“Great
universities must continue to promote the spiritually satisfying coexistence
of people with one another and with our planet.”
Cornell President Jeff Lehman – Inauguration
Speech
October 16, 2003
“Cornell University recognizes that to ensure
the long-term viability of this planet, all elements of society must embrace
the responsibility of building sustainable futures. The Cornell community
pledges to promote sustainable futures through its educational activities,
improvements to its campus environment, its research and outreach activities,
and through environmentally responsible stewardship of all the resources
entrusted to its care.”
Cornell University and the Environment Statement
November 14, 1997
This pledge is just one piece of Cornell’s ongoing commitment to environmental excellence. As the Land-Grant institution of New York State, Cornell has an ideal foundation for actively addressing the relationship between human action and environmental impact. This website presents Cornell’s effort to promote the sustainability of the operations of its campuses and other natural resources under its care. These operational efforts, combined with the research coordinated by our Center for the Environment and various teaching and extension initiatives, form an integrated approach to sustainability.
Cornell has a strong environmental record, but this site is not simply a showcase of strongest programs and best practices. You will also find the initiatives that are just beginning, programs in need of improvement and re-design, and new ideas still waiting for support. Moving toward a sustainable future is an ongoing process of innovation and re-evaluation. We hope that this site displays an honest picture of the current situation at Cornell University and how we are charting a new course for improvement.
The information on this site has been compiled by the Environmental Compliance Office. However, the programs described are managed by the units indicated. To have your program featured on this site, send an email to ECO!
| Organizations & Policies |
| Pollution Prevention |
| Reduce, Reuse, Recycle |
| Energy |
| Transportation |
| Green Buildings |
| Natural Areas |
| News |
 |
Although we have much to do, Cornell is already leading the way:
- by committing to the goals of the Kyoto Protocol to bring campus green house gas emissions to 7% below 1990-levels by 2008.
- with the Lake Source Cooling project, which saves over 20 million kWh per year compared to the energy needs of conventional cooling systems, winning the Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention in 2001.
- through the stewardship of 3500 acres of land maintained by the Cornell Plantations
- through the recycling of more than 2000 tons of material per year
- with a Transportation Demand Management Program that reduces commuter demand for parking spaces and miles driven by providing efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to commuting via single-occupancy, personal vehicles
Through this site you can explore these and many other efforts that the Cornell community is making to push forward on the path of sustainability. You can find details on the policies of our administration, initiatives in energy conservation and green buildings, active student organizations, pollution prevention and waste reduction, transportation efforts, land stewardship, and more.
