Using EnergyCAP, a list was created to compare buildings that are high-energy users to similar types of facilities, including:

• Life Sciences Complex
• Center for Science and Technology (CST)
• Ernie Davis Hall
• Women’s Building
• John A. Lally Athletics Complex
• Heroy Geology Laboratory
• Newhouse 2 and 3
• Machinery Hall
• 623 Skytop Road
• 621 Skytop Road
• Goldstein Student Center
• Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion

As expected, labs and data centers use more energy than a generic academic building. Using this data, Sustainability Management determined Ernie Davis, a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building, and the Life Sciences Complex would be good places to focus efforts.

GHG emissions are categorized into three scopes. Scope 1 includes all direct emissions from campus through operations owned and controlled by the University. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from utilities like purchasing electricity, and scope 3 refers to all indirect emissions from upstream and downstream activities.

The majority of the University’s total CO₂e GHG (carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas) emissions are scope 2. 60% of C0₂e GHG emissions come from the steam and chilled water used to heat and cool buildings.

Walk-throughs of the buildings were conducted to assess current operations in partnership with IBC Engineering. Engineers took note of all energy-using equipment, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, temperature controls and lighting fixtures. They assessed anomalies and equipment that was not working properly. They also viewed utility bills to establish benchmarks and studied occupancy schedules.

Engineers from IBC Engineering assess mechanical and electrical rooms in Life Sciences.

A crane moves equipment outside of the Center for Science and Technology.

Using this data, IBC completed an ECM (energy conservation measure) model and a final report with recommendations to cut utility costs, save energy and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Some of those recommendations for Ernie Davis include adjusting occupancy schedules to ensure equipment and lights are only being used when necessary. Air flow monitoring stations were found to be out of calibration, causing inefficient fan and damper operations. It was also recommended to recalibrate or replace the CO₂ and pressure sensors as many were found to be out of calibration during testing.

Often the building control systems compensated for the sensors out of calibration and didn’t impact occupant comfort. Similarly, settings can change when equipment breaks or needs to be adjusted for a certain period. Sometimes settings may not return to the original setting. While these points may seem minor, the cumulative impact on energy usage can be significant. These issues cause HVAC systems to work harder and less efficiently, resulting in excessive energy consumption and consequently, greenhouse gas emissions.

A mechanical room in the Center for Science and Technology

Similar to Ernie Davis and Life Sciences, CST has improved its HVAC system over the past few years. The University’s multiphase plan to update the building’s HVAC, started in 2019, is nearing completion. CST now uses a heat recovery loop to capture heat from the building exhaust. The new chiller system in the building uses a high efficiency chiller. Heat that’s pulled from the chilled water loop is being used to heat the building’s dehumidification coils. Both of these systems reduce steam and chilled water consumption, putting fewer demands on the steam system and reducing GHG emissions.

Based on the energy studies, adjustments will continue to be made in these buildings. Sustainability Management is focused on sources of high greenhouse gas generation, as well as other programs and initiatives to improve sustainability measures on campus and reduce emissions. The goal is to look into each building with high energy consumption to see how the University can continue to reduce GHG emissions.

Follow Sustainability Management on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @SustainableSU and visit for more information. If you have any questions or suggestions, email them at sustain@syr.edu.

Interactive Campus Map

If you’re looking for a bike rack or curious about where the solar panels are located, you can use the interactive campus map’s . The sub-categories within this section include:

• Climate Action Plan projects
• Water
• Grounds
• Waste
• Bike racks
• Car chargers

The interactive campus map has been updated to include sustainability items.

Under Climate Action Plan projects, you can find any LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building and details about the Schine Student Center solar panels and the Center for Science and Technology Energy Recovery system, as well as where the most recent LED lighting upgrades are on campus.

Not sure where to refill your Hydro Flask? The water section highlights where all water bottle filling stations are located. The grounds section identifies Pete’s Giving Garden, the Pollinator Garden and the honeybee hives. And if you’re trying to find where you can compost, look under waste.

New projects supporting the University’s Climate Action Plan will be added to this area of the map. The goal of this feature is to increase awareness of sustainable initiatives while also making it easier to navigate campus.

Car Chargers

The sustainability team has finalized an agreement with the company ChargePoint to modernize existing electric vehicle charging stations. All the existing stations will be upgraded to dual port, supplying 7.2 kilowatts of power and allowing two vehicles to charge at once. A new station will be installed in the 621 Skytop parking lot and the station currently mounted on the Syracuse Center of Excellence building will be moved to the parking lot. This work will be completed during December, so the new stations will be ready for service by the start of the new semester.

The new stations will be visible on the ChargePoint network so customers can see whether a station is in use or available for charging on the ChargePoint mobile app. The app also allows customers to view charging status and receive alerts. A usage fee will be included which will be applied directly to the maintenance, operation and upgrades to the system. The station’s usage will be monitored and will allow Sustainability Management to make decisions on where and when to expand the system.

Website Updates

Sustainability Management has also been working to update the . The updated site includes details on the most recent Climate Action Plan, volunteer opportunities and features student projects related to sustainability. There is also Sustainability in the News, highlighting the latest articles released about all things sustainable on campus. If you’re curious about what certain departments are doing to be more environmentally conscious, there are sections describing sustainable practices that have been implemented.

There’s a new timeline depicting sustainability through the years at the University—and if you’ve never heard of or didn’t know the University had its own , there are sections detailing their importance. The website is a valuable resource to inform the community and highlight the many meaningful initiatives taking place on campus.

If you have any suggestions or ideas about how to make Syracuse University more sustainable, email sustain@syr.edu. And be sure to check out the new website at to learn more about ways to get involved.

Syracuse University makes a conscious effort to reduce the amount of waste produced on and around campus. The University partners with Syracuse Haulers Waste Removal and the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) to dispose of any waste. OCRRA is the agency that oversees what happens to waste and recycling in the county. Recycling is mandatory in Onondaga County and therefore, on campus.

The University uses a single stream recycling program, meaning all recyclables can be disposed of in one bin or container and are later sorted by material. Mandatory recyclables include glass, certain plastics, paper, cardboard and cans/bottles. Below you can find a list of recyclable items and a .

• Stackable plastic tubs from such products as yogurt, margarine or cottage cheese
• Pizza boxes—remove leftover food product and crumbs (the grease is okay)
• Plastic bottles and jugs (with handle) with the cap still on (throw cap out if not on the bottles)
• Paper, including newspapers, magazines, softcover books (i.e., paperbacks, phone books, manuals, workbooks, notebooks, etc.)—remove any spiral, wire or plastic binding; hardcover books are not accepted
• Metal, including food and beverage cans, aluminum foil, aerosol cans
• Glass, including food containers, beverages containers, and wine and liquor bottles
• Paperback cardboard (i.e., cereal boxes) and broken-down cardboard boxes

Acceptable recycling items

Unfortunately, recycling receptacles are often contaminated with garbage, which means recyclable items are discounted. When disposing of an item, be aware of the proper way to handle it. If you’re unsure whether an item is recyclable, it’s best to throw it in the garbage since a recycling container with the wrong items will often be thrown out.

The University also recycles specialized items—including batteries, electronics, polystyrene shipping boxes, fluorescent light bulbs and scrap metal. During many building renovations and new construction projects, materials and debris are recycled. This is generally the case with all LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings.

If you’re looking to dispose of any paint and aerosol cans on campus, they must be labeled and placed in the room’s Regulated Waste Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA). The Hazardous Waste Operations staff pick up and remove the waste per a schedule or upon request. From there, generally, any paint that is disposed of must be characterized into hazardous (oil-based/flammable) or non-hazardous (latex/water based). In some cases, the non-hazardous paint can be sent for recycling.

Waste aerosol cans undergo a process called “aerosol can puncturing.” Hazardous Waste Operations places each aerosol can into a specially designed puncturing device that punctures a hole in the can. Once the can is punctured and empty, it goes for scrap metal. The drum containing the aerosol can remnants is turned over to the University’s Hazardous Waste Contractor.

Battery recycling container

In terms of electronic waste, battery drop-off bins are located in each academic building. Environmental Health and Safety Services (EHSS) transports the batteries to its central facility for sorting. The alkaline, single-use batteries get sent to the OCRRA transfer station while the rechargeable batteries get sent to a battery recycler named Call2Recycle. EHSS even collects lead acid batteries which get taken to a local scrap metal recycler. Materials Distribution also accepts and will pick up cartridges of any type from all University employees when they .

As of Jan. 1, 2022, the requires businesses and institutions that generate an annual average of two tons of waste food per week or more must donate excess edible food and recycle all remaining food scraps if they are within 25 miles of an organic recycler (composting facility, anaerobic digester, etc.) Food Services does its best to plan each day’s production accurately but it’s very difficult to not have any food leftover. Fortunately, Food Services partners with the to collect uneaten food and donate it to local agencies in need.

Composting receptacles

Food Services also partakes in composting. Composting of pre- and post-consumer food waste at all major dining locations and the Food Services’ Commissary helps divert tons of material from landfills. Students living on South Campus can also drop off food scraps in the bins outside of the Carriage House (161 Farm Acre Road) to be composted. This compost is then taken to the Amboy compost site in Camillus, which is handled by OCRRA. Compostable items include:

• fruit, beans and vegetable scraps
• pumpkins
• bread and grains
• dairy
• fish
• meat
• coffee grounds and filters
• popped popcorn, not in the bag
• eggshells
• cardboard egg cartons
• paper towels and napkins
• newspaper
• teabags
• bones
• brush, garden waste, grass, hay, hedge trimmings, leaves, pinecones, pine needles, plants, root balls, sticks, straw, stumps, tree limbs, tree trunks and vines

If you’re using a bag to line your own composting receptacle or to dispose of your items, be sure it’s also compostable.

Items that are not classified as recyclable or compostable are thrown in the trash. Receptacles in each building are separated into trash and recycling and presorted by individuals. Garbage and recycling dumpsters are then picked up and brought to the Syracuse Haulers facility. Individuals sort through the single stream recycling at the facility into clean cardboard, paper, different types of glass, etc. Based on waste and recycling data from fiscal year 2019-20 through fiscal year 2021-22, on average, the University’s recycling accounted for 54%. The goal is to continue to grow this number.

