| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 86.35 |
| Liaison | Lisa Kilgore |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2022 |
Cornell University
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Sarah
Carson Director, Campus Sustainability Office FS - Energy & Sustainability |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution’s sustainability efforts?:
Website URL for the central sustainability website:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter or social media platform that focuses specifically on campus sustainability?:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter or social media platform:
The Sustainable Cornell newsletter launched in spring 2020. This sustainability-focused newsletter is sent to the entire Cornell community (faculty, staff, and students) once every two months.
The Campus Sustainability Office also has a monthly newsletter that covers opportunities to Live, Lead, Learn, attend Events, read News, and participate in on-campus and off-campus experiences. Each headline in the newsblast links to a blog post on our website. Currently 6,000+ Cornellians are signed up for the newsletter and it is forwarded to several hundred more individuals through College and Unit communications staff and additional on-campus e-lists. The same news stories are also posted to Facebook and Twitter where we have more than 6,000 followers.
Sustainability is also featured in weekly "Your Cornell" newsletters sent to all faculty and staff.
Does the institution have signage that highlights sustainability features on campus?:
A brief description of the signage that highlights sustainability features on campus:
The many LEED Platinum and Gold buildings on the Cornell campus have various types of signage. For example, the Human Ecology Building has a comprehensive sign installed in the main lobby of the building to highlight the various green features.
Fernow Hall has signage outside of the hall to highlight the building's rain garden: https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/campus-initiatives/buildings-energy/green-buildings/fernow-hall
Additionally, there's outdoor signage like "Tall grass, no gas" to educate the community about why we have no-mow areas on campus.
Does the institution provide a sustainability walking map or tour?:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
The Sustainable Landscapes Trail is comprised of several sites around the Ithaca campus, all open to the public. Each stop has a marker that links to this website, explaining more about the sustainable features, development, and plantings at the site. The trail was launched in 2018, and features open spaces, natural areas, and landscapes with unique sustainability features which were designed with staff, student, and faculty or research collaboration, primarily in cooperation with the Plant Science Department.
https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/campus-initiatives/land-water/sustainable-landscapes-trail
Cornell has two interactive sustainability maps - one "Campus Sustainability Map" featuring sustainability "points of interest" and one "Campus Sustainable Waste Map" highlighting where Cornellians can drop off medicine, terracycle, compost, and recycle plastic film, batteries, and electronics. Layers from these maps are also included on Cornell's main campus map as a sustainability layer: http://www.cornell.edu/about/maps/
Water.cornell.edu features a PocketSites tour, which enables people to take a self-guided tour of water infrastructure on campus and in the City of Ithaca.
The Campus Sustainability Office provides Sustainable Campus Tours to groups upon request. Each year the office provides an average of eight "Green" Campus Tours to groups from around the world and across New York State. Additionally, dozens of tours annually are given of our solar farms, hydro plant, Lake Source Cooling Plant, and Combined Heat and Power Plant.
Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
A brief description of the guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Cornell's Guide to Living Sustainably is available online and via hardcopy (as requested). This guide is distributed widely during New Student Orientation and at key events throughout the year. Additionally, sustainability living tips are available online in downloadable poster format to post in residential communities; these are also distributed during RA Training in August.
https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/take-action/student-resources/student-green-guide
A brief description of other comprehensive sustainability outreach materials and publications not covered above:
The Cornell Chronicle is Cornell's daily news service, with regular coverage of sustainability assigned to two reporters. Currently, the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future is premiere location for all Cornell Chronicle stories on sustainability (see link below).
The Sustainable Campus news blog features "Sustainability Life Recipes" aimed to educate staff and faculty on how to bring sustainability home. The Sustainability Life Recipes are featured in Cornell's Your Cornell newsletters sent to all faculty and staff.
https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/take-action/employee-resources/save-green-home
Cornell Human Resources Environmental Wellbeing website has resources to help you make an impact on the quality of your work and home environments, community, and the world where we all live.
https://hr.cornell.edu/wellbeing-perks/environmental-wellbeing
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.