Sustainability
The mission of Brooklyn College's sustainability initiative is to create an overarching culture of sustainability throughout the entire campus community by raising awareness of, engagement in and commitment to reducing our carbon footprint through campus-based education, research, operations, community-based collaboration, and service. Our sustainability planning will take special recognition of the constraints, opportunities, and responsibilities attendant with our urban location in one of the most densely populated cities in the United States.
To advance this mission, in 2010 the college convened the Brooklyn College Sustainability Council and the Provost's Task Force on City-Based and Sustainability Education to evaluate sustainability on campus and make recommendations for improvements in seven pillar areas:
- Waste Management and Recycling
- Water
- Energy
- Procurement
- Food and Nutrition
- Transportation
- Outreach and Education
Goals for advancement in each of these areas are included in Brooklyn College's 10-Year Sustainability Plan.
This plan guides the college's green initiatives, in conjunction with the CUNY Sustainability Initiative and PlaNYC and in partnership with businesses, government, regional and citywide organizations.
Conferences, Workshops, Webinars, and Events
- March 31, 12:30-2 p.m.: Green Business Internship/Career Event: Ian Edeson, Manager, Global Corporate Communication, Corporate Affairs, The Estée Lauder Companies, New York, NY and BC graduate. Register in advance for this meeting.
- April 5, 12-2 p.m.: Brooklyn College Earth Month Fair. This event is co-sponsored with student clubs (NYPIRG & Sustainability Student Club) and USS Student Government. Around 20 organizations will be represented including the Urban Soils Lab where community members can have their soil screened for free (pdf). Soil can be checked for lead and other toxic metals. Limit to one sample per person, and up to 50 samples. Please bring soil in ziplock plastic bags.
- April—all month: Make a Wish for a Plastic-free Ocean. Campus Sustainability Council is asking the campus to deposit rinsed/clean straws, cutlery, plastic cup tops and other small single-use-plastics in one of the signed clear bins near dining services. The deposited plastics will be collected as part of a mini-audit on single use plastic generation on campus. The collection bin will also have educational information posted on alternatives to single-use-plastics.
- April—multiple dates: Say No to Plastic in Your Next Meal. Campus Sustainability student interns will work with student volunteers to conduct tabling throughout the month. The table will showcase the “make a wish for a plastic-free ocean” bin and will show students easy ways to make the switch to reducing plastics consumption when shopping, bringing lunch from home, dining out, or storing leftovers.
- April 5-6, 2022: NYS Organics Summit (Hybrid Event)
- April 14, 2022: 50 Years of Sustainability – Looking Backward, Looking Forward
- April 25-26, 2022: ICEPR 2022: International Conference on Environmental Pollution and Remediation
Sustainability News
- Postcards from Earth’s climate futures
The latest United Nations climate report shows what the world stands to lose as temperatures tick upwards. But it also reveals how much can still be saved. - Mayor Adams Announces Appointments of Climate Leadership Team, Streamlines Multiple City Environmental Agencies Into One
NYC Mayor Adams announced the appointments of his climate leadership team that will focus on environmental protection and environmental justice across the city. - New York State Governor Kathy Hochul Signs Legislation to Reduce and Manage Waste in New York State
Hochul signed legislation to encourage the elimination and use of certain single-use plastic items on SUNY and CUNY campuses.
GreenThumb GrowTogether Conference
Save the date for the 38th Annual GreenThumb GrowTogether Conference taking place in February and April 2022! This year's theme is Deeply Rooted: Growing Community Connections. This will be a free two-part series: virtual panels and webinars will be hosted for a week in February and hands-on workshops and activities will take place in the spring in multiple community gardens.
Part I
GrowTogether Conference (Virtual)
Saturday, February 19–Saturday, February 26, 2022
Part II
GrowTogether Conference (In-person)
Monday, April 18–Sunday, April 24, 2022
Location: Various community gardens throughout the city
Returning Safely Together - Greening Initiative
Returning to campus provides lots of opportunities to go green. Campus Sustainability has a few sustainable tips for your office space that are easy to implement and will make a considerable difference over time.
Brooklyn College Farm Share (Farm2Campus)
Corbin Hill Food Project and Brooklyn College: Flexible, Affordable, Convenient
Check out Corbin Hill Food Project's new Rotating Add-Ons, each week new items are for sale at select sites. At this time, campus distributions are cancelled.
Please visit the Corbin hill Food Project website and this space for updates. Read our feature in The Brooklyn College Vanguard.
The Princeton Review’s Green Colleges
Back-to-back! Brooklyn College makes the list of The Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges: 2022 Edition. Brooklyn College is also recognized in The Princeton Review's 2022 Best Colleges: Region by Region, Best Value & The Best Colleges: 2022 Edition websites as one of the best colleges in the Northeast.
The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges presents information on each school's use of renewable energy, its recycling and conservation programs, the availability of environmental studies in academic offerings, and career guidance for green jobs. The Princeton Review is an education services company known for its tutoring, test-prep, books, and other student resources. Headquartered in New York City, it is not affiliated with Princeton University.
AASHE STARS Report
Tracking our performance on sustainability-related metrics helps us recalibrate make improvements, inspire accountability and new opportunities, and engage the campus and prospective students.
This year Campus Sustainability, with assistance from our on campus partners, submitted the first Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) report, from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
Brooklyn College earned a "Reporter" designation creating a baseline for future submissions.