Amount of trash measured in tons for each month from 2017-22 at the University

Anything picked up as trash by Syracuse Haulers, is taken to the Waste-to-Energy Facility in Jamesville. The energy produced at this facility is enough to power 21,000 homes for a year and significantly reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted from a landfill. All of the facility’s emissions are carefully monitored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

To learn more about sustainability measures and initiatives at Syracuse, visit .

Enhanced exterior lighting on South Campus

Syracuse University continues its efforts to combat climate change and pursue its long-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2040. The University recently upgraded exterior lighting fixtures with more efficient and energy-saving LED lights in the Comstock Avenue and Colvin Street parking lots and SU Soccer Stadium, with additional outdoor lighting upgrades underway on South Campus.

These upgrades will lower power consumption, thereby reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, a direct contributor to a warming planet. The new lights will result in a total reduction of 68.09 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. This amount is equal to the estimated greenhouse gas emissions from more than 14 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven in one year or eight homes’ energy use in a single year.

With more efficient lighting in these areas, the University will save 640,213 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. This is more than the amount of electricity the Hall of Languages building consumes in a year.

At left, the Syracuse University Soccer Stadium is illuminated by old metal halide lights. The new LED lights can be seen at right.

Because of the improved efficiency, the number of light bulbs needed for the soccer stadium was nearly cut in half. Previously, there were 74 metal halide fixtures installed but with the new LED bulbs, only 38 were needed to provide enough lighting. The lighting quality and uniformity are also improved on the field. The old lighting fixtures produced a variety of light levels while the new light levels are much more uniform, making it easier for players and fans to see.

“The addition of the LED lights to the soccer stadium are a great benefit to our student-athletes and fans to support the game environment,” says Morey Mossovitz, associate athletic director. “Additionally, these lights have enhanced our broadcast partner’s ability to capture the game so that ’Cuse fans all over the world can have an even better experience watching our men’s and women’s soccer teams.”

In the Comstock Avenue and Colvin Street parking lots and on South Campus, there were previously 700 lighting fixtures—but with the new LED, there will now be 678. The previous lights were high-pressure sodium fixtures using 250-watt bulbs, whereas the replacement bulbs only use 101 watts per bulb.

The Comstock Avenue parking lot before (left) and after lighting upgrades. The yellow/orange lights are old sodium pressure ones, while the whiter lights are LED.

Another added benefit is improved lighting quality and color. The previous lighting had an orange hue while the new ones are brighter and whiter, making it easier to see at night, providing an added safety measure for students.

“These lighting upgrades will help us to advance the University’s climate action plan and reduce power consumption, all while providing more uniform lighting in these areas of campus,” says Jason Plumpton, assistant director of engineering, utilities and sustainability in Campus Planning, Design and Construction. “It is a win-win-win for the University, and members of the community can expect to see lighting upgrades across campus continue to help us meet our sustainability objectives.”

This is just one initiative the University is taking to curb climate change and work toward a more sustainable future. To learn more about sustainability efforts across the University, visit .

Asclepias incarnata, a native plant commonly called swamp milkweed, being sampled by a native bee, Bombus grisecollis, the brown-belted bumble bee. Swamp milkweed is loved by butterflies and bees, and is the only host plant for the Monarch butterfly species, a safe space for Monarch butterfly eggs and food for its caterpillars.

What’s the buzz? On South Campus and all across Syracuse University, it’s native plants to support pollinators of all varieties. And that is just one part of the University’s efforts in sustainability management.

Melissa Cadwell, sustainability coordinator in , spearheads that support and helps move the University forward in its vision of instilling a culture of sustainability on campus. Cadwell has worked at the University since 1987.

Other work in the unit has focused on working with students in Sustainability Management’s internship program on a variety of projects, including Bee Campus USA and Pete’s Giving Garden.

All the effort and strategy turns into blooming, buzzing reality with the help of partners in . Pat Carroll, grounds manager, and Joe Quarantillo, grounds supervisor, work side by side on tasks like putting up fencing and planting perennials.

With more than 50 years of grounds experience between them, Carroll and Quarantillo agree that if it came down to a competition of dirt-under-the-fingernails, it would be a tie.

But on the topic of working collaboratively with Sustainability Management on the campus grounds—over 900 acres with more than 600 acres of green space—Carroll says, “We enjoy working with them, they’re great folks, easy to work with. They have ideas and we try to facilitate that. That’s what we do.”

With a long view of the growth of sustainability on campus, Cadwell says, “Over the last 10 years or so, the grounds crew members have been working on replacing many of the annual plants on campus with native perennials. The benefit of native perennials is they don’t need to be replaced each year and they help our native pollinators.”

The perimeter of Pete’s Giving Garden on South Campus was planted with 750 pollinator-friendly natives through a grant from the Xerces Society. This showy display helps support the honey bees in six hives also on South Campus.

A great example of this is Pete’s Giving Garden on South Campus. Syracuse University was awarded a grant through the , a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, to plant 750 native wildflowers along the perimeter of Pete’s Giving Garden.

Why native plants? Plants and pollinators have evolved together and adapted to each other in their local conditions of climate, soil and seasons. They fit each other’s needs and feed each other’s well-being.

The native plants provide food and energy to pollinators: nectar, pollen and seeds, while bees and other pollinators set the stage for next season’s successful plants. That’s why it’s a great idea to garden with native wildflowers, especially on this urban campus with its mix of green spaces, buildings and landscaping—a wide and varied supply of bountiful habitats for pollinator species.

Common horticultural plants, though developed to be showier, brighter or hold longer blooms, just “do not provide energetic rewards to their visitors,” says Cadwell.

But we’re not talking just bees as pollinators. Butterflies, moths, wasps, flies, beetles, other insects, hummingbirds, even bats have a role to play in pollination.

And we’re not talking just flowers either. Trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, ferns and ground covers all add to the party, each has its various charms.

Cadwell estimates 2,000 plus native plants exist on campus; Carroll and Quarantillo enumerate their charms.

Trees—red maples on South Campus; eastern redbuds in several areas across campus, near Slocum Hall and Huntington Hall, easily 50 could be counted while driving around campus; serviceberry trees on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle, behind the Hall of Languages and next to the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

The University’s newest white pine tree, Pinus strobus, is located on North Campus at the new Onondaga Art Installation near the Orange Grove.

The serviceberry is new as of three years ago, says Quarantillo, “and they’re settling in great!” White pines grow wild on South Campus, some with more character than glamor, says Quarantillo. The newest white pine is on North Campus, near the Orange Grove.

Shrubs can be found all around campus, even nearby, including winterberry at Heroy Geology Laboratory and at the Syracuse Center of Excellence; eastern ninebark with its exfoliating bark (like a paper birch tree) at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management building, near Eggers Hall and in other locations; and gray dogwoods.

Flowers in abundant variety can be found throughout campus. This short list includes bee balm, Canadian anemone, black-eyed susan, coneflower, creeping phlox, goatsbeard, purple asters, red columbine, swamp milkweed and turtlehead. Many of these can be found just outside of Sustainability’s offices at the Carriage House on South Campus.

But why the strong push now for native plants? For Cadwell, she says, “It started when we became a Bee Campus USA campus in 2019.”

That kicked off an intense and intentional commitment to the wide use of natives in campus plantings, a refinement of an effort already underway for the past decade. Bee Campus USA provides a framework for campus communities to work together to conserve native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites and reducing the use of pesticides. “In this region, uses plants that are all native to the Northeast,” says Cadwell.

When the University joined Bee Campus USA, it recognized the importance of native bees and other native pollinator species. One extra project was incorporated through a initiative where honey bees were added to campus. Though honey bees are not a native species in our area, they do help pollinate our native plants. As a bonus, they make honey with a distinct Syracuse University flavor that is harvested twice a year, with sale proceeds going back to support the hives.

Cadwell hopes community members and neighbors will see how beautiful the native flowers are and be encouraged to plant their own pollinator gardens. She says, “With enough research you can find as many native plants for your area that are just as pretty and floral smelling as nonnatives.”

Here’s advice from Sustainability and Grounds for those new to this field.

• Do some research, join a local group like and identify the plants you’re seeking by their (genus and species) scientific names. That way you’re not so likely to get stuck with a plant that’s close but not quite right, maybe a little too aggressive for your spot.
• Don’t be shy about online resources, apps and technology to identify, discover and learn about native plants. Three of Cadwell’s go-to sources are the , the and , a database compiled by and for hobbyists that references both common and scientific names.

Carroll says, “Finding out things like how many plants will be needed per square foot, how aggressively do they grow and spread” can be key to your planning and decision-making. These and other details like color, height, sun or shade tolerance, soil moisture preferred, time and duration of bloom can make or break a native planting.

Sometimes it’s necessary and practical to mix natives and cultivars in a roughly 80:20 ratio. “For example,” says Cadwell, “in our space on South Campus, at the Carriage House we used some cultivars. The orange yarrow is an example. Most common yarrow is white. With our bee balm, we used a straight native.”

Cadwell notes that bee balm is a good example of how confusing common names for plants can be. Bee balm is its common name; its scientific name is Monarda didyma, that is genus Monarda, species didyma. It’s a very popular plant, easy to grow and the bees love it. When you brush up against it or pick the flowers, its fragrance is amazing. But you might also know it as Oswego tea or bergamot.

And then there is the word, “weed.” Cadwell recalls being surprised to learn that many plants with the word “weed” in their common names are native plants, for example: milkweed, joe-pye weed and sneezeweed.

When asked if the native plants have performed as expected, Cadwell says, without hesitation, “Yes.” In fact, she also says, “I have committed to only adding native plants to my gardens and woodlands. I am also committed to pulling nonnative plants as they compete with the native species. I currently have a room full of seedlings I am growing to plant in my garden in May.”

Campus may be quiet during the summer months with students away, but pollinators are just as busy as ever, just as busy as can “bee”!

Rein, Kopp and King interned in the Fall 2021 semester through Sustainability Management’s for-credit internship program that allows students to pursue projects that complement their major and explore their interest in sustainability.

Falk College students, from left to right, Tucker Kopp, Claire Rein and Caroline King, worked this past fall as interns for the Office of Sustainability Management, where they “gained both a professional network and some great friendships,” Rein says.

