Cornell University
EN-2: Student Orientation

New Student Orientation at Cornell features several sustainability events including a Zero Waste Picnic, hiking tours with Nature RX, ECO Fall Fest (sustainability student organization fair -- representing graduate and undergraduate student orgs), and EcoRep Orientation volunteers at most orientation events. Cornell's Guide to Living Sustainably is also featured on the New Student website, and students are given steep discounts to purchase water bottles over the first 3 months (in collaboration with Take Back the Tap). The EcoRep volunteers managed composting and recycling education stations at every major event that served food throughout orientation week. RAs discuss key sustainability information during first community meetings, and staff from the Campus Sustainability Office were featured at Graduate Student Orientation events (resource fair and international students orientation). The Sustainability Engagement Manager also trains the PREPARE Orientation Staff on sustainability topics, in order to prep them to cover these topics with new international students on campus. A sample of the 2017 sustainability orientation events include: (1) Dump & Run Sale -- This annual sale is a green way to stock up on items for your new room. Consider shopping here first and see what you can reuse to reduce harm to the environment. All proceeds go to charity. (2) Camp Out for the Environment Meet and Greet Campfire -- The Ecology House invites new and returning students to join us in the backyard for the annual welcome back campfire and s’mores. Around the campfire, current Ecology House members will share stories and talk about ways you can get involved in the many projects and leadership opportunities offered in the Ecology House and on campus through environmental-themed student organizations. (3) Zero Waste Picnic -- Did you know that Cornell is the #1 greenest Ivy? Or that we are committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2035? Come celebrate your first day of classes by enjoying a Zero Waste Picnic hosted by the Campus Sustainability Office! Snack on local food while playing our waste diversion game, then test your knowledge with our “Family Feud: Climate Change edition” game and learn about Cornell’s cutting edge utilities and energy conservation initiatives (like our on-campus hydroelectric power plant, five solar farms, Lake Source Cooling via Cayuga Lake, Earth Source Heat, and more!). We look forward to meeting you! (4) ECO Fest -- Did you know that Cornell has reduced our carbon footprint by 33% since 2008 (50% total since 1990)? Come discover over 40+ student organizations at Cornell dedicated to creating meaningful, sustainable solutions to complex problems, ranging from reducing Cornell’s carbon footprint to building design to bee-keeping to pursuing renewable energy to providing clean water worldwide where it’s needed most to making valuable clothes and food more easily accessible to students on campus… and guess what, we need your help! This event is hosted by ECO (Cornell’s Environmental Collaborative) and the Campus Sustainability Office, and features student orgs, student leaders, faculty, and staff.