12/05/2024
As the Green Reps wrap up an engaging semester, we are including articles from each Green Rep answering the big question: "What would you like everyone at SUNY Cortland to know?"
Waste management at Cortland
By Nuala Seabrook
As SUNY Cortland continues to prioritize sustainability, reducing campus waste plays a huge part.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American generates about 4.9 pounds of waste per day, much of which ends up in landfills. Although SUNY Cortland is ranked high on the sustainability scale, there is still much work to be done. One of the most important things the SUNY Cortland community can do to reduce waste is to recycle!
It is important to note what can and cannot be recycled in Cortland County. The Green Reps have done lots of work on trying to better communicate the type of recycling we are looking for in Cortland County. Here, types 1, 2 and 5 are accepted at the Cortland Recycling Center. You can find what type of plastic you have by looking at the number inside the triangular ‘chasing arrow’ symbol, typically on the back or bottom of the item. Make sure it is clean and dry at the time of disposal with no lids/caps/tops. Incorrect disposal, such as tossing food-contaminated items in recycling bins, can render an entire batch of recyclables unusable.
If you are uncertain if your containers can be recycled, check signage in your trash room and around campus to better understand what types of containers can be recycled on campus. If you have questions or want to help out, follow @cortland.greenreps for more information! Happy Recycling!
Photo Credit: Nuala Seabrook
Photo credit: Experience Cortland
Consider our community: the Tioughnioga River
By Fiona Joss
Nestled in the heart of Cortland, the Tioughnioga River is a gem for the community.
The river provides a serene spot for fishing, kayaking, and simply soaking up nature. But beneath its surface lies a growing concern: pollution.
Over the years, the river has faced challenges from agricultural runoff, urban stormwater, and litter, which threaten its health and the ecosystems that depend on it. One major culprit is nutrient runoff, also known as eutrophication. Phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizers cause huge issues. These nutrients may help crops grow, but in our waterways, they fuel harmful algal blooms, which deplete oxygen and can harm fish and aquatic plants.
Cortland’s position in an agricultural region makes this an ongoing battle, especially during heavy rains that wash fertilizers and other pollutants into the river. Urban stormwater is also a major polluter. Rainwater rushing over roads, parking lots, and sidewalks carries oil, trash, and chemicals into the river.
We’re lucky to have organizations like Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District working on solutions, but it’s not enough to keep the Tioughnioga River clean. Efforts can be made on the individual level, starting small: picking up litter, reducing fertilizer use, and planting native vegetation to absorb runoff. Bigger steps include investing in more green infrastructure, like rain gardens and permeable pavements.
The Tioughnioga River needs to be protected, not just for the fish and wildlife that call it home, but for future generations of Cortland residents and those that live downstream.
Photo source: Climate Countdown
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
The climate clock is ticking
By Tiana Schelble
We have four years, 242 days and 18 minutes as of when this was written to put efforts towards the irreversible damage we are forcibly instilling upon the planet, according to The Climate Clock.
For some of us, this is right when we’re graduating. For others, it could be the start of our career, nevertheless this is only the beginning of what our lives have in store for us.
In 4 years, the Earth will be at a critical point of no return as the ball starts rolling towards our own demise yet humankind pushed the ball.
We are the reason the ice caps are melting, and animals are dying. We are the reason species are becoming extinct, and our beaches are being flooded with plastic. This isn’t only a problem affecting mother nature, it has a direct impact on us.
According to earth.org, 94.4% of tap water in America contains plastic fibers. The trees we cut down, to use wastefully without remorse, provide us with the air we breathe. The land we take over removes habitats for the animals we eat and the insects we fear pollinate the plants we love.
Humans see environmental issues as a problem that can be left for another time, something to be set aside for someone else to solve, but the reality won’t hit till it’s too late. We are the generation that must make a change.
We are the last hope in protecting the safe haven which we call Earth, a place of beauty and wonder. If there is any hope in protecting such for our children or the generations to come, then we must act now.
We no longer have the luxury of waiting, of hoping someone else will take the steps needed. We have four years and in each second that passes more of the Earth is destroyed due to the cruel and greedy hands of mankind.