Sustainability News

Colgate University’s 10th annual 13 Days of Green, a series of sustainability events leading up to Earth Day. It highlights the history and global significance of Earth Day, the role of students in the environmental movement, and Colgate’s commitment to sustainability through this tradition. The article also previews key events designed to engage the campus community in environmental awareness and action.

A ten-day research trip to Italy with Professor Tseng focused on water quality, microplastics, and environmental chemistry. Traveling from Florence to Naples, the student collected water samples from public fountains, collaborated with Italian universities, and learned about international research on wastewater and microplastics. The experience deepened the student’s academic interests, highlighted the value of global collaboration, and strengthened their commitment to continuing water-related environmental research.

Summer 2019 internship opportunities with Colgate’s Office of Sustainability and the Community Garden. The sustainability internships offer students hands-on experience advancing campus sustainability projects, while the garden internships focus on managing and promoting the organic community garden. Both positions provide valuable practical skills, meaningful engagement with sustainability, and require applications by April 14.

2018 marks Colgate’s tenth consecutive greenhouse gas inventory report.

Colgate’s “Carry Your Trash Week,” during which students, faculty, and staff carried all their non-food, non-hygiene waste for a week to raise awareness about personal trash production. The experience revealed how much waste individuals generate, increased mindfulness around everyday disposal habits, and inspired participants to adopt reusable alternatives, even though broader campus engagement was limited.

Heating is a major contributor to Colgate University’s carbon emissions, accounting for over half of emissions in 2017. It outlines recent infrastructure upgrades that make campus heating more efficient and less carbon intensive, while emphasizing the important role students can play by adopting energy-saving habits. By being mindful of thermostat use and staying warm sustainably, students can help reduce both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Meet the S-Reps

The growing focus on carbon emissions globally and at Colgate University. It highlights recent climate reports—the U.S. National Climate Assessment, the IPCC report, and the UN Emissions Gap Report—that warn of severe environmental, social, and economic impacts if emissions are not reduced. Colgate is actively working toward carbon neutrality by 2019. The university also hosted a panel of alumni involved in the National Climate Assessment to share insights on climate impacts and mitigation strategies.

Colgate University hosted the eighth annual State of New York Sustainability Conference (SoNYSC) from November 6–8, the first non-SUNY school to do so. With over 240 attendees, the conference focused on integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals into New York campuses through keynote speeches, student poster sessions, and concurrent presentations. Highlights included keynotes by SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson and Dr. Robin Kimmerer, sessions on campus sustainability initiatives, and a closing panel on leadership’s role in sustainability. The conference emphasized sustainability in its operations—offering carbon offsets, seed-paper name-tags, and biodegradable lanyards—and celebrated excellence with inaugural leadership awards. Overall, the event successfully inspired attendees and showcased innovative approaches to campus sustainability.

From October 2–4, Colgate students and staff attended the AASHE Conference and Expo in Pittsburgh, focused on “Global Goals: Rising to the Challenge.” Attendees presented Colgate’s sustainability initiatives, including student-run programs like campus apiaries, the S-Rep living-learning community, and the social recycling system UCan. Staff led workshops on sustainability communication and carbon offset strategies. The conference provided professional development, networking, and inspiration, helping participants bring new ideas for engaging the Colgate community in sustainable practices.