“Our internship program is designed to allow students to explore their passions outside of the classroom environment while recognizing the broad impact sustainability has on all majors,” says sustainability coordinator Meg Lowe G’18, who manages the internship program. “At the same time, each project a student works on helps us achieve our goals with a current program or develop a new initiative on campus.”

Rein’s internship project focused on reducing plastic consumption, Kopp explored food insecurity, and King drafted a plan to implement more renewable energy on campus. Rein, who transferred to Syracuse in the fall of 2019, says her internship has so far been the highlight of her Syracuse experience.

“My internship made up for many of the things that I missed out on (because of pandemic restrictions),” Rein says. “I have incredibly supportive and friendly supervisors, as well as other amazing student interns that have made my experience so amazing! While I have learned a lot by doing my research project, I have also gained both a professional network and some great friendships.”

Sustainability Management works with each student’s advisor to ensure the internship aligns with the student’s academic goals, and a single internship can offer the chance to become immersed in several aspects of sustainability.

“We work closely with academic advisors to ensure we’re meeting the needs of every program,” Lowe says. “We hope each student walks away with a thorough understanding of sustainability in a way they can carry it throughout their life.”

As the three Falk College students concluded their internships, they shared more about their projects and experiences with us. Here are their stories:

Claire Rein: Set Up for Success

Growing up in Syracuse just a few miles from the University, Rein enjoyed singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and, of course, attending Syracuse Orange sporting events. She was attracted to Falk College’s because of its experiential learning–the “the real-life application of knowledge” that she says has prepared her for a successful career in medicine.

“In my studies of public health, I have gained significant knowledge about the American healthcare system, healthcare disparities and social determinants of health, and how to do scientific research,” says Rein, who currently works as a patient care technician at St. Joseph’s Health Hospital in Syracuse. “I have been able to work with a high school equivalency class, participate in PTSD research, work at the Office of Sustainability Management for my internship, and much more.”

For her internship project on reducing plastic consumption on campus, Rein researched microplastics and their connection to public health, the issues with plastic recycling, and the social justice issues surrounding the plastic industry. She determined that aluminum cans are the best alternative and created a proposal for the University to transition to aluminum packaging for its vending machines.

Claire Rein

“While the goals of recycling are great, the actual implementation does not match up,” Rein says. “Oftentimes, recyclables get contaminated and never end up being recycled, meaning they are either put in a landfill, incinerated, or end up polluting the natural environment.

“The industry was never designed to support such a large volume of recyclables,” Rein adds, “so our lack of recycling infrastructure in America has made it so that it’s sometimes not worth it economically to recycle.”

As she looks forward to graduation, Rein says she wants to positively influence the health care sphere by improving the experience for patients who are often overlooked and vulnerable.

“This could be, for example, implementing policies within my practice to better educate care plans to people with low healthcare literacy or language/cultural barriers; focusing care plans on the individual needs, perspectives and abilities of the patient; or finding ways to prevent socioeconomic status from hindering the ability to receive excellent long-term care,” Rein says. “I believe being a public health major at Syracuse has really set me up for success when it comes to achieving these goals.”

Tucker Kopp: Ending Food Insecurity

Kopp grew up about 20 miles southeast of Syracuse in Cazenovia, where he started to ride horses when he was just 3. He also enjoyed baking and would spend hours baking with a friend, who sadly passed away last year.

Kopp enrolled at the University through , which provides opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to experience college life in a fully inclusive setting. Kopp is a major in Falk College, where his passion for baking and food is matched only by his enthusiasm for making friends.

“I’m a people person,” Kopp says, “I love to meet new people and make friends.”

Kopp is in his internship year at InclusiveU, and with Sustainability Management he studied food insecurity on college campuses. As Kopp points out, the is stocked with food and personal care items that are available at no cost to all students with a valid Syracuse University or SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ID.

Tucker Kopp

“The most important thing I wish people knew about food insecurity on a college campus is how to use a food pantry if you don’t have enough money to buy food for yourself,” Kopp says.

InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults says Kopp grew “personally and professionally” from his internship, which was a valuable piece of his experience at the University and tied together his certificate in Culinary Arts with his career goals.

“After working alongside Meg (Lowe) and his other colleagues, Tucker better understands where food comes from and how hard it can be for some to access it,” Shults says. “Tucker valued his opportunities to participate in other projects, such as the virtual cooking class. His work at Sustainability Management really allowed him a new view on how food is experienced and accessed outside of traditional food services.”

Kopp’s education at Falk and his internship with Sustainability Management has given him options as his looks forward to his life and career after graduation.

“I want to do something with horses,” Kopp says. “But if that doesn’t work out, I want to do something culinary-related!”

Caroline King: Quality Health Care for All

King grew up in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, where hiking and backpacking trips became her favorite hobby (she and her father still go on multiple backpacking trips every year). She entered Syracuse as a nutrition student but switched to a dual major in public health at Falk and policy studies at the .

“As I aged, I began learning more about health disparities and the adversities faced in the healthcare system by minority communities,” King says. “I quickly developed a passion to be a part of the shift to providing equitable, affordable access to quality healthcare for all.

“Additionally, public health includes the health of the environment, which was an added attraction as my connection to the earth is strong,” King says.

Caroline King

For her internship, King researched renewable energy (RE) from a public health perspective. She looked at the sustainability of RE throughout its entire life cycle, from sourcing precious metals to the disposing of end-of-life RE systems.

With the information she gathered, King drafted a policy to propose to the University to use more RE on campus.

“I wish people would take the time to think about their energy consumption, where it’s coming from, and how big of an impact it’s causing on the planet,” King says. “It’s easy to put your consumption out of mind when the effects are out of sight, however, we need to be conscious of the impact that the things we do and purchase have on other people and the environment.”

King is a student and member of the , where she has met students with various majors who share her vision of being part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of others.

“I wish people would understand the privilege they have to live the life they do so that they are able to empathize with people of all types around them,” King says. “As I move through jobs, careers and life, I hope to be in a position where I can be a part of a team that makes a large impact on a community, population or the environment.”

The next round of funding is available for projects undertaken between May 16, 2022, through June 30, 2023. All proposals must clearly address how the projects relates to climate disruption, and all must include outreach or educational activities that promote awareness of sustainability-related issues on the Syracuse University campus. Projects may include (but are not limited to) faculty or student research, applied research, campus infrastructure or landscape projects, outreach campaigns, service projects or course development.

Two projects were awarded funding in April 2021:

• Assessment of the Ecological and Engineering Services of the Established, Extensive Green Roof at the Syracuse Center of Excellence, Professor Svetoslava Todrova, $24,997
• Development of Advanced Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems for Nitrogen Oxide Mitigation During Hydrocarbon Combustion, Thomas Welles,Ph.D. candidate in mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, $25,000

Todorova, professor of practice in civil and environmental engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, submitted the grant to study the green roof at the Syracuse Center of Excellence.

“We are excited for the opportunity to bring students and faculty from engineering, urban planning, construction management and public health to study the long-term performance of the green roof at the Center of Excellence,” she says.�� “The team will focus on the hydrological and water quality function of the roof, its ecological adaptation and impact on the building systems, visitors,and occupants. Understanding the long-term performance of green roofs is vital to the success of the technology in urban areas. Using one of our facilities on campus, the green roof at the Center of Excellence, allows us to develop a demonstration project, engage the campus community and foster new ways of interdisciplinary learning.”

��The Syracuse University Climate Action Plan, which was released in 2009, is providing the competitive funding as part of the CALS program, overseen by a team of faculty and staff from across the University. The program merges academic scholarships with the University’s broad initiative to meet energy efficiency goals, while having faculty and students use the Syracuse University campus as a testbed for innovative ideas.

“The grant winners are instrumental in facilitating the University with research and educational programs that are instrumental in helping us with our carbon neutral goals,” says Melissa Cadwell, sustainability coordinator. “What makes this grant the perfect campus as a lab grant is our students and faculty are using the University as a test bed with their innovation and education awarded funding. Additionally, being able to work with the students and professors has created a stronger working relationship with Sustainability Management and the campus community.”

The Call for Proposals, budget template and application materials can be found . The deadline for submission of proposals is midnight on March 16, 2022.

A team led by Nina Sharifi, assistant professor of architectural technology in the School of Architecture, is undertaking a $1.59 million retrofit demonstration project and “living lab” for ongoing research using a South Campus dormitory at Winding Ridge. The pilot project aims to achieve net-zero energy, which means it captures as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. In line with New York State decarbonization policy goals, the project prioritizes the reduction of emissions through building electrification and designing with materials not derived from fossil fuels. It is supported by a $1.39 million grant administered by the (NYSERDA) REV Campus Communities Energy to Lead program and $200,000 from the Syracuse University Climate Action Plan.

The living lab will span the entire scope of the retrofitting project, from evaluating the existing building, modeling energy and costs, sourcing low-carbon materials, installing retrofit systems, evaluating energy use and collecting data once the building is reoccupied.

“The goal is to develop replicable approaches that can be applied to buildings constructed prior to 1980 in New York state. The pilot project will produce data that can help individuals, organizations and communities in cold climates reduce energy use through sustainable design, construction and technology integration,” says Sharifi.

“Our school is building a very strong, STEM-based research culture with connections to industry and Assistant Professor Sharifi, lead member on this exciting NYSERDA funded project, along with team member, Associate Professor Bess Krietemeyer, are leading that effort. Both are helping to redefine research not only at our school but also in the academy and in the discipline, which historically have not focused on or valued such a strong STEM focus,” says Michael Speaks, dean of the School of Architecture.

Students from the School of Architecture will be involved in all phases of the project. Bing Dong, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, will lead the sensing and occupant behavior aspects of the project. Two iSchool faculty members, Jason Dedrick and Jeff Hemsley, will design streaming displays of energy performance and student data analysis, including designing an app that will share information in real time. In addition, Krietemeyer will work in partnership with the Museum of Science and Technology to design an interactive exhibit linking this research to other retrofit efforts and communicating the energy and environmental impacts to the public.

“Creating the living lab on campus is possible because Campus Planning, Design and Construction has been incredibly supportive. Melissa Cadwell, energy systems and sustainability management coordinator, and the Syracuse Center of Excellence are critical partners in this project. Because of their support, students will have hands-on opportunities throughout all phases of the project,” Sharifi says.

