09/12/2025
To have a campus be sustainable, it takes a lot of support from both on and off campus. To connect students with some operations that occur in the city of Cortland, eight of the Green Reps attended a tour of Cortland organizations focused on different elements of sustainability on Saturday, September 6th.
The tour entailed the Cortland County Recycling Center, how donations get processed at Cortland ReUse, and finishing with a picnic lunch and garden tour at Lime Hollow Nature Center.
“Community and relationships are at the heart of sustainability,” stated Megan Swing energy and sustainability engagement coordinator and supervisor to the Green Reps. “Allowing the students to see the bigger picture of how these systems work while making connections with those leaders seemed like a great way to start the semester”.
The group started with a tour of the recycling center, led by Chris Spadolini, recycling coordinator. The Green Reps saw the process of sorting and compacting the different materials that come to the site, and also the sheer size and volume of what is recycled. “It was so amazing to see all of what goes into breaking down recycled products and learning how to properly dispose of cardboard, papers, plastics, batteries, fluorescent lights, and even old technology!”, Kat Wilburn, a returning Green Rep, declared, “I think everyone should tour the recycling facility to truly grasp how Cortland County handles recyclables and how you can help.”
Cortland ReUse, community partner of the Red Dragon ReUse donation collection and sale, was the next stop. For many Green Reps, this was their first time at the store. Tommy Page, Director of Materials Flow / Back of House Manager, showed students the process of donating an item to have it be on the floor to sell. “It’s good to see that a local business is running a thrift store so ethically and sustainably,” said Wilburn.
Finally, the group ended at Lime Hollow Nature Center with a picnic lunch, accompanied by a campfire, followed by a tour of the community garden and greenhouse led by Drew Norton, land steward and SUNY Cortland graduate student in outdoor recreation.
While it was a rainy and cool day, the students’ spirits weren’t dampened, they were enlightened and ready to start another semester full of programming. Wilburn reflected on the experience, “this training provided amazing outlooks on how the city of Cortland practices sustainability through many forms. We encourage everyone to explore all the aforementioned areas and continue to support local organizations!” 