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 ���ϲ����� 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.

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.

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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� marketing (i.e., proper font, colors).
• Designs must be submitted via email to sustain@syr.edu.
• Only ���ϲ����� 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.

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.

The new LED lights (pictured right) represent a vast improvement over the old lighting fixtures at the Lally Athletics Complex arena.

Sustainability Management worked with Athletics to accurately schedule when the lights will be turned on and off. The new fixtures also have dimming capability which will provide additional savings and help prolong the lifetime of the fixtures.

Many of the old fixtures were originals from 1960, meaning the lighting circuitry was outdated and in need of an upgrade. Campus Planning, Design and Construction engineers designed the new lighting and circuitry layout, and organizing the fixtures into six zones which allow sections of the arena to be selectively dimmed or turned on/off, making the space more adaptable.

Assistant Director of Engineering, Utilities and Sustainability Jason Plumpton says, “This project is another great example of how we can improve the quality of campus facilities as we perform energy efficiency upgrades.”

Not only will the new lights improve lighting quality, but also benefit the environment. Sustainability Management and Campus Planning, Design and Construction have plans to install additional LED lights across campus. If you have any questions reach out to Sustainability Management at sustain@syr.edu or head to the website at .

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, ���ϲ����� 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.

���ϲ����� 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.

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. ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) have been invited to attend, including:

• Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA)
• ���ϲ����� Student Association Sustainability Committee
• ���ϲ����� Dynamic Sustainability Lab
• ���ϲ����� Haulers
• ���ϲ����� Food Services
• ���ϲ����� 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.

An infographic highlights the impact of last year’s Campus Race to Zero Waste.

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.

In total, last year’s participants helped divert nearly 28 million pounds of waste from the landfill/waste-to-energy facility. ���ϲ����� partners with Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) and ���ϲ����� Haulers to collect, weigh, report and dispose of all waste. In 2022, ���ϲ����� came in 16th out of 103 in the Food Organics category and 37th in the Diversion category.

Participation helps the University earn credit for campus engagement in the STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) report. STARS is a reporting system to help universities and colleges measure their sustainability performance. ���ϲ����� currently holds a STARS silver rating with strides being made to reach gold or platinum level in the coming years.

The winners of the competition will be announced April 28. Winning schools will receive an award made from recyclable material and win the right to host that category’s special traveling trophy for the coming year.

During the eight-week period, look for digital signs across campus explaining how to dispose of waste, recycling and food scraps properly.

Head to and click Recycling and Waste Reduction under the Sustainability on Campus section for more information on what’s considered recyclable, compostable or trash.

Follow @SustainableSU on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more and keep up with the competition. Links can be found on the .

The National Wildlife Federation manages the Campus Race to Zero Waste program. To learn more, visit .

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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� more sustainable, email sustain@syr.edu. And be sure to check out the new website at to learn more about ways to get involved.

���ϲ����� makes a conscious effort to reduce the amount of waste produced on and around campus. The University partners with ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ�����, visit .

Enhanced exterior lighting on South Campus

���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� 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 .