“Syracuse University is proud of the broad cross-disciplinary team applying expertise from architecture, the iSchool and engineering to a real-world problem in sustainable energy. This project will provide a rich research environment for our students during the retrofit and after, as they track performance metrics and qualitative feedback on the project,” says Interim Provost John Liu.

Students are participating in building evaluation and modeling, analysis of manufacturing and supply chains for technology and materials, using lifecycle analysis tools to measure carbon impact, evaluating energy-saving technologies and working with faculty to document all aspects of the project to create a research-based model that other building retrofits can follow. They will also have opportunities to participate in design competitions and other public-facing events.

Sharifi hopes that the project will serve as a proof of concept for the integration of human health and wellness criteria—including lighting, air quality and materials—into an approach that is also financially feasible for buildings like this one. Over 300,000 similar buildings exist throughout the state, and the Syracuse and New York City Housing Authorities and residents are among potential stakeholders and beneficiaries of the project’s research outcomes.

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris says, “The colleges and universities recognized through the Energy to Lead Competition are leading by example and moving our fight against climate change forward by engaging the campus community in one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Their compelling projects will deliver meaningful carbon reducing results, help develop future climate leaders and improve access to clean energy with solutions that can be replicated and brought to scale.”

New York State higher education institutions are eligible to join����and apply to����and��.��REV Campus Challenge members can also receive exclusive offerings and support through NYSERDA’s����to kick-start their campus clean energy efforts.

Buildings are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in New York state, and integrating energy efficiency and electrification measures in existing buildings will reduce carbon pollution and help achieve more sustainable, healthy and comfortable buildings. Through NYSERDA and utility programs, over $6.8 billion is being invested to decarbonize buildings across the state. By improving energy efficiency in buildings and including on-site storage, renewables and electric vehicle charging equipment, the state will reduce carbon pollution and achieve the ambitious target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs by 2025, the equivalent of powering 1.8 million homes. Energy efficiency accounts for 75% of the clean energy jobs across New York, and the state’s ambitious plan to reduce carbon pollution will result in an additional $1.8 billion in societal and environmental benefits.

The in-person ceremony is closed to invited guests, but all are welcome to watch the livestream on . Preregistration is required.

The planting and dedication are the culmination of the graduate practicum of Ethan Tyo ’17, G’21, a master’s degree student in food studies in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. In addition to providing fresh food for the University’s food pantries in Hendricks Chapel and on South Campus, Pete’s Giving Garden supports new ways of teaching and learning.

Tyo recognized an opportunity to grow food not only in a sustainable manner, but in a way that honors the traditions and culture of the Onondaga Nation, firekeepers of the Haudenosaunee, the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands Syracuse University now stands.

“The ‘three sisters’–corn, beans and squash—are foundational foods that gave rise to the strength and resilience of the Haudenosaunee people. Thousands of years of traditional ecological knowledge and expertise have cultivated our relationship to the land and our survival,” says Tyo. “Returning these seeds to our ancestral lands is a step towards acknowledging that relationship and the contributions that Indigenous peoples have made throughout history.”

The dedication will focus on the May planting moon and create what is known as a traditional “Three Sisters garden,” which will incorporate the traditional seeds and methods of the Onondaga Nation using the knowledge and wisdom of the Onondaga Nation Seed Keepers.

The event will include a presentation on seed sovereignty, revitalizing Indigenous foods and the impact that climate change has on Haudenosaunee ways of being. It will also acknowledge the return of traditional seeds to the ancestral land of the Onondaga Nation, giving Haudenosaunee students the chance to learn and practice cultural revitalization while in an academic setting.

Friday’s event is a collaboration between the Onondaga Nation Seed Keepers, the Office of Engagement Programs at Hendricks Chapel, Energy Systems and Sustainability Management, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Native Student Program, the Falk College Department of Nutrition and Food Studies and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Hendricks Chapel created a food pantry in 2013 after receiving an increase in requests from students for basic necessities, such as food and toiletries. A series of programs to provide longer-term support in service to student health and wellbeing was also developed at that time. In 2018, Hendricks Chapel collaborated with Sustainability Management to open a second food pantry in the Carriage House on South Campus.

In order to provide fresh produce for students using the food pantries, work started in 2019 on the development of a campus garden. Syeisha Byrd, director of the Office of Engagement Programs in Hendricks Chapel, led that effort alongside Sustainability Management and the Falk College Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. The garden is named in honor of Pete Sala, vice president and chief campus facilities officer.

In response to growing awareness and support, the garden was expanded in 2020 and now supplies over 450 pounds of produce for use in the food pantries. In addition, the garden includes compost bins, a pollinator garden, fruit trees and berries. Work is underway to complete accessible planting beds that will ensure that all students have access to exploring the garden.

“Pete’s Giving Garden started with the mission of growing healthy food to feed our students. Over the last three years, it has expanded into a teaching garden for our Syracuse community,” says Byrd. The ‘Three Sisters garden’ will both nourish and educate our students for years to come.”

Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22. Sustainability Management is collaborating with the Student Association Sustainability and Community Engagement Committees; the Department of Earth and Environment Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences; the New York Coalition for Sustainability in Higher Education (NYCSHE); the SUNY Student Assembly; and Bard College to bring an assortment of events to the campus community.

Environmental Justice in Syracuse Virtual Panel
Tuesday, April 6, 6 p.m. ET

The Student Association Sustainability Committee and Community Engagement Committee will host a discussion with local leaders about environmental injustices that occur in and around Syracuse. The panel includes:

• Deka Dancil, president of the Urban Jobs Task Force;
• Neil Patterson, assistant director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment;
• Catherine Landis, associated faculty at the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment; and
• Thomas Perreault, professor and chair of the Department of Geography and the Environment in the Maxwell School.

Students, faculty and staff interested in the event may .

Solve Climate By 2030 Panel Discussion
Wednesday, April 7, 6 p.m. ET
Sponsored by Bard College, NYCSHE and the SUNY Student Assembly

Students, faculty and staff are invited to join a regional panel discussion about how an ambitious Green Recovery based in state and local action can put us on the way to solving climate change by 2030. A panel of thought leaders will provide their perspective on what a Green Recovery in New York would entail, the one most impactful action that can be taken and how students can advocate for change. or for more information contact gogreen@albany.edu.

Waste-Free Menstrual Cycle Education and Menstrual Cup Giveaway
April 8, 15 and 22

The Student Association Sustainability Committee will table in the Schine Student Center to sign up participants for their menstrual cup giveaway. The Committee will be giving away 20 menstrual cup goodie bags, which include a menstrual cup, compact sanitizer, washing solution and bag. The tabling event will also provide information about having a waste-free menstrual cycle.

Lunch and Learn: A Look Behind the Scenes of Campus Recycling
Wednesday, April 14, 12:30 p.m. ET

If you are interested in what happens to your recyclables on and off campus, join Sustainability Management for a virtual Lunch and Learn to learn what really can be recycled, why it can be recycled and how it gets recycled. This session will reinforce Sustainability Management’s goals for increasing recyclables on campus and reducing contamination before it is sent to the recycling center. These figures also determine the ranking of the University in the Campus Race to Zero Waste—an annual recycling and waste reduction competition where colleges and universities compete from across North America. Sign up for the Lunch and Learn on the .

‘Cooking for the Planet’ Plant-Based Cooking Class
Tuesday, April 20, 6 p.m. ET

Join Meg Lowe, sustainability coordinator, and Claudia Cavanaugh, sustainability student intern, for an interactive, virtual cooking class. Learn about how a plant-based diet will help save our planet while making a delicious coconut curry. The class is free, open to the campus community and limited to the first 20 people who . Registrants will receive an email with the link to join and can pick up their ingredients at the Carriage House, 161 Farm Acre Road, on the day of the event.

‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet’ Screening and Panel Discussion
Thursday, April 22, 4 p.m. ET

On Earth Day join Sustainability Management and the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences for a free screening of the documentary “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet” on Zoom. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion at 5:30 p.m.; participants can join the entire event or watch the movie on their own time and tune in only for the panel discussion.��

“A Life on Our Planet” serves as Attenborough’s “witness statement” through which he shares concerns for the current state of the planet and hopes for the future. Many are familiar with Attenborough as a faceless narrator, but in this film, you will go on a journey with him as he traces his 60 plus years as a naturalist, showing you the planet’s past and present biodiversity and the degradation humans have caused over the years.

Join the post-film panel discussion with Syracuse University Earth and Environmental Sciences professors, including:

• Professor Suzanne Baldwin, a geologist who investigates the rock record to reveal how the Earth has evolved over geologic time;
• Professor Melissa Chipman, a paleoecologist who uses lake sediments to study interactions between past climate, wildfires and permafrost thaw in the Arctic; and
• Professor Sam Tuttle, a hydroclimatologist who studies the movement and storage of water throughout the Earth system.

Pollinator Kit Giveaway
Wednesday, April 28, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

As a , Sustainability Management and the Bee Campus USA working group will be in the Schine Student Center on April 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to hand out Pollinator Kits! Stop at the table to pick up a free kit and learn why planting pollinators is important. The Pollinator Kits include everything needed to plant herbs that help pollinators and can be transplanted to your garden or repotted to fit in your space. No registration is necessary.

For more information about sustainability at Syracuse University, visit the and follow @SustainableSU on , ��and .

Help us win this fierce competition by recycling right across campus! Follow along with campus recycling efforts and join the fun utilizing #recycleright on social media, and look for recycling how-to’s across campus screens.

The competition is broken up into several different categories; Syracuse University is participating in three: Total Diversion, the Stephan K Gaski Per Capita Classic and Food Organics. The University’s Sustainability Management team works with Syracuse Haulers and the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency to keep track of the weight of all recyclables, trash and food scraps.

The University utilizes the single-stream recycling method, meaning all recyclable plastic bottles, jugs, dairy containers, cardboard, aluminum cans, paper, juice cartons and glass are placed into a recycling bin and all other trash in a separate trash bin. For more information on proper recycling, please view Sustainability’s .

The University complies with the Onondaga County Source Separation Law with on-campus recycling bins for mandatory recyclables, and also recycles specialized items, including batteries, electronics, polystyrene cold shipping boxes, fluorescent light bulbs, scrap metal, composable yard waste and construction debris.

