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Summer 2019 internship opportunities with Colgate’s Office of Sustainability and the Community Garden. The sustainability internships offer students hands-on experience advancing campus sustainability projects, while the garden internships focus on managing and promoting the organic community garden. Both positions provide valuable practical skills, meaningful engagement with sustainability, and require applications by April 14.

2018 marks Colgate’s tenth consecutive greenhouse gas inventory report.

Colgate’s “Carry Your Trash Week,” during which students, faculty, and staff carried all their non-food, non-hygiene waste for a week to raise awareness about personal trash production. The experience revealed how much waste individuals generate, increased mindfulness around everyday disposal habits, and inspired participants to adopt reusable alternatives, even though broader campus engagement was limited.

Heating is a major contributor to ���ճԹ�’s carbon emissions, accounting for over half of emissions in 2017. It outlines recent infrastructure upgrades that make campus heating more efficient and less carbon intensive, while emphasizing the important role students can play by adopting energy-saving habits. By being mindful of thermostat use and staying warm sustainably, students can help reduce both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Meet the S-Reps

The growing focus on carbon emissions globally and at ���ճԹ�. It highlights recent climate reports—the U.S. National Climate Assessment, the IPCC report, and the UN Emissions Gap Report—that warn of severe environmental, social, and economic impacts if emissions are not reduced. Colgate is actively working toward carbon neutrality by 2019. The university also hosted a panel of alumni involved in the National Climate Assessment to share insights on climate impacts and mitigation strategies.

���ճԹ� hosted the eighth annual State of New York Sustainability Conference (SoNYSC) from November 6–8, the first non-SUNY school to do so. With over 240 attendees, the conference focused on integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals into New York campuses through keynote speeches, student poster sessions, and concurrent presentations. Highlights included keynotes by SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson and Dr. Robin Kimmerer, sessions on campus sustainability initiatives, and a closing panel on leadership’s role in sustainability. The conference emphasized sustainability in its operations—offering carbon offsets, seed-paper name-tags, and biodegradable lanyards—and celebrated excellence with inaugural leadership awards. Overall, the event successfully inspired attendees and showcased innovative approaches to campus sustainability.

From October 2–4, Colgate students and staff attended the AASHE Conference and Expo in Pittsburgh, focused on “Global Goals: Rising to the Challenge.” Attendees presented Colgate’s sustainability initiatives, including student-run programs like campus apiaries, the S-Rep living-learning community, and the social recycling system UCan. Staff led workshops on sustainability communication and carbon offset strategies. The conference provided professional development, networking, and inspiration, helping participants bring new ideas for engaging the Colgate community in sustainable practices.

���ճԹ� has installed 16 Elkay water refill stations across campus, with more planned, to promote sustainable behavior and reduce single-use plastic waste. These stations, often added following student proposals, encourage reusable water bottle use, improve hydration, and provide better-tasting water. While tap water is safe, some students still prefer bottled water, highlighting room for further adoption. The initiative demonstrates Colgate’s commitment to sustainability and encourages ongoing student involvement in promoting environmentally friendly practices.

Meet the Interns 2018!