Energy Systems Sustainability Management

How Syracuse University Is Making a Difference Through Its Sustainability Efforts (Podcast)

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 “’Cuse Conversations” podcast featuring Knox. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

’Cuse Collections Donation Event 2024

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 (Instagram, Facebook and X) and on sustainability.syracuse.edu.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

New LED Lights Installed in the Lally Athletics Complex Arena

New LED lighting fixtures are shining bright in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex arena. Over the summer, nearly 300 fixtures were replaced with roughly 150 LED lights, helping improve lighting quality and save energy.

The arena lights run over 6,000 hours annually, which is equivalent to over 250 days. By using more efficient LED fixtures, the amount needed to light the arena has been nearly halved. This project will help the University reduce its carbon footprint by roughly 141 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) each year. CO2 equivalent is a metric used to compare and understand the impact of emissions from various greenhouse gas emissions based on their global warming potential. 141 metric tons of CO2e is equivalent to the emissions from over 100,000 pounds of coal burned.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Orange Is the New Green: Pete’s Giving Garden and South Campus Food Pantry Support Students Through Sustainability

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 is a partnership between Syracuse University Sustainability Management, the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics food studies and nutrition program and the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry. The garden has been open since 2017 and its bounty has been making appearances in kitchens on and off campus ever since.

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.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Campus Move-In Guide: The Sustainable Way

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.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Sustainability Roundup: New Waste Receptacle Lids in Schine, Campus Race to Zero Waste Competition Results, South Campus Move Out Donations

In fall 2022, Sustainability Management assisted the Dynamic Sustainability Lab, led by Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Finance Jay Golden, to conduct a waste audit. Students in the lab sought to understand what materials were being wasted and which items were disposed of incorrectly. A total of 11 bags of waste and five bags of recycling were collected the day before from the Schine Student Center.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Syracuse University, Student Association Announce Aggressive New Sustainability Goals, Expedited Net-Zero Emissions Plan

Syracuse University and the Student Association have announced a new set of goals that will substantially enhance and propel the University’s sustainability efforts, including reaching net-zero emissions by 2032, eight years earlier than the previous goal.

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.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Have a Voice on Climate Issues on Campus! Check Your Inbox for Sustainability Survey This Week

In an effort to gain feedback and insights directly from the campus community with the goal of effecting positive change in our sustainability and climate practices, Sustainability Management has created both a student and a faculty and staff survey which will be sent by email to randomized participants starting this week.

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.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

University Begins 2023 Campus Race to Zero Waste Competition

From Jan. 29-March 25, the University will participate in the Campus Race to Zero Waste, a national competition of colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada. The competition’s goal is simple: increase campus recycling and composting and decrease waste while raising awareness, with just a little bit of competition and bragging rights at stake between campuses!

Each week, the University will report its amount of recycling, trash and compost. Campuses will be ranked based on who recycles the most on a per capita basis as well as which schools have the best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste and which schools generate the least trash and recycling.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.