For further information on sustainability and recycling efforts, visit the , follow @SustainableSU on Twitter and Instagram, and check out the Facebook page.

The photovoltaic panels installed this past summer on the Schine Student Center will begin generating clean energy for the campus community on Oct. 15.

Campus sustainability encompasses a broad range of actions and choices—some of which are subtle, while others are eye-catching. The renovation of the Schine Student Center has meant the addition of another attention-grabbing clean energy element: new solar panels on the building’s roof, the latest demonstration of the University’s commitment to sustainability.

The photovoltaic (PV) panels, installed this past summer, will begin generating clean energy for the campus community on Oct. 15. The new panels were installed in support of the renewable energy credit for LEED certification at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.

The project was designed by the Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) engineering team. After initial planning, the team from CPDC reviewed similar installations with staff members at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, which resulted in changes to the final layout of the panels and the panel support system.

“Reviewing the installation with our peers at ESF was an important step in the design process,” says Jason Plumpton, assistant director of engineering and utilities at CPDC. “The tour informed our decision-making on the support system and allowed our maintenance staff to get a preview of the system components.”

The project consists of 139 panels on the roof of the Schine Center, which provide a total of 50 kw capacity.��The system is expected to generate 66,000 kWh per year. To put that number into context, the average residential customer in the United States consumes approximately 11,000 kWh per year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The solar power production at the Schine Center will be roughly equal to the energy consumed by six residential homes.��The power generated by the panels will be fed into the building distribution system and will reduce the facility’s demand for electricity.

“Installing this system at the same time as the significant interior renovations made perfect sense,” says Matthew Fuller, senior project engineering at CPDC. “It will improve the 40-year-old building systems, and we should see a significant decrease in building energy usage.”

The project is also a visible reminder of the University’s commitment to sustainability, says Melissa Cadwell, sustainability coordinator, Energy Systems and Sustainability Management.

On Oct. 1, Sustainability Coordinator Meg Lowe, teamed up with Director of Engagement Programs Syeisha Byrd to offer a virtual cooking class, which used ingredients from the food pantry and Pete’s Giving Garden to create a simple, yet delicious Taco Bowl. The pair is hosting two more virtual Pantry Cookin’ classes on Oct. 22 and on Nov. 12. Sign up on to claim a spot today.

Additionally, the honey from the honeybee hives on South Campus was harvested on Oct. 3 by Associate Professor of Public Health Lisa Olson-Gugerty, a Campus as a Lab for Sustainability grant recipient. She harvested 15 gallons of honey, all of which will be jarred, but will be missing a label as Sustainability Management is hosting a competition for students to design the label for the honey jars. Members of the Syracuse University Bee Campus USA Committee will pick the top five, and then the campus community will vote for the winning design. Learn more about the honey label competition by visiting the . Once the winning design is decided, the honey jars will be labeled and placed in the bookstore and café stores on campus for sale.

Sustainability Management is also working with the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) on hosting “PolliNation,” a virtual showcase of the talent and collaborations within the Orange community pertaining to pollinators. Assistant Professor of Environmental and Interior Design Zeke Leonard collaborated with Olson-Gugerty to have his students create brood boxes that differ from the typical hive standard, which will be showcased at the event. Associate Professor of Museum Studies Andrew Saluti is curating the showing, which starts in mid-October. Other pollinator projects, such as the designs for the South Campus Pollinator Gardens and information about Bee Campus USA, will also be showcased at “PolliNation.”

Students from the School of Design will help the members of Pete’s Giving Garden to winterize the garden on Oct. 16. While participation in this event is limited, students are welcome to help plan the next garden over the winter for the spring planting. If you are interested helping please email Meg Lowe mclowe@syr.edu or sustain@syr.edu. Students who live on South Campus are still eligible to participate in the South Campus Composting Program, which continues year round. Those who wish to participate in either program or volunteer with Sustainability Management can reach out to Meg Lowe at mclowe@syr.edu or sustain@syr.edu.

Teaming up with the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Sustainability Management will sponsor a on Oct. 15 at 4 p.m.; visit the calendar of events for access to the showing. Professors Linda Ivany and Tripti Bhattacharya and graduate student Jessie McCraw from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences will be on the panel. Professor Ivany is an evolutionary paleobiologist interested in relationships among ecology, evolution and environment over time in marine systems. Professor Bhattacharya is a climate scientist who uses past instances of climate change as “natural experiments” to understand the response of the atmosphere-ocean system to external forcing. McCraw is a paleontologist currently researching coral responses to climate change using geochemistry and numerical models.

If you are unable to attend the screening, Sustainability Management is also hosting virtual Netflix Party on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. of “David Attenborough: Life on Our Planet.”

On Oct. 31, the Campus as a Lab for Sustainability (CALS) Grant is scheduled to be released for the 2021-2022 academic year. Each year, $75,000 is awarded to students and faculty who apply for projects that help to support the Climate Action Plan. Learn more about past projects and how to apply by visiting the .

Visit the to learn more about sustainability at Syracuse University.

A sign attached to a fence reads “Pete’s Giving Garden” and is decorated with drawings of vegetables and bees.

The summer’s beautiful weather has resulted in a bountiful harvest of produce from Pete’s Giving Garden on Syracuse University’s South Campus. That produce is now available for University and SUNY-ESF students in the Hendricks Chapel and South Campus food pantries.

Meg Lowe and Syeisha Byrd with a box of vegetables that they just harvested from Pete’s Giving Garden.

Staff from Hendricks Chapel and the Office of Sustainability Management, and faculty from nutrition and food studies in the Falk College worked together to care for the garden over the summer. At the end of April, they worked with Facilities Services to build a second raised bed and added a shed to store tools. In the beginning of May, staff members weeded, turned and added compost to the beds to prepare them for the seeds and seedlings. They also dug out the earth around the perimeter of the fence to provide more growing room for cherry tomatoes, herbs and future pollinator plants to support the honey bees on campus, says Syeisha Byrd, director of Hendricks Chapel’s Office of Engagement Programs.

“Although we are in the middle of a pandemic, it is important to continue to develop the garden so we can provide students with fresh, locally grown produce,” says Byrd. Produce now available includes acorn squash, eggplant, garlic, green beans, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes and zucchini.

The Hendricks Chapel pantry is located on the chapel’s lower level and is open Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. The South Campus food pantry is located at the Office of Sustainability Management in the Carriage House, 161 Farm Acre Road, and is open Tuesdays from noon to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m.

Syeisha Byrd picks jalapeno peppers.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, protocols are in place for accessing the pantry to maintain safety and follow social distance guidelines. They include:

• Bring your valid Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF I.D.
• Face masks are required on the Syracuse University campus.
• Use hand sanitizer to clean your hands.
• Produce, toiletries and food will be bagged separately. There is no need to bring bags; they will be provided.
• Each student may take one bag of food, fresh produce and personal care items. If you are looking for a specific item, ask for assistance.
• If you would like to be added to the pantry listserv and receive emails about programming and new items, scan the QR code.

Byrd and sustainability coordinator Meg Lowe have planned an upcoming on harvesting, weeding, watering and preparing the garden for winter on Thursday, Sept. 3,�� at 7 p.m. ET. Students, faculty and staff who are interested in volunteering in Pete’s Giving Garden or in the food pantries may email Byrd at smbyrd@syr.edu. Volunteer slots are limited this semester.

Byrd and Lowe will also offer virtual cooking classes throughout the semester focused on how to use pantry and garden ingredients to create a meal.

Due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, Hendricks Chapel is requesting financial donations to the food pantries rather than physical donations. All are encouraged to donate to the����and the��, which directly supports students impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

While we all work together by staying apart, Sustainability Management and the Office of Engagement Programs at Hendricks Chapel are challenging students, faculty and staff to participate in the 50th anniversary of Earth Day from wherever you may be on Wednesday, April 22.

Quarantined and curious about what you can do to celebrate the Earth in all its glory? One way is to show your Orange spirit by wearing orange, practice social distancing, and posting your hard work on social media with the hashtag #CUSEEarthDay.

And there’s more. Check out these ideas, many of which are easy to do while at home:

• Go for a walk (be sure to check local safety recommendations pertaining to COVID-19) and bring a trash bag! Clean up as you exercise and aim to collect one bag of trash (or more) along the way.
• Support your local restaurants by purchasing to-go meals once a week, if you’re able.
• Turn off your lights if you’re not in a room.
• Go vegetarian/meat free for the day, week, month or however long you choose.
• Get organized: create donation stations within your house while doing spring cleaning. Keep the items until you are able to donate to a local organization or sell online.
• Create a compost bin in your yard. Turn all your food scraps and yard trimmings into nourishment for a garden. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers .
• Plan a garden. This is the perfect time to grow seeds and start a home garden. And by growing your own food, you may save some trips to the grocery store. Cornell University on how to grow vegetables and flowers, as we all as advice on how to design a flower garden.
• Participate in (CSA) with a local farm in your area. It’s a great way to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers .
• Build a bat house or bee boutique to support pollinators out of spare materials available at home. The National Wildlife Federation . And there are .
• Advocate for change. The theme of Earth Day this year is “Climate Activism!” Organizations such as the (NYPIRG) in New York state—and others like it in states across the country, as well as in many other countries—can help with informing, organizing and communicating with elected officials.
• .
• Donate to a local food pantry, such as the . Or to support students still on campus, you could contribute to the Hendricks Chapel pantry, or .
• Make art out of recycled materials. .
• Attend the Netflix Party co-sponsored by Sustainability Management and NYPIRG on Wednesday, April 22, at 8 p.m. Download the Chrome extension at . Check out @SustainableSU on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at 7:45 p.m. for the link to join. Activate the Netflix extension by clicking the “NP” to join the chat and watch in sync.

Last April, four projects were awarded funding:

• “Bee Orange, Honey Bee project” by Lisa Olson-Gugerty: $9,988.94
• “Does the School of Design Care About Environment?” by Louise Manfredi: $17,670
• “Revised Integrated Anaerobic Digester and Fuel Cell Power System” by Jeongmin Ahn: $18,240
• “Developing Hands-On Course Components on Smart Storm Water Management Strategies” by Baris Salman: $10,000

The next round of funding is available for projects undertaken between May 16, 2020, and June 30, 2021. All proposals must clearly address how the projects relates to climate disruption and all must include outreach or educational activities that promote awareness of sustainability issues on the Syracuse University campus. Projects may include faculty or student research, applied research, campus infrastructure or landscape projects, outreach campaigns, service projects or course development.

