Historically, students have been catalysts for change, rocking the status quo and challenging authority. Cornell stands in the middle of this tradition, as student organizations are active and productive throughout campus. Cornell's efforts to move towards a sustainable future cannot come only from the top down. The thoughtful activism and energy of student groups is a crucial part of helping the university address this great challenge. Note that groups meet only while school is in session, (September through May).
While the following list provides a pretty fair picture of the groups that are out there (as of Spring '07), student groups are constantly materializing, disappearing, and merging. Search here for other student groups that are not listed on this page.
Greeks Go Green
The Greek community at Cornell represents over 30% of the undergraduate population and represents one of the strongest and most viable routes to help the university achieve its sustainability goals. To help with this initiative, the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Letter Council (MGLC), and Panhellenic Association have started the Greeks Go Green campaign. This initiative organizes the chapters into three different groups, and each group works on collectively on one environmental goal (but applies it to their specific house).
This initiative provides resources and programs that collaborate with the Ithaca community and help educate chapter members about sustainability. For more information, go to the website: http://dos.cornell.edu/dos/greek/info_for_students/greeksgogreen/index.cfm.
Sustainability Hub
The Cornell Sustainability Hub is a student-run organization dedicated to promoting and furthering the sustainability of our campus. The Hub is a coordinating body for a number of students and pre-existing organizations which seeks to aid them in the development of their goals and campaigns. It serves as a meeting place for various efforts, and an outreach committee focuses on publicizing their achievements to the Cornell community. Through the framework of the Hub, students have a chance to realize their visions of what Cornell could do to make itself more sustainable. The Hub is an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to collaborate to make our university a better place.
photo courtesy of University Photography
Kyoto NOW!
Kyoto NOW! hopes to educate students on campus about renewable energy and global warming, moving them towards action to make our campus a more energy sustainable place. Kyoto NOW! was instrumental in the recent decision to move Cornell towards climate neutrality, and will continue to be engaged in the process of reaching these goals.
Society for Natural Resources Conservation (SNRC)
The Society for Natural Resources Conservation is dedicated to protecting and preserving the natural world all around us from a wide variety of threats, in desperate hope of passing a better world onto the children of this global village. They recognize that our environment faces perils on almost every front but particularly concentrate their efforts on forest issues – such as recycled paper, paper use reduction, FSC wood certification.
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)
ESW seeks to engage engineers in reducing poverty by improving environmental, social, and economic sustainability worldwide.
ESW’s goals are to:
- Mobilize engineers to address the unique challenges of developing communities and to promote global sustainability.
- Build social capital by creating multi-sector partnerships and increasing local ownership of community development programs.
- Educate a generation of engineers to have greater understanding of global issues and the ways technology can be employed for human progress.
- Promote a positive image of engineering through outreach, service, and international goodwill.
Sustainable Enterprise Association (SEA)
The Sustainable Enterprise Association inspires, enables, and supports students from all disciplines to explore the theories and applications of sustainable enterprise through discussion groups, business planning, consulting projects, lecturers, internships, and conferences. SEA brings together students interested in exploring the intersection of non-profit, business, and government. They engage students in thinking about a double or triple bottom-line that creates social and environmental value, and provide hands-on opportunities for students who want to be socially responsible members of their communities.
Cornell University Renewable Energy Society (CURES)
The Cornell University Renewable Energy Society (CURES) was created in 2002 as a forum for students, faculty, and staff who share an interest in renewable energy. As energy issues continue to command national and global attention, there has been an increasing interest on campus in cutting-edge renewable energy technology, as well as entrepreneurial and public efforts. Each semester, CURES organizes a lecture series that brings academic, industry, and community leaders onto campus, to share their expertise and perspectives. CURES is also looking into other ways to support the Cornell community, and to create a strong and inclusive Society around the principles of sustainability and innovation.
Cornell Organization for Labor Action (COLA)
The Cornell Organization for Labor Action is a non-hierarchical organization of students committed to the struggle for economic justice. They contribute their energies not only to the labor movement within Ithaca, but also across the United States, and around the world. They have been involved with campaigns to unionize and secure contracts for workers in several different organizations, and were instrumental in moving Cornell toward the adoption of a socially responsible purchasing policy.
Cornell Students Against Sweatshops (CSAS)
Cornell Students Against Sweatshops is part of a national organization which organizes students to mobilize around social justice issues, specifically those concerning international labor and human rights violations. CSAS is active in educating students on international trade, policy, workplace conditions in sweatshops, and Cornell University's role as a solution to some of these problems. They recently were successful in gaining Cornell’s support for a “Designated Suppliers Program” - a commitment that all of Cornell’s licensed apparel will be sourced from factories which pay their workers a living wage, and support workers’ rights.
Tzedek: Jewish Social Justice
Tzedek: Jewish Social Justice is the Jewish community service and social action group at Cornell University. They seek social justice through a combination of direct service, grassroots organizing, advocacy, and awareness.
Farm to Cornell
Farm to Cornell (F2C) was established by students actively seeking to promote and strengthen sustainable food systems - from farm to fork. The group began working with Cornell Dining in Fall 2005 to increase procurement of locally grown food in campus dining halls. Since then, Dining's supply of NYS produce has increased significantly, and Farm to Cornell has continued meeting regularly with Dining and its produce supplier, Ithaca Produce. Other F2C projects include facilitating the creation of an on-campus food venue specializing in sustainable options, and educating the Cornell community about related issues through community potlucks, events, and informational materials. The group is now looking to expand by soliciting broader representation from stakeholders across campus. By building a more diverse social network, F2C hopes to realize our shared vision for a healthy, equitable, and delicious food system.
New World Agriculture and Ecology Group (NWAEG)
NWAEG is an international organization that analyzes the problems of contemporary agriculture and ecology in order to develop and implement alternatives, mostly in the Americas. We base our work on the premise that the recurrent problems of the human condition, including hunger, poverty, disease, and war, result from power differences between classes. The purpose of our Cornell chapter is to provide a forum for Cornell and local community members to meet and discuss issues and current questions related to this overall theme. Group members are educated through meetings that use books, short readings, videos and expert presentations to stimulate discussion. We use educational functions such as presentations to inform non-members of the general public.
Dilmun Hill: Student-Run Organic Farm
Dilmun Hill exists to provide experiential learning opportunities and educational facilities for Cornell students, faculty, staff and the local community in the exploration of sustainable food and agricultural systems. They explore sustainable agricultural systems through the production of fruit, vegetables and ornamental crops using ecologically sensitive and economically viable practices. The two student managers also run an on-campus farm stand, in order to promote the consumption of local foods and encourage a healthful, well-balanced diet.
Friends of the MacDaniels Nut Grove
The Friends of MacDaniels Nut Grove is a student and community organization dedicated to restoring Cornell's demonstration forest farm and advancing its role in agroforestry education. The group coordinates regular hands-on educational events and site improvement workshops at the Nut Grove – such as mushroom inoculation, tree planting and thinning, forest medicinal cultivation and small fruit production.
Cornell Computer Reuse Club
The Cornell Computer Reuse Club aims to use the university's computer resources to their fullest by taking computers from the various labs once they are no longer in use and giving them to the community so that other students in Ithaca and the surrounding area can have access to the same benefits of computer technology.
Teva
Teva is Cornell's Jewish-environmental-outdoor club. Join us for good times outdoors, lots of fun, and some environmental activism!
Ecology House: Roots and Shoots
This group is based out of the residential program house – the Ecology House. This young group seeks to foster an appreciation and love for the natural world through learning, caring, and interaction with the environment, thus working towards positive change.
