Cornell University Cornell Sustainable Campus

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 snapshot of the groups that are out there. Student groups are constantly materializing, disappearing, and merging. Search here for other student groups that are not listed on this page.

Aguaclara
The objectives of this organization shall be: 1: Raise awareness of the AguaClara Project based in Civil and Environmental Engineering Department 2: Raise world wide water issues among communities 3: Provide forum for communication between community 4: Provide volunteering opportunities related to the project without enrolling into the class The AguaClara team at Cornell University is conducting basic research to create robust technologies for drinking water treatment that will be sustainable during the coming energy transitions.

Big Red Bikes
Big Red Bikes is a collaborative effort of undergraduate students to establish a bike share program on Cornell's campus that is accessible, sustainable, and free of charge for every Cornellian.

Collegetown ART
Collegetown ART (Art, Recycling, and Trash cans) is a project of the Sustainability Hub, a student group devoted to projects for a more sustainable campus and community.

Cornell Computer Reuse Association
The Cornell Computer Reuse Association 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.

Cornell Global Development Club
The Mission of the club is to facilitate dialogue and engagement among faculty, graduate and undergraduate students across the Cornell Community about Global Development. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent, boundaries dissolve as technology spreads, and cultural exchanges become commonplace, we hope to encourage informed and compassionate attitudes and actions in a rapidly changing context.

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 Organization for Resource Efficiency (CORE)
The Cornell Organization for Resource Efficiency exists as a newly formed volunteer hub for students interested in helping with sustainability efforts on campus. Members will be updated on opportunities during the semester and will work directly with CORE during Orientation and other organized events.

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.

CU Compost Club
CU Compost is a student organization that aims to expand and promote compost practices on Cornell's campus and in Collegetown. The ultimate goal of CU Compost is to eliminate trash on Cornell campus, and to divert all of the waste that is generated toward composting and recycling streams. The group also aims to significantly reduce the quantity of trash made in the Collegetown community. At the moment, there is no other group on campus that is dedicated specifically to issues of composting. Since Cornell aims to be a sustainable campus, we are hoping to move the waste stream in this direction, for example by working to improve the ease of composting and by increasing the number of composting bins.

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.

CUSD: CU Sustainable Design
CUSD utilizes an interdisciplinary, research-based approach in design and innovation to create resilient structures in the built environment and realize a future of ecological, social, and economical Sustainability.

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.

Design, Engineering, Education and Development (DEED)
An interdisciplinary group dedicated to social design and engineering. We work with developing communities towards social equity and sustainability.

EcoRep Program
The program is a way for students to get involved in their community and contribute to Cornell's commitment to eliminate all campus carbon emissions by 2050. Go to our website to find out more and to volunteer.

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.

Environmental Law Society
The Environmental Law Society advances educational opportunities for students in the area of environmental law and raises environmental awareness by hosting speakers and workshops, organizing community service activities, and promoting sustainability on campus. ELS will be hosting a campus-wide conference on energy in Spring 2011. For more information, go to the website: http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/research/ELS/2011-energy-conference/Environmental-Law-Society.cfm

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.

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.

Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Sustainability Committee The Sustainability Committee is a newly established committee in the GPSA that implements sustainability initiatives inspired and led by graduate students. Recent projects include Lights Off Cornell which saves energy in campus buildings and the Bring Your Own Mug campaign which provides reusable, compostable mugs at the Big Red Barn.

The Committee is currently looking for new graduate student members. For more information check out the GPSA website: http://assembly.cornell.edu/GPSA/Home .

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.

JGSM Sustainable Dining Initiative
The Johnson School Sustainable Dining Initiative focuses on making the Johnson School dining operations more sustainable such as the promotion of reusable travel mugs. For more information, go to the website: http://sao.cornell.edu/SO/org/10-11/854

JGSM Energy Club
The Johnson School Energy Club promotes the placement of Johnson School students in energy related fields. Members are interested in both traditional and renewable energy companies and technologies. The club organizes opportunities to discuss current energy events and trends through industry speakers, Energy 101 sessions, movie screenings, and socials. Members usually participate in a variety of energy case competitions throughout the US during the academic year. For more information, go to the website: http://forum.johnson.cornell.edu/students/orgs/energy/index.html

JGSM ble Global Sustainable Enterprise Club
The Sustainable Global Enterprise Club, the Johnson School's Net Impact Chapter (SGE club), focuses on the intersection of business and sustainability. The club hosts a variety of speaker events, company visits, conference calls, forums, social events, the annual SustaInvest Portfolio Pitch Competition, and conferences spearheaded by 11 affinity groups including, e.g., Sustainable Hospitality, Sustainability Consulting, and Social Enterprise and Microfinance. The SGE Club forms a tight-knit community and its members are very active in the school and larger community. - For more information, go to the website: http://sao.cornell.edu/SO/org/10-11/137

Johnson Sustainable Global Enterprise
To provide the Cornell community with opportunities to become aware of and get involved with Base of the Pyramid initiatives including microfinance, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable global enterprise through speakers, events and special projects.

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.

Lights Off Cornell
Lights Off Cornell is an energy conservation initiative which aims to reduce wasted electricity at Cornell by engaging student volunteers in turning off lights after hours. The way the program works is: our organization uses a website (lightsoff.cornell.edu) to schedule and assign pairs of volunteers to turn off lights in designated buildings.

New World Agriculture and Ecology Group (NWAEG)
NWAEG focuses on promoting sustainability through food systems by increasing sustainable agriculture education, promoting local foods being served on campus and composting, supporting Dilmun Hill (organic student-led farm on campus), and supporting education in agroecology and sustainable food systems - For more information, visit the website: http://www.rso.cornell.edu/nwaeg/

Roots and Shoots at Cornell
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Take Back the Tap
Take Back the Tap is an initiative of the Sustainability Hub at Cornell to reduce the supply and demand of bottled water on campus. The "Take Back the Tap" Campaign recognizes that the access to clean water is a fundamental human right and that water is a vital natural resource which should not be commodified and sold for exorbitant profits.

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.

100+ MPG Car
The Cornell 100+ MPG Team is made up of over 55 students from many different educational backgrounds, some of which include engineering, architecture, biology, and economics. These groups are currently using a systems engineering approach to design an automobile that will push the limits of efficiency, feature a distinctive and unique aesthetic, and be commercially viable in the marketplace.

Teva
Teva is Cornell's Jewish-environmental-outdoor club. Join us for good times outdoors, lots of fun, and some environmental activism!

U.S. Green Building Council- (USGBC)
The purpose of the Cornell University Student Organization of the USGBC shall be: To foster scientific study and research in the field of environmentally sustainable building and design; To develop and disseminate knowledge in sustainable building research and design to all interested Cornell University students to create a student network of knowledge and expertise; To improve the methods and design of sustainable buildings; To develop better public understanding and appreciation of the challenges and solutions posed by improved sustainable building practices by undertaking relevant projects and conducting educational workshops for the Cornell community; and To promote understanding, adoption and use of sustainable building practices across the Cornell University community.

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