The School Of Design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts submitted its first application for “Does the School of Design Care About Environment?” Project manager Louise Manfredi and project partner Seyeon Lee stated: “The School of Design is a miniature community, which can be an ideal platform for students to exercise and experience sustainability knowledge, which they learn in the classroom. This grant allows us to intentionally create a learning environment that enforces our students to engage in reuse, reduce, and recycle practices of waste they produce in studios. This opportunity would significantly benefit our programs in shaping our students into environmentally responsible designers as well as developing lifelong skills that respect our planet’s resources and further bringing greater impacts to our communities.”

The Syracuse University Climate Action Plan, which was released in 2009, is providing the competitive funding as part of the CALS program, overseen by a team of faculty and staff from across the University. The program merges academic scholarship with the University’s broad initiative to meet energy efficiency goals, while having faculty and students use the campus as a test bed for innovative ideas.

Baris Salman, professor of practice of civil and environmental engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, stated about his grant: “Recent developments in wireless sensor technologies, data analytics tools and cloud computing have reached to a point where deployment of these transformative technologies for real-time infrastructure monitoring, management and smart decision making is more easily achievable. The main goal of this project is to develop hands-on course components on Smart Stormwater Management to enhance our students’ exposure to these critical advancements. We anticipate that this project will bring significant returns in terms of raising the human capital and securing larger grants in smart infrastructure systems.”

“The CALS grant is perfect, as it helps our talented students and professors help the University with its sustainably-related goals,” says Sustainability Coordinator Melissa Cadwell. “Being able to work with the students and professors has created a stronger working relationship between Sustainability Management and the campus community.”

The Call for Proposals and application materials may be found at . The deadline for proposals submissions is midnight on March 16, 2020.

In January 2019, Sustainability Management piloted a composting program with a small group of volunteers living in South Campus housing. The program ran for 10 weeks and about 100 pounds of food scraps were diverted from the waste stream and delivered to the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) Composting Facility. The food scraps were turned into compost—a high-nutrient material that can be used in gardens and lawns to add back nutrients that are necessary for plants to grow. The compost is a replacement for synthetic fertilizers that harm streams, lakes and oceans.

More than 100 students are now participating across South Campus.

Jovan Thomas ’20, a student intern from the Falk College Public Health program, is running the program along with his program mentor, Meg Lowe, Sustainability Management sustainability coordinator.

Based on their apartment location on South Campus, participating students have an assigned day for pick-up of their compost bucket. Thomas sends a reminder the night before by text message to place their bucket on their doorstep. Thomas then travels around South Campus and exchanges the full compost bucket with a clean bucket. The food scraps are weighed and then delivered to a food scraps dumpster that will be taken to the OCRRA Composting Facility.

The fall 2019 program has exceeded expectations. In the first four weeks, 526.4 pounds of food scraps were diverted.

“As a Sustainability Management intern, my involvement in the composting program evokes the side of me that wants to make a difference,” Thomas says. “As a Public Health student, I seek to pursue a career for the betterment of society, which is also why I took this internship. In my short time here, I have learned more about improving the environment and I learned that composting is beneficial to our human health.”

“As Jovan’s program mentor, I am excited to show him how projects like this are implemented on the University campus and what it takes to ensure their continued success,” says Lowe. “As a Public Health student, Jovan Thomas is taking this a step further and researching why compost is such a benefit to all of us and the environment.”

Most of the trash collected in Onondaga County goes to a local waste-to-energy facility, where it is incinerated. Typically, food scraps are the heaviest and wettest items in the waste stream. By removing the food scraps, not only is nutritious organic matter created, resources are saved by not having to burn them at the waste-to-energy facility.

The Student Composting Program took nearly two years to implement. If it proves successful, it will remain a permanent program on South Campus.

South Campus residents who have not already signed up to participate may email sustain@syr.edu to request to join the program. In the email, include a South Campus address and a phone number that receives text messages.

For more information on sustainability programs and classes, visit , follow @ on Twitter and Instagram, and check out the .

According to Meg Lowe, sustainability coordinator and Syracuse University Bee Campus USA committee chair, “the University has already taken great care in providing native pollinator habits across campus with native plant species, minimal pesticide use and, most recently, the addition of the Pete’s Giving Garden on South Campus. More pollinator gardens are being planned for the future.”

Grounds Manager Pat Carroll takes pride in the University’s commitment to minimizing hazards to pollinators by using nearly no neonicotinoid pesticides, glyphosate herbicide or other potentially dangerous pesticides. “Here at Grounds we are very excited to support Bee Campus USA,” says Carroll. “By implementing Integrated Pest Management practices we have been able to reduce the number of inputs we make on campus. As grounds manager, I believe it is important that we provide a beautiful campus while being stewards of the environment.”

To raise awareness about the plight of pollinators, Syracuse University’s plans to publish a webpage on to disseminate information to the campus and external communities.

Lisa Olson-Gugerty, associate teaching professor in the Falk College, is excited about the opportunities for student research and service learning. “Honeybees are fascinating and amazing��creatures, and I am happy to know that our campus is supporting their survival,” she says. “The Bee Campus USA certification reinforces the University’s efforts in supporting an environmentally friendly campus within an urban setting.

“The current generation of students are acutely aware of the state of our��environment,��and this certification is a reflection of the University’s efforts to recognize these concerns and make positive contributions,” Olson-Gugerty says.��“With the installation of honeybee hives on campus and the Bee Campus USA certification, all of us at SU can buzz and��‘Bee Orange.’”

Already faculty, staff and students have worked together to study and create pollinator habitat with native plants. Several courses already include pollinators in their syllabi.

and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, with offices across the country. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities and campuses to sustain pollinators by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants and free of pesticides. Pollinators like bumblebees, sweat bees, mason bees, honeybees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds and many others are responsible for the reproduction of almost 90 percent of the world’s flowering plant species and one in every three bites of food we consume.

“The program aspires to make people more pollinator conscious,” says Scott Hoffman Black, Xerces’ executive director. “If lots of individuals and communities begin planting native, pesticide-free flowering trees, shrubs and perennials, it will help to sustain many, many species of pollinators.”

According to Bee Campus USA founder Phyllis Stiles, “Each certified campus must renew their certification each year and report on accomplishments from the previous year.”

For more information about Syracuse University’s Bee Campus USA program, contact Lowe at mclowe@syr.edu.

For more information about sustainability on campus, visit sustainability.syr.edu/. For more information about Bee Campus USA, visit . For more information about the Xerces Society, visit . For information about four simple ways to help pollinators, visit .

The 2019 RecycleMania competition featured more than 300 colleges and universities. Each year, the University competes in three different categories: Total Recycling, Diversion and the Per Capita Classic. Rankings are determined by the amount of recycling, trash and compost collected over the two-month competition period. Each week, gathered the information and submitted the amounts of recycling, trash, food scraps and donated food to be ranked with other colleges and universities.

Total Recycling recognizes institutions with the highest gross tonnage of combined paper, cardboard, bottles and cans. Syracuse University recycled 645,206 pounds of recyclables on campus during the competition, which secured the University’s national ranking of 19th out of the competing 251 colleges and universities. The University recycles using a single-stream system, meaning all recyclable materials—such as bottles, cans, paper, and cardboard—are combined into one bin.

The Diversion category combines trash, recyclables and food organics to determine the recycling rate. This year, the campus community held steady to a 48 percent diversion rate, which actually increased the University’s national ranking in the competition to 40th, up from 43rd in the 2018 RecycleMania competition.

The Per Capita Classic measures the weight of recyclable materials divided by the campus population to determine the amount each person recycled. With 23.5 pounds of recyclables per person over the eight-week competition, the University placed 28th nationally, an increase of six spots since last year.

Overall, the Syracuse University campus diverted 898,498 pounds of recyclables and food organics during the competition.

Some��300 campuses in 43 states competed in RecycleMania in 2019��engaging 4.25 million students and 900,000 faculty and staff for a total of��more than 5.1 million participants.

From Feb. 3 to March 30, the participating colleges and universities recycled or composted (and donated to food banks and farms and used for biofuels) 65.5 million pounds of waste. In these eight weeks, the participants prevented the release of 99,254 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E) into the atmosphere,��which is equivalent to preventing the annual emissions from 20,895 cars.

Complete results for 2019 RecycleMania may be found at .

To learn more about how to recycle at Syracuse University, visit the .

For more information on sustainability and recycling efforts at the University, visit ; follow @SustainableSU on , and ; or email sustain@syr.edu.

A pre-yoga session starts at 11:30 a.m., hosted by Rebecca Spataro-Kerns Revel Roots Yoga.

The festival is sponsored by Syracuse University Sustainability Management, the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) and Students of Sustainability (SOS), with the support of Syracuse Students for Change, Stella High School and SUNY-ESF.

This year’s Earthfest continues the tradition to celebrate all the ways the local communities keep Central New York sustainable and environmentally sound. As in past years, all the music groups and speakers have donated their time. Entry to the festival is free, and food is available for purchase.

“Earthfest is about celebrating our planet. As the fight to protect and save our environment grows, we must take time to reflect and connect,” says Ethan Thompson, NYPIRG project coordinator. “This annual event brings our community together with music, speakers, activism and local food trucks all in the name of environmental justice and sustainability. It has something for everyone!”

The event features local musicians, artists, community and student organizations, prominent speakers, local vendors and food trucks.

The day’s keynote speaker, at 12:45 p.m., is Sandy Bigtree, Bear Clan, a citizen of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. She is a founding board member of the Indigenous Values Initiative, which fosters collaborative work between the academic/nonacademic community and the Haudenosaunee, promoting their message of peace that was brought��to Onondaga Lake thousands of years ago—a message that influenced, and continues to influence, American democracy, the women’s rights movement, and the environmental sustainability and justice movements.

Other speakers include Blair Horner, NYPIRG executive director; New York State Sen. Rachel May, chair of the Committee on Aging and chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources; and ESF Assistant Professor Brian Leydet; Lindsay Speer of the HeatSmart campaign; and Syeisha Byrd G’12, director of community engagement for Hendricks Chapel.

