From Marcia Eames-Sheavly:
We have great news! Sustainable Tompkins, a non-profit dedicated to advancing regional sustainability, has acknowledged the work of our Garden-Based Learning Program as one of this year’s Signs of Sustainability in our community.
The citation is for the Youth Grow Summit we held on campus last summer, which focused on developing youth leadership around local and just food systems.
Youth Grow is a leadership program for high-school aged youth that provides them with the training and tools to become leaders in creating sustainable local food systems.
As we are well aware, young people can play multiple and important roles in the creation of sustainable community food systems: as key consumers, as future leaders, and increasingly, as agents of change. The goal of Youth Grow is to support youth in getting involved in this national movement so that their engagement can produce meaningful and effective change in their own communities, and serve as motivation for others to the same.
Our Youth Grow activities are nearly complete, and soon will be available at our garden-based learning website.
Also recognized:
- Cornell’s greenhouses for their plastic recycling program. After plastic pots become unusable, they will be recycled and the plastic used to fabricate ice scrapers, rakes, brooms, bike racks, and other products. See Plastic pot recycling makes Cornell greenhouses greener.
- The Forest Farming open house, hosted by the Department of Horticulture, where participants engaged in hands-on activities, including mushroom inoculation, harvesting nuts from tall trees, and container production of ornamental plants.
- David Wolfe, who won a $4.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help corn producers reduce their carbon emissions and improve net profits.
View all Signs of Sustainability.