As part of recognizing global Earth Day on April 22, Ithaca College’s School of Business, IC Impact, IC Eco Reps and Wegmans will be hosting the college’s annual Sustainability Week from April 22 to April 29.
This week will include a series of events and guest speakers. It is designed to educate the college community about environmental issues and social responsibility to drive awareness, change behavior and reduce the college’s environmental footprint — the effects that the college has on the environment through pollution and emissions.
Junior Daniel Zuberman, co-president of IC Impact, helped coordinate many of the events scheduled for Sustainability Week. He said he is most excited for the final event of the week — a talk by Stephen Ritz, an educator from the Bronx who founded the Green Bronx Machine, which is an organization that teaches K-12 students how to grow their own vegetables.
“I always describe Stephen Ritz as the oldest fifth grader you’ll ever meet in your life,” Zuberman said. “He’s very entertaining, but he also has so much energy that when I first heard him speak at a conference I went to last October in Phoenix, Arizona, he had me up on my feet.”
Junior Peter Mankiewich, vice president of marketing for IC Impact and coordinator of Sustainability Week, said that having these events is crucial for the college community because they will give community members an idea of how various people and companies are being environmentally friendly. These events will also allow them to apply these tactics to their own lifestyles to reduce the individual and overall environmental footprints on the environment in which they live.
“As business students, or really anyone who’s at a college, sustainability is just something that is important to, at the very least, be aware of,” Mankiewich said. “The way our society is structured, business is really what runs most of our social framework. Hearing from these different speakers and those who are involved in companies that focus heavily on sustainability initiatives is really important for anyone to hear.”
All students, faculty and staff members can sign up for these following programs on Facebook and IC Engage.
10:30 a.m., Monday, April 22, Atrium in the Dorothy D. and Roy H. Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprises and Textor Hall
IC Impact Sustainability Fair
Local businesses and organizations will be tabling and providing information and engaging activities focused on sustainability. Approximately 15 local businesses will be in attendance.
12:10 p.m., Tuesday, April 23, Room 111 in the Dorothy D. and Roy H. Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprises
Sustainability Colloquium
There will be student presentations focused around topics in sustainability.
7 p.m., Wednesday, April 24, Room 111 in the Dorothy D. and Roy H. Park Center for Sustainable Enterprises
Industry Panel Talk: “Making an Impact”
Three panelists will speak about sustainability in their organizations, including a representative from Wegmans and Jeffrey Furman, former board of directors member of Ben & Jerry’s.
5:30 p.m., Thursday, April 25, Textor 101
Natalie Mahowald: Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees Celsius
Natalie Mahowald is one of the lead authors on the 2018 United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change special report, “Global Warming of 1.5 degrees C.”
3 p.m., Friday, April 26, Terrace Dining Hall
Vegetarian Cooking Workshop
Students will have the opportunity to view a vegetarian cooking demonstration and try the food.
5 p.m., Friday, April 26, Textor 101
Sustaining Compassion for Social Service and Activism Public Talk
John Makransky, associate professor in the Theology Department at Boston College, developed a sustainable compassion training (SCT) that adapts a pattern of contemplative practice seen across faith traditions into a secular and interreligious form aligned with areas of social psychology and neuroscience.
Sponsors include IC Mindfulness and Wellness Initiative Working Group; Office of the Provost; Department of Media, Arts, Sciences and Studies; Roy H. Park School of Communications; Center for Faculty Excellence; and Office of Religious & Spiritual Life.
9:30 a.m., Saturday, April 27, Muller Chapel
Pre-workshop Yoga, Meditation and Tea
Stretch your body, have a tea and meditate before the half-day Sustaining Compassion Workshop starting at 10 a.m.
10 a.m., Saturday, April 27, Muller Chapel
Sustaining Compassion for Social Service and Activism Workshop
John Makransky, associate professor of Buddhism and comparative theology at Boston College, offers a half-day workshop based on his Sustainable Compassion Training model that adapts a pattern of contemplative practice seen across faith traditions into a secular and interreligious form aligned with areas of social psychology and neuroscience. Advanced registration required.
10 a.m., Saturday, April 27, Ithaca College Natural Lands
Sugar Bush Open House
South Hill Non-Timber Forest Products’ Sugar Bush Open House offers delicious pancakes, sugar bush tours and homemade maple syrup. Shuttles will be running from the front of the Roy H. Park School of Communications to the sugar bush throughout the event.
12 p.m., Sunday, April 28, Ithaca College Natural Lands
Natural Lands Trail Clean Up
Come explore, experience and give back to the beautiful Natural Lands. Help with trail maintenance and cleanup, and then discuss our connection with natural spaces hosted by the Conservation Psychology class. Free snacks and raffle prizes to celebrate a job well done!
1 p.m., Sunday April 28, Campus Center Quad
Sustainability and Arts Fair
IC Eco Reps host a music and arts fair featuring live music, art for purchase, crafts and activities.
7 p.m., Monday, April 29, Athletics and Events Center
Stephen Ritz: Live and Learn in a Greener CommunityStephen Ritz, entrepreneur, innovator, visionary and founder of the Green Bronx Machine, will be speaking about how his green teaching methods have changed lives and the community in the South Bronx.