Maggie Dickson ’19 from —a Syracuse University student organization that works on producing, marketing and branding for local artists—is the stage manager. Bands performing are Bike Lanes on Euclid (all SUNY-ESF students), Colleen Kattau G’92 and Dos XX, Charlie Burg ’20, Sundrop Rise, Cosmatic and The Bad Mama’s Blues.

“As one of the event planners for Earthfest, it is humbling to see the Syracuse University, SUNY-ESF and surrounding communities come together to celebrate the Earth in a way that is unique to our community,” says Meg Lowe, sustainability coordinator for Syracuse University Sustainability Management. “Having speakers like Sandy Bigtree and Sen. Rachel May highlights the importance of preserving our world for future generations from varying perspectives. The event also brings light to important topics surrounding sustainability like plastic usage, climate change and food inequality. This year, attendees are also being encouraged to donate non-perishable items to the Syracuse University food pantry.”

Attendees are asked to make a donation at the festival of a nonperishable item. Boxes will be placed around the amphitheater or donations may be made at the food pantry table. In addition, all vendors have donated about $1,000 to Syracuse Grows, a grassroots network that cultivates food justice through advocacy, education and resources in support of urban food production.

The two student organizations co-sponsoring the event will have informational tables for attendants to learn more about their organizations. About 25 different organizations will promote environmental issues and activism, and sell environmental art, jewelry and local food items.

“Earthfest is meant to bring��people all of identities and backgrounds together��to celebrate our common goals of sustainable practices and love for our planet. We hope that this event can encourage community ties and educate us on ongoing social and environmental��movements, igniting a spark in you,” says Shirley Dougherty, president of Students of Sustainability. “Most of all, we want everybody to feel engaged and welcome as they step into the festival knowing that those surrounding them are there to celebrate our Earth and environment. ”

Since Earthfest promotes sustainability, attendees are encouraged to bring any items they need, such as reusable water bottles. Vendors have been asked to use sustainable packaging and compostable food service products, including paper, compostable items or recyclable products. In addition, bins for compost, trash and recyclables will be readily available.

Inside look at Agbotic Farms’ greenhouse.

Students at the University’s dining centers may have noticed a fresh, new item on the salad bars: baby radishes and beet greens. The produce is sourced from , a local farm an hour north of campus in Sackets Harbor, New York. Purchasing from Agbotic Farms allows the University the ability to offer students fresh, locally grown produce year-round—difficult to achieve in the Northeast.

Earlier this year, the in Falk College worked with the Adirondack North Country Association, a nonprofit that connects university and K-12 institutions with local farms, to bring to campus Kevin Richardson, Agbotic Farms executive vice president of sales and operations. Richardson met with and staff, and Food Studies faculty, and a partnership was created.

Food Services and Sustainability Management staff took a trip to the farm to learn more about the operation. “The Food Services team was excited to make the visit to determine if their products would be a good fit for Syracuse University,” says Mark Tewksbury, director of residential dining. The University does its best to serve locally grown produce, but that has proven to be a challenge with New York’s short growing season.

Part of the review process involved learning if students liked the product. Food Services invited Agbotic Farms to share their produce at a Wednesday Feedback event at the Ernie Davis Dining Center this past February. Response to the baby greens was overwhelmingly positive. “The greens are new, fresh and a bit sweet,” remarked one of the student taste testers.

Agbotic Farms began in 2014 when the three owners—Richardson, Cody Morse and John Gaus—created a prototype green house in which they could grow organic baby produce in soil year-round. Their innovative technology is engineered to have environmental control over their product 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This allows produce to grow in nutrient-rich soil, yielding a flavorful product. The farm’s food is organic and . According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, GAP means the produce is grown, handled and packaged in such a way that reduces the risk of microbial food safety hazards.

From seed to harvest, it takes 22 days to grow a single baby radish. On the 23rd day, Food Services is able to serve the baby roots on the campus salad bars. “This benefits Syracuse University because students are able to have the fresh greens in the dining centers within 24 hours of harvest,” Richardson says. To maintain their quality, Agbotic Farms sells only to companies that they are able to deliver to within 24 hours of harvest.

Currently, Agbotic Farms has one fully functional greenhouse, with the structures for five additional greenhouses and a wash-and-pack facility in place. The company plans to have all its greenhouses up and running by the end of August. Other expansion plans include hiring more than 20 new employees and expanding to grow other baby root produce like carrots and turnips.

For that 60 minutes on Saturday night, consider turning off any unnecessary lights and joining three iconic symbols of Syracuse University—the Dome, Hendricks Chapel and the Hall of Languages—in going dark and showing support for the environment.

We live in an interconnected world. Every action we take impacts life around us, and increasingly those impacts are harmful. Our ever-growing demand for food, water, and energy is changing the climate faster than predicted—and it comes at a cost for wildlife, wild places and people everywhere.

By extinguishing lights during Earth Hour, individuals everywhere are helping amplify a crucial message that climate change affects every person and every habitat on Earth, and it is up to all of us to help tackle it.

The (STARS) measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.��This is the University’s first time rating itself using AASHE STARS, an important benchmarking and analytic tool for the campus as it continues to institute more sustainability programs and infrastructure.

Then-Chancellor Nancy Cantor signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, now Second Nature, in 2007, pledging to further increase campus sustainability and carbon neutrally by 2040.

In 2005, the University started purchasing 20 percent renewable energy and has since increased the commitment to 35 percent, making Syracuse one of the top 25 schools in the country to purchase renewable energy according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The University has launched many programs since 2007, including:

• writing the Climate Action Plan, which is designed to reduce our climate emissions;
• Food Services going trayless in the dining centers;
• Energy Systems & Sustainability Management and Auxiliary Services installing 240 solar thermal panels on the roofs of 20 buildings serving 160 three-bedroom South Campus apartments;
• converting to energy-efficient light and heating systems across campus;
• offering paperless payroll and paychecks;
• the Student Association in collaboration with several administrative units launching the Cycle Share program;
• the Campus as a Lab for Sustainability grant program funding 15 campus projects for faculty and students;
• a student donating two Electric Charging Stations, which the University installed;
• academic units creating sustainability minors and majors, including Energy and Its Impacts in the Maxwell School

“Since signing the President’s Climate Commitment in 2005, sustainability has played a vital role on campus,” states Pete Sala, vice president and chief facilities officer. “The silver rating awarded to Syracuse University is a great example of that. The University is committed to achieving all sustainability goals as outlined in the Climate Action Plan, including its commitment to climate neutrality by 2040. The completion of the AASHE STARS provides us with a benchmark toward achieving these goals.”

With more than 800 participants in 30 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: academics; engagement; operations; planning and administration; and innovation and leadership.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” says AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Syracuse University has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

Unlike other rating or ranking systems, the program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York state, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, visit .

About AASHE:

AASHE is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. AASHE’s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation.�� It provides resources, professional development and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. For more information about AASHE, visit .

In the spirit of the competition and to improve the University’s overall recycling efforts, Sustainability Management will be around campus in various locations to educate the campus community about what can and cannot be recycled. In addition to visibility in dining centers, Sustainability Management will be staffing information tables in Bird Library on Feb. 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the Milton Atrium in the Life Sciences Complex on Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Syracuse University traditionally is among the top Atlantic Coast Conference institutions involved in RecycleMania. Only the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina out-performed Syracuse in total recycling efforts last year.

For the second year in a row, in 2018, Syracuse ranked first in New York state in RecycleMania’s Total Recycling category. The University recycled 905,314 pounds of material, securing its national ranking of 14th out of the competing 229 college and universities in the category. Total Recycling recognizes institutions with highest gross tonnage of combined paper, cardboard, and bottles and cans.

This year, Syracuse is competing in the Classic Tournament, which involves four main categories: the Stephan K Gaski Per Capita Classic, Diversion (formally Grand Champion), Total Recycling and Food Organics, all based on the weight of recyclables, trash and food organics. The University will submit actual weights, collected each week by Sustainability Management, to be ranked ��against the other competing institutions. The competition runs through March 30, and the results will be announced on April 16.

The Stephan K Gaski Per Capita Classic measures the weight of recyclables divided by the campus population. Last year, with 23.521 pounds recycled per person, the University ranked 34th in the country and third in New York state.

Last year, the University placed third among participating New York state institutions and 43^rd nationally in the Diversion category—which combines trash, recyclables and food organics to determine the college/university’s recycling rate as a percentage of overall waste—and improved its diversion rate from 47 percent in 2017 to 48 percent in 2018.

The University also competes in the Food Organics category, placing 73^rd last year with 18.82 pounds of organics per capita sent to the Onondaga Country Resource Recovery Agency’s compost site.

The 2018 tournament featured a total of 300 participating college and universities from 46 states, the District of Columbia and Canada with a combined enrollment of 3.6 million students. Some 68.6 million pounds of recyclables and food organics were recorded.

Syracuse University complies with the Onondaga County Source Separation Law and has on-campus recycling bins for mandatory recyclables, such as paper, cardboard and cans/bottles. The University also recycles specialized items, including batteries, electronics, polystyrene��cold shipping boxes, fluorescent light bulbs, scrap metal, compostable yard waste and construction debris. In addition, campus dining centers compost pre- and post-consumer scraps and donate leftover food to the , a student movement that uses donated leftovers to reduce food waste while feeding those in need.

For more information on campus sustainability and recycling efforts, visit the , follow @SustainableSU on Twitter and Instagram, and check out the Facebook page.

To learn more about RecycleMania, visit��.

The Skä·noñh—Great Law of Peace Center tells the story of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and their founding at Onondaga Lake more than 1,000 years ago through the lens of the Onondaga Nation, the “Central Fire” of Six Nation Confederacy.

The center is overseen by the Onondaga Nation, in collaboration with Onondaga County, Syracuse University and neighboring educational institutions, and is managed by the Onondaga Historical Association. “Skä•noñh” is an Onondaga greeting that means “peace and wellness.”

Philip Arnold, associate professor and chair of the Department of Religion in the College of Arts and Sciences and founding director of the center, and his wife Sandy Bigtree, and two representatives from the Onondaga Nation, Betty Lyons, president and executive director of the American Indian Law Alliance, and Tadodaho Sidney Hill, led the tour.

