The new year is an opportunity to examine actions you can take to live more sustainably, make more environmentally conscious choices, and learn how to make real and lasting change. Cornell experts from different fields have shared their recommendations for individual actions – large and small – that can have an impact locally and globally.
Rise up and shine – compost your coffee
Steve Reiners, professor of horticulture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and chair of the horticulture department in the College of Integrative Plant Sciences, studies vegetable production, including the sustainability and profitability of the industry in New York State. Reiners offers advice that can become part of your daily routine:
Americans drink more than 400 million cups of coffee daily. That’s roughly 10 million pounds of ground coffee that ends up in landfills every day. Landfilled coffee grounds turn into more than 800,000 pounds of methane, a potent greenhouse gas worse than carbon dioxide.
“What can you do? If you make coffee at home, compost both the ground granules and the paper filter. No compost pile? Dry the granules and spread them out in your lawn or garden. It works as a slow-release fertilizer and contains about 2% nitrogen.”
“If you brew four cups at home each day, you’ll end up with 35 pounds of dry beans per year that can provide enough nitrogen for a 750-square-foot lawn for a year or a 300-square-foot vegetable garden. Plus Ground coffee adds carbon to the soil, where it nourishes the microbiome.”
Shop and dress elegantly to reduce plastic waste
Todd Walter, Professor of Biological and Environmental Engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, studies the interactions between hydrology, environment, and biochemistry, and the application of physical hydrology and water resource engineering to a wide range of interdisciplinary research interests, including the pollution of waterways and oceans by microplastics. Walter and PhD student Lisa Watkins share what we can do to reduce our plastic footprints:
“Almost all of us contribute to plastic pollution through the clothes we wear, commercial packaging, rugs, face masks, and many other things we consume. Unfortunately, recycling obviously does not work for most forms of plastic, and current technologies certainly cannot keep up with the amount The waste we produce.Therefore, the most direct solution to plastic pollution is to consume less overall – choose items with lower packaging or choose to buy used products and consider taking advantage of programs like Buy Nothing and Freecycle.
“Plastics, like climate change, are not disappearing in our lives, if they ever exist. Either way, lots of small changes will be needed to tackle problems. Be more aware of your plastic footprint and share it with your friends. The fibers in things like jackets and T-shirts are one of the most Microplastics are plentiful in the environment, so think carefully about how you will replace a fleece jacket – consider a more sustainable material like wool.When possible, avoid buying items that are heavily packed with plastic like bottled water, and try to reuse plastic packaging to avoid buying A new bag, bottle or jar.
Change begins with awareness and develops with behavioral modifications; Policies and trade will follow the actions of society.”
Tasha Lewis, Associate Professor of Fiber and Apparel Sciences Design in the Faculty of Human Ecology, studies sustainability, technology, and behavior in the fashion and apparel industry. Lewis encourages us to look into our closets and laundry rooms to live more sustainably:
“The New Year is an opportunity to revisit our wardrobes after pumping out new items received as gifts or purchased during the holiday sale season. Usage rate (number of times the dress is worn) is low, which is often driven by a large amount of clothing items in the wardrobe Editing and shopping for your wardrobe periodically can reveal items that you may have forgotten and allow you to discover if they can be paired with newer additions to your wardrobe.This can reduce the disposal and consumption rates of clothes, which outweigh the re-consumption rates Recycling There are also many resale sites where consumers can sell clothes they no longer want to wear.This is an alternative to disposing of clothes in a waste stream and an opportunity to earn income from unused clothes.
“We can also adopt more sustainable washing habits. Washing clothes with cold water and air drying can reduce energy consumption, which has been found to contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle of clothes.”
Know before you buy to protect endangered species
Angela Fuller, Professor of Nature Resources and Environment in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Head of the New York Collaborative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Environmental Studies and Human-Wildlife Coexistence. Fuller encourages travelers to be aware of the potential environmental impact of gifts and souvenirs:
“With a focus on travel abroad after the pandemic, avoid souvenirs made from endangered species. The illegal wildlife trade market often preys on unsuspecting tourists by selling products made from endangered species such as ivory, tortoise shells, reptile skins, and shark fins. Corals, teeth, bones, horns and claws.
“The International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red Threatened Species provides an indicator or measure of the state of global biodiversity. For example, more than 200 species of mammals and more than 400 species of reptiles are listed as critically endangered. Consumer demand in the United States helps some of these Species are fueling the illegal and unsustainable trade in wildlife products. Be aware of products that may be made from endangered species and make informed purchases.”
Building greener, building better with sustainable infrastructure
Felix Hazel, associate professor of architecture in the College of Architecture, Arts and Planning, recommends a shift in the way we design, build and manage our built environment, from linear resource consumption to circular material use:
“Buildings and infrastructure – throughout their entire life cycle – are responsible for more than 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions and more than 50% of solid waste production. In the United States alone, the sector produces more than 600 million tons of construction and demolition debris annually, i.e. Twice the amount of daily municipal waste The damage done to our economy, society and environment is enormous: demolition and landfill waste leads to the loss of carbon, water, labor and skill, as well as the social and historical values of materials and buildings.
“Circular construction addresses the direct reuse of materials and components that already exist, new design strategies that understand future buildings as warehouses of materials and the growth of new and alternative biological materials.
“There are no globally applicable solutions for the circular economy, but rather concepts and methodologies that require careful adaptation to local context and conditions. Ithaca’s ambitious Green New Deal and electrification program provide an ideal basis for paradigm change.”
Take local action, advocate for global impact
Catherine Kling, professor at Tisch University in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and faculty director at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, points out that individual action, while positive, is not enough to meet the challenges of climate change and the environment. maintain:
“My primary advice for individual action to live more sustainably is to very actively promote the change in federal policies that can create incentives and broad demands for environmental improvements. As much as we would all like to believe that our personal decisions in the family can solve the sustainable challenges we face, the truth is Most of these challenges require major changes from millions of people.Change at the needed level can realistically only happen with federal-level requirements and incentives.
“Vote, write letters to Congress, join advocacy groups pushing for good policies, volunteer in the out-of-vote efforts and then treat everyone kind.”
Nolan Lindvid is a Senior Strategic Communications Specialist in University Relations.