SUNY Cortland’s commitment to sustainability didn’t appear overnight, it’s been built slowly, intentionally, and collaboratively over nearly two decades.
According to sustainability committee members Chris Pecone, Matthew Brubaker, and Megan Swing, today’s progress reflects years of planning, problem solving, and adapting to new challenges. “It’s a journey, not a destination,” Chris said. And on this journey, Cortland continues to evolve.
The campus’s earliest sustainability momentum began around 2007, when the Office of Operations started tackling energy use. By 2012, Cortland made one of its most visible leaps forward: on site solar energy. Not long after, dining services began evaluating food and water waste, eventually paving the way for the high tech tracking systems in use today. What began as simple data collection has grown into a system that identifies why waste happens and how to prevent it, supported by weekly and monthly conversations across dining teams.
In the early years, sustainability efforts were shaped by what the committee could address quickly. “We focused on the easy things first,” Brubaker explained. Improvements to lighting, heating efficiency, and natural gas use were among the first wins. Those early changes worked, natural gas waste has fallen from roughly 25 percent to about 10 percent today.
Students also played a major role. The Green Rep program helped educate residents on recycling and responsible habits, while student interest pushed dining to introduce composting much earlier than other SUNY campuses. Neubig Dining Hall even opened with composting systems built in, a forward-thinking move at the time. Today, all food waste from Bistro is composted in-house and later used as fertilizer on local farms.
Cortland’s sustainability work also aligns with statewide and national standards. The campus participates in New York State sustainability guidelines and the STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) program, recently earning a silver rating. Strengths include student engagement, faculty involvement, responsible purchasing, and innovative food waste monitoring. The next goal is ambitious: reaching gold status by 2028.
That doesn’t mean the path has been smooth. Student reactions to certain initiatives, like limiting straws or adopting Meatless Mondays, have been mixed. But the committee believes education is key. “It’s about re-education,” Brubaker said, pointing out that small everyday choices, such as opening windows while the heat is on, can have major energy impacts. Dining faces a similar challenge: encouraging more sustainable eating without making students feel pressured. As Chris put it, “Sometimes it’s just about splitting the difference—more chicken and vegetables, a little less red meat.”
Many of Cortland’s upcoming sustainability projects may not be immediately visible, but their impact will be significant. Corey Union is transitioning to a fossil-free heating system, eliminating natural gas use altogether. SUNY’s new single-use plastic ban is prompting major changes in purchasing—from gloves to drink containers. Future plans include on-campus composting, improved oil-recycling systems, allergen-safe dining, and continued reductions in disposable plastics.
Whether through recycling, biking, shopping local, or joining programs like Green Reps, students play a crucial role. As the committee emphasized, sustainability at Cortland is a community effort—and the journey continues with everyone on board.