To learn more about the center, visit or stop by the center at 6680 Onondaga Lake Parkway in Liverpool, New York.

For the purpose of developing the Green Colleges list, College Consensus partnered with the to recognize higher education institutions that have committed to green energy.

College Consensus praised SU: “The university is regularly recognized as a leader in areas like law, business, and public policy, both in teaching and research, and all of those strengths contribute to Syracuse’s status as one of the best green colleges in the U.S. As one of the most eco-friendly colleges and one of the most sustainable campuses in America, Syracuse is a leader and a model.”

The University has gained recognition over the years as one of the biggest purchasers of green energy in New York state and the Northeast. Thirty-five percent of the energy used on campus is from renewable sources and in line with the University’s goal on campus to become climate neutral by 2040.

In addition, sustainability has been integrated into the curriculum, with offerings of majors and minors in areas like energy, food studies and environmental science.

Furthering research on campus, the Campus as a Lab for Sustainability (CALS) program offers $75,000 in funding for academic research, student projects and course development that can further engage the campus in addressing climate change and sustainable systems.

To learn more about sustainability on campus, visit .

Following is the full list of the 25 Best Green Colleges in the United States:

1. University of Pennsylvania
2. Northwestern University
3. Georgetown University
4. University of Wisconsin-Madison
5. Carnegie Mellon University
6. Ohio State University (main campus)
7. American University
8. Syracuse University
9. University of Oklahoma-Norman
10. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
11. University of Maryland-College Park
12. George Washington University
13. University of Missouri-Columbia
14. Oklahoma State University (main campus)
15. Western Washington University
16. Ohio University (main campus)
17. University of Vermont
18. University of Tennessee-Knoxville
19. Arizona State University-Tempe
20. University of New Hampshire (main campus)
21. Catholic University of America
22. University at Buffalo
23. Drexel University
24. University of South Florida (main campus)
25. Temple University

“River Blue” follows international river conservationist Mark Angelo as he spans the globe to infiltrate one of the world’s most polluting industries: fashion. Clean water supporter Jason Priestley narrates this examination of the fashion industry’s destruction of rivers, its effect on humanity, and the solutions that inspire hope for a sustainable future.

The film brings awareness to the destruction of some of the world’s most vital rivers through the harsh chemical manufacturing processes and the irresponsible disposal of toxic chemical waste associated with clothing production—most notably denim—and urges significant change in the textile industry from the top fashion brands that can make a difference.

The screening of “River Blue” is part of Campus Sustainability Month at Syracuse University. Sustainability Management is hosting several events throughout the remainder of the month, including the New York State Apple Crunch on Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Schine Student Center. Ending the month, Sustainability Management staff will be in E.S. Bird Library on Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to engage people to play “Fact or Fiction: Scary Sustainability Facts” and learn ways to help save the planet.

For more information on Campus Sustainability Month and other sustainability efforts on campus visit .

Follow Sustainability Management on , and to participate in the weekly “Greening the Orange” challenges that encourage students, faculty and staff to take one step each week to greening their lifestyles. Every Monday this month, @SustainableSU will post one sustainability challenge on all three social media platforms. Take a picture of yourself completing the task and tag @SustainableSU with #greeningtheorange, and you will be entered in a prize drawing. Multiple entries are allowed and encouraged, and increase the chance of winning. For complete challenge details, check out the website.

During the first week, individuals can test their recycling knowledge by participating in an . Compete against friends, coworkers or yourself to test your campus recycling expertise. Participants should use their syr.edu email address as a nickname to be entered into the drawing. Once the results are in, the top five scores from students, faculty and staff will be awarded a prize, made from recycled materials, after the conclusion of the week.

For those who live on South Campus and are interested in composting their food scraps, Sustainability Management is holding informational sessions throughout the month as part of the department’s goals to reduce overall waste on campus. Each year, composting, recycling and trash tonnage is recorded as part of the University’s . These figures also determine the ranking of the University in RecycleMania, the annual recycling and waste reduction competition involving colleges and universities across North America. Information sessions are Oct. 10, 11, 18, 22 and 23 at various times. Those who would like to take part in a session but did not provide an email address at the Goldstein Student Center during opening week should email sustain@syr.edu.

The documentary will be shown Tuesday, Oct. 16 in Watson Theater. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the film screening at 7 p.m. “River Blue” follows international river conservationist Mark Angelo across the globe as he addresses pollution associated with the fashion industry.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to stop by the Schine Student Center on Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to take part in the New York State Apple Crunch and support the state’s agriculture industry and locally grown foods.

To commemorate the 30^th anniversary of the Pan Am 103 bombing–in which 270 people died, including 35 students studying through SU’s Division of International Programs Abroad (now SU Abroad)–35 October Sky Maples will be planted near Sustainability Management’s new location in the Carriage House on South Campus. The tree planting is a collaboration of University College, Energy Systems and Sustainability Management, Physical Plant and Campus Planning, Design and Construction. Details will be announced soon.

Capping Campus Sustainability Month, Sustainability Management invites University community members to stop by E.S. Bird Library on Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to play “Fact or Fiction: Scary Sustainability Facts” and learn ways to help save the planet.

Sustainability Management is located at 161 Farm Acre Road. For more information on sustainability and recycling efforts, visit .

The University recycled 905,314 pounds of material, securing the University’s national ranking of 14th out of the competing 229 schools. Total Recycling recognizes schools with highest gross tonnage of combined paper, cardboard, and bottles and cans.

This year, SU competed in three categories: Total Recycling, Diversion and Per Capita Classic. Overall, the campus community helped improve recycling rates, which means Syracuse University ranked higher against other New York colleges and universities in all four categories. Rankings are determined by the amount of recycling and trash collected over the two-month competition period. Each week, Sustainability Management gathered the information and submitted the amounts of recycling, trash and food waste to be ranked with other colleges and universities.

The University increased its diversion rate from 47 percent in 2017 to 48 percent during this year’s competition. In New York State, Syracuse University placed third out of the 19 competing schools in the Diversion category, which combines trash, recyclables and food organics to determine the school’s recycling rate as a percentage of overall waste. Nationally, the University increased its ranking by an impressive nine slots from 2017 to secure it in 43rd out of 171 schools.

The Per Capita Classic measures the weight of recyclable materials divided by the campus population. With 23.5 pounds of recyclables per person, the University ranked third in New York State and 34th nationally out of 230 schools.

The 2018 tournament featured 300 schools participating from 46 states in the United States, District of Columbia and Canada with an enrollment of 3.6 million students. Between the February 4 kickoff and the final recycling weigh-in on March 31, participating schools recycled or composted 68.6 million pounds of waste, preventing the release of 94.152 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO₂E) in the atmosphere, which is the equivalent to preventing the annual emissions from 20,160 cars.

Complete results for these and other categories are found at . To learn more about RecycleMania, visit . For more information on sustainability and recycling efforts, visit , follow @SustainableSU on or check out the Syracuse University Sustainability page.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

A panel discussion will follow the screening of the 90-minute feature film. Sustainability Management is providing refreshments. Both the film and panel are free and open to the public.

The film features influential chef, author and television personality Anthony Bourdain, who inspires viewers to think about the environmental and social impacts of food waste. Alongside Bourdain are other chefs—Dan Barber, Mario Batali, Massimo Bottura and Danny Bowien—who are battling food waste and describe how they have discovered solutions to the problem. View the trailer .

“This is an important and informative film and a project I’m proud to be part of,” says Bourdain, the film’s executive producer. “Chefs have been at the cutting edge of efforts to contend responsibly with the problem of food waste, perhaps because they, more than others, are painfully aware of the egregious volume of perfectly usable, nutritious food that could otherwise feed people in need, being thrown out in our restaurants.”

Food waste is not only a national problem; it is a local problem. SU campus dining centers send the leftover food scraps from student trays and back-of-the-house scraps to OCRRA’s Amboy facility to be turned into compost. “The single largest component of Onondaga County’s trash is food waste, and that is true for most areas of the country,” says OCRRA Recycling Specialist Dale Cocca. “We have an opportunity to reduce that by composting food scraps instead of throwing them out.”

Chef Massimo Botura in a scene from “Wasted!: The Story of Food Waste.”

Panelists for the post-screening discussion are Greg Gelewski, OCRRA compost operations manager; Shewa Shwani, Food Recovery Network SU/ESF president; and Melissa Cadwell, SU sustainability coordinator.

As this is a waste-free event, attendees are encouraged to bring their own mugs, cups or plates to minimize the amount of trash generated. Fruit, apple cider and cookies will be offered.

Visitor parking is in Booth Garage ($5); those with an SU parking pas may use any Orange lot for free.

For more information about sustainability at SU, visit the , follow and on Twitter; and check out the Facebook page.

About OCRRA: OCRRA is a not-for-profit public benefit corporation created by the New York State Legislature in 1990 to deliver a comprehensive solid waste management and resource recovery system to Onondaga County residents.

OCRRA’s system includes a strong recycling and composting program; a foundation for local waste disposal at the Waste-to-Energy Facility; two convenient trash and recycling drop-off sites; a robust education component; and programs for hard to manage materials, such as household hazardous waste, batteries, fluorescent bulbs and other mercury-containing devices.

OCRRA’s award-winning programs are funded by trash drop-off fees and the sale of electricity generated at the Waste-to-Energy Facility in Jamesville. Learn more and get involved at www.OCRRA.org or follow on .

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and��, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

The University is a single stream recycling campus—meaning all of your recyclables can be tossed in one recycling bin, or in some instances in the two-bin system. Your recyclables are then sent to a recycling facility to be sorted, baled and sold to become items made from recycled content.

Not sure, what you can recycle? Quick tips to recycling:

Plastic items with this symbol on the bottom and a 1, 2, or 5 inside it:

• bottle-necked plastic containers, beverages with a 1 or 2 on the bottom
• plastic tubs containing a 5

Other recyclable items are:

• beverage cartons such as milk, soymilk, orange juice, juice boxes, etc.
• aluminum and tin cans
• glass bottles and jars
• paper and paperboard
• cardboard (please flatten and place next to the bin)

Still unsure? Join Sustainability Management in Bird Library on Wednesday, March 21, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to learn about common items that should be discarded in the trash but end up in the recycle bin. Free cupcakes and cookies, until they are gone, will be given to everyone who stops in to learn more about recycling.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and��, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .