Cornell University
PAE-21: Sustainability in Continuing Education

The Cornell School of Hotel Administration offers a Certification in Hotel Properties Management and Sustainability. This certification focuses on sustainability in hospitality management by interweaving the key topics such as financial management and facilities operations to create a comprehensive knowledge base for the hotel manager. The four-course certification focuses on creating economic value and success in a way that also creates value for society by addressing its needs and challenges. The four courses in the certification are: Hospitality Facilities and Sustainable Hotel Management; Creating Shared Value in Hotels: Beyond Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility; Project Management for the Hospitality Industry and the participant’s choice of either Operations Analysis for the Hospitality Industry or Thinking Like a Financial Manager.

More information is available at http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/industry/executive/spotlights/revenue.html

Cornell Cooperative Extension programming:

Cornell University utilizes the Cooperative Extension Education System to extend educational programs to citizens all across New York State. Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) programs are planned with an interest in long-term community and personal sustainability. CCE provides high-value educational programs and university-backed resources that help solve real-life problems, transforming and improving New York families, farms, businesses, and communities. Programs related to integrated pest management, invasive species, youth education enrichment, adapting agricultural practices in the face of climate change, family nutrition and budget balancing, and community planning are examples of non-formal educational initiatives connected to Cornell’s interest in motivating sustainable practices. http://cce.cornell.edu/learnAbout/Pages/strategicplan.aspx

Specific Cooperative Extension certificate programs include:
• Master Gardener: http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/education/mgprogram/
• Master Composter:
http://ccetompkins.org/garden/composting/become-master-composter
• Northeast Beginning Farmers Trainings – Small Farms Program:
http://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/
• Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition:
http://www.ecornell.com/certificate-programs/co-branded-programs-training/certificate-in-plant-based-nutrition/crt/TCCC01

• Preventing Childhood Obesity: An Ecological Approach,
http://www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu/features/index.cfm?Action=Course&CourseID=75

• Master Watershed Steward Program: http://cce.cornell.edu/learnAbout/GetInvolved/Pages/MasterWatershedSteward.aspx

• Master Forest Owner Program:
http://www2.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/mfo/

Local, regional and statewide examples are described below:

Local and Regional Options for Energy and Climate Change Resiliency, September 13, 2013, at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY. Sponsored by Community and Regional Development Institute (CaRDI); Cornell Community and Energy Program Work Team; Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Dutchess County; CCE Statewide Energy and Climate Change Team; Vassar College, Environmental Studies Program. The 90 attendees included local municipal and elected officials, planners, environment and conservation advisory council members, planning board members, Cooperative Extension educators, and community leaders. The conference was in response to the growing interest in energy and climate change resiliency, with a particular focus on local and regional solutions. The synergy between local and state goals for communities that are approaching resiliency through energy innovations and as climate smart communities was explored. The event highlighted energy education resources, fostered community-based energy planning and decision-making, stimulated strategic thinking about various options, and motivated communities to take actions.

The Best Practices in Marcellus Shale Education Conference was held March 18-19 in Ithaca, NY. It was attended by about 60 individuals from around the northeastern and mid-Atlantic U.S., especially New York and Pennsylvania. The focus of the conference was on education and outreach practices in communicating about Marcellus shale gas drilling and other polarizing issues. The Marcellus Shale serves as a case study from which we can learn about energy education more broadly, including attention to the challenges of teaching the science of a controversial issue. The event was hosted by the Paleontological Research Institution and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Marcellus Outreach Team.

Bio-Fuel Educational Outreach Tool (CCE Oneida). The Bio-Fuel Educational Outreach Tool provides Extension educators with a research-based, critically reviewed package of information that is available to assist in meeting the growing need for sustainable biofuels knowledge in their communities. It also provides educators/teachers a new cellulosic ethanol biofuels electronic knowledge base package that targets grades 8/9 and that is aligned with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) focused NYS learning standards and the National Agriculture Career Cluster learning standards. This package is electronically available and can be used with interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology.

Creating Healthy Places (CCE Niagara) initiated objectives pursuing community gardens and increased opportunities physical activity in area schools. Harry F. Abate Elementary School created a walking club for students, increasing opportunities for physical activity. In the Spring of 2012 two 4’ by 8’ raised beds were also installed for vegetables in the Abate courtyard. Students, faculty, and administrators were part of the installation, planting, maintenance, and cultivation of the garden vegetables. To ensure the longevity, growth, and success of the garden, the school requested and received a sustainability plan for the 2013 season and beyond.

Logger Training - for Tomorrow' Forests (CCE Warren). Providing educational workshops for 250-300 loggers within the region that provide information regarding environmentally sound practices, and improved skills. Workshops also offer productivity competencies to increase profitability.

Planting Seeds of Healthy Eating- Fostering community food security (CCE Cayuga). According to statistics from the Human Services Coalition Food Security Assessment completed in 2011 with Cayuga County residents, the ability for many residents to secure and consume healthy foods is a pressing concern. Creating Healthy Places (CHP) work plan targeted the expansion of two existing gardens in low-income neighborhoods at Melone Village and Booker T. Washington Community Center along with the creation of new gardens at St. Francis Park, the first Auburn community garden in a city park, and one at the historic Case Mansion – both of these new gardens are open to the public. The newly formed and expanded community gardens provided ample amounts of the following produce distributed to gardeners as well as to the food pantries supported by each site.
Renewable Energy on the Farm (CCE Yates) Educational workshop on renewable energy addressed farm electricity demands, discussed current small and large scale renewable energy equipment, described site planning decisions, and provided application information directly to 20 farms.

Syracuse Sustainability Plan 2012: A model for civic engagement (CCE Onondaga). CCE supported the development and adaption of the first Sustainability Plan for the City of Syracuse, New York. CCE has built strong connections from the agricultural community to local food-related industries. By participating in this project, CCE is able to disseminate information and evidence-based research from Cornell University as well as from collaborators associated with the eight universities through our association with a NIFA funded project: “Enhancing Food Security of Underserved Populations in the Northeast through Sustainable Regional Food Systems.” As Food Policy Councils are in the early stages of development across the USA, Syracuse will serve as a model for other counties and urban areas throughout the North Eastern Region of the United States.

4-H Promotes Natural Science and Physical Activity by Connecting Youth to Nature through the “Truly Wild” Wild Edibles Program (CCE Franklin). In the 2011 camp season, 4 counselors worked with staff to design a wild edibles program that would incorporate hiking, plant identification, historical plant use, respect for nature, and nutritional values of common wild edibles. A nature walk was built on the grounds utilizing already present plants and trees. Some indigenous plants were transplanted to the camp property by the staff and counselors. The counselors were instructed in the identification of approximately 10 plants, how to utilize reference books and promote respect for the sustainability of each plant. Youth hiked trails with counselors on a daily basis, learned how to identify plants using several reference books, magnifying glasses, measurement tools and their senses of sight, smell, and touch. Youth became more aware of their natural surroundings.

Marine Meadows Program (CCE Suffolk). The Marine Meadows Program represents the collaboration of an innovative, community-based education and outreach effort with an extensive eelgrass restoration program run by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County (CCE). This effort has created 4 acres of new eelgrass and has ultimately helped the local economy.

People's Garden Pilot School Garden Project: Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth (CUCE NYC). Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC is co-leading a 2.5 year national project that involves approximately 50 schools in four states in a randomized controlled trial examining effects of school gardens on fruit and vegetable consumption and other outcomes. The project has successfully collected data from the first term, reaching about 800 elementary students in New York, and approx. 3,000 students from the four states combined and was featured in a Human Ecology Magazine (College of Human Ecology, Cornell University) article: "Using Gardens to Plant the Seeds of Good Health," Education (Volume 40, Number 2, Fall 2012), as well as the Cornell Chronicle. Project staff worked with Cornell's Press Office to issue an initial release in April: $1M will launch 70 school garden programs, 23 in N.Y.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Training for Farmers & Trainers. In response to The Food Safety Modernization Act we presented a series of three-day workshops to farmers and produce industry people to help them understand the importance of food safety, to identify and reduce the risks on their farms, and to write their own individual farm food safety plans in preparation for a third-party audit. In addition, we held a two-day “Train the Trainer” workshop to prepare CCE educators to host and conduct farmer trainings themselves. About 20-35% of those who attended the workshops underwent and passed a 3rd-party audit and received USDA-GAPs certification or a similar 3rd-party certification from another certifying organization within one year. The reason this percentage has not been higher to this point is that unless it is required by one or more of their wholesale/retail markets, growers will not spend the extra time and expense on an audit voluntarily. This is changing with the individual requirements due to various deadly outbreaks.

Rust to Green NY. Rust 2 Green is an Action Research Initiative borne out of the USDA Hatch proposal entitled From Rust to Green Places and Networks: Mapping a Sustainable Future for Upstate NY. This project officially launched in January 2010 and has spent the last two and a half years primarily working with Utica, NY, and associated partners primarily in Oneida County and adjoining Herkimer County. In action, Rust to Green uses participatory processes to engage academic and community partners in collectively identifying problems and needs and the specific action steps that can be taken to address them. Such an approach and process is consistent with the fundamental concepts of sustainability: public engagement, transparency, ecological democracy and “green governance.” Through this approach, Rust to Green aims to promote a sustainable green narrative and contribute to re-branding New York’s rust belt communities. Its problem and action-based approach turns the focus towards visible and tangible actions that meet identified and emerging needs.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Green Buildings (statewide): An effort to increase energy conservation in CCE-owned and operated buildings resulted in comprehensive energy audits, association plans for sustainability, reduced energy bill,s and a growing sense in pride of the workplace for eight Cornell Cooperative Extension associations. Activity included: a webinar introducing the benefits of energy conservation and efficiency in non-residential buildings, formation of Association Green Teams that included Association staff, Board members, and volunteers, a two-month energy challenge in which goals were set and pursued, and a website was created to share resources (http://cce.cornell.edu/EnergyClimateChange/ensav/Pages/default.aspx).

4-H Summer Camps (statewide): For the 3rd year, the 4-H camps had energy conservation and renewable energy programming. As a result of camper participation in energy assessments in the camps, a number of energy conservation measures have been taken with respect to the camp facilities. 92 solar panels have been installed on the main lodge roof at 4-H Camp Wyomoco. The system is designed to generate 19.32 watts annually which should save us over $2,000 annually in electricity costs. Other changes in practices at the camps occurred as a result of heightened environmental awareness: 1) Energy conservation criteria were added to cabin inspection program. Campers 1) learned about the development of biofuels and local uses; 2) hot water tanks were professionally serviced so less water was wasted waiting for water to heat; 3) toilets were replaced with new low flow models; 4) lighting was upgraded at several camps; 5) campers were given or required to bring reusable water bottles at several camps; and 6) composting and recycling was implemented or intensified at several camps. Approximately 1,600 campers attend these camps each summer, all experiencing increased environmental awareness.

Biofuels Workshops (statewide). Workshops were held on Tuesday, December 18, 2012, at the NYS Experiment Station, Geneva, NY. “Cooperative Extension Agricultural Bioenergy and Bioproducts Education Workshop” for STEM educators and Extension staff in the agricultural, environmental, and natural resource disciplines delivered content, but provided feedback for developing engaging activities that may be useful and usable. “Farming Wood for Heat and Biofuels” workshop included content on biomass growth and harvesting, bioheat, policy and economics.

The bulk of our continuing education sustainability courses are delivered through the Cornell Cooperative Extension System located in all counties across the state. The "courses" documented here are non-credit instructional activities that take various forms including local workshops, guided tours, field demonstrations, and public meetings. Topical areas include global food security and hunger, climate change, sustainable energy, food safety, childhood obesity and nutrition and youth, family and communities. The source of this data is our internal annual program activity reporting system.