Welcome

Alternatives Federal Credit Union

 

Alternatives Federal Credit Union (Alternatives) is a regional cooperative Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), serving seventeen counties in New York’s Finger Lakes, Central, and Southern Tier regions. Since 1979, Alternatives has grown its impact by fulfilling a mission to build and protect wealth for people with diverse identities who have been historically marginalized by the financial industry, especially those with low wealth or identifying as Black, indigenous, or people of color.

• As a CDFI, we have always been guided by community needs, and we expect to see those needs continuing to change with a changing climate. We are dedicated to working with our community and partners to explore solutions and design financial products and services that will best support resiliency and stability for low to moderate income households and our small business members.

• Access to financing starts with account access. We aim to make the account opening process accessible for all, with options to open accounts online, as well as easy appointment scheduling for in-person or virtual account consultations. 
• Members and potential members can also easily:  
• Schedule appointments and consultations with our account services staff – for information on opening business, personal, or youth accounts, or simply seeking information (Spanish speaking appointments available). 
• Schedule appointments with our business services team – from technical assistance to lending consultations.
• To save on energy and transportation costs, we encourage our members to use our Digital Services, including Online Banking, Bill Pay, Mobile Banking and Remote Deposits. These and other services are available to members and member businesses and offer convenience, flexibility, and ease for completing their necessary and day-to-day transactions -- from anywhere. 

• AFCU is a leader in clean energy financing. We offer discounted loan rates for fuel-efficient vehicles, fund solar panel installations, and provide financing for green home improvements. In 2025 we continued to deliver financing supporting energy efficiency upgrades for our members, including for solar panels, heat pumps, weatherization services, and electric vehicles.
• Our rooftop solar panels continued to provide a substantial part of our electricity during the year and we also enjoyed use of solar powered lights in our parking lot. 

• Our facilities staff and the staff “Green Team” works on improving energy efficiency and reducing waste, including managing composting in the staff lunchroom, maintaining bottle filling stations to reduce single use plastic, and encouraging mindfulness regarding use of space heaters and extra lighting.   
• Many Alternatives staff work on a hybrid home/office work schedule, reducing the number of us commuting to work alone in gas fueled cars. Hybrid and remote work schedules for some of our staff have also reduced the overall energy consumption in the building due to fewer lights, small heaters, fans, computers, and other electronics running constantly throughout the day.

 

Center for Community Transportation

 

The Center for Community Transportation (CCT) envisions a community where travel by shared and active transportation is healthy, safe, affordable, and convenient for all.

 

CCT’s mission-focused services and programs include Ithaca Carshare, Bike Walk Tompkins, and Ithaca Bikeshare, emphasizing social equity and environmental sustainability in this era of new transportation options and emerging mobility trends.

 

CCT works with local transportation providers, educators, planners, decision-makers, advocates, and users to fulfill our mission of enhancing transportation access in our community while reducing its negative environmental and economic impacts. We work toward a dynamic and collaborative transportation sector that effectively identifies, advocates for, and provides solutions that serve our entire community.

 

Ithaca Carshare Reduces Our Community’s Carbon Footprint

In 2025, 67 of our new members self-reported they would either sell a car, avoid buying one, or avoid bringing one to Ithaca when joining Ithaca Carshare. For each personal-use car avoided there is a reduction of 3,700 Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) per driver. Assuming just one driver per vehicle, in 2025 Ithaca Carshare helped the community avoid 196,000 VMT just by reducing the number of cars on the road. This translates to 8,700 gallons of gasoline conserved.

 

In addition, Ithaca Carshare uses lighter, fuel efficient, hybrid, and Electric Vehicles all of which help to bring our fleet average gas usage (28.7 MPG) well above the national average (22.6 MPG). This brought us an additional gasoline savings of 2,350 gallons in 2025, bringing the exact total of gallons of gas saved to 11,032 for the year. After subtracting the gallons of gasoline that Ithaca Carshare used in 2025 (5,677), that means 5,355 fewer gallons of gasoline were used in our community.

 

The EPA has a webpage for converting gallons of gas into metric tons of carbon dioxide. By choosing Ithaca Carshare instead of buying a car, our members prevented a total of 48 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere (while saving a lot of money, too).

 

Put another way, this reduction in 48 metric tons of carbon dioxide equates to:

• 4 homes’ energy use for one year
• 9 homes’ electricity use for one year
• 110 barrels of oil consumed
• 2,186 propane cylinders used for home barbeques
• 52,864 pounds of coal burned
• 3,847,489 number of smartphones charged
• 7 acres of trees sequestering carbon in a year

 

Ithaca Carshare Membership in 2025

Ithaca Carshare membership plans are annual or monthly, and cover up to two drivers. People can choose the “Just in Case” plan for infrequent users or the “It’s My Car” plan for regular users. We also offer memberships for business and nonprofits who want to save on the hassle of owning a company vehicle or navigating complex reimbursement for employees using personal cars.

• 480 new members added in 2025
  • 330 of those members are still active
• Almost 1000 total open accounts
  • Over 173,000 miles driven
  • Over 29,000 hours booked
  • Over 12,000 bookings

 

Bike Walk Tompkins

Over the past year, this program’s work spanned hands-on service, City and County advocacy, and community-focused bike education with the goal of reinforcing our mission to make walking and biking safer, more accessible, and more welcoming for everyone.

 

At the Community Bike Shop, we welcomed 1,372 new and returning participants who came through our doors to learn, repair, and connect. We refurbished and sold or donated 166 bicycles, keeping usable bicycles out of the landfill and putting reliable transportation back into circulation and into the hands of and into the hands of community members who needed it most.

 

Our advocacy efforts focused on shaping the policies and places that prioritize safety and connectivity for public and active transportation users. We advised on both the City of Ithaca’s Active Transportation Plan and the Tompkins County Safe Streets Tompkins Plan, helping elevate the needs of people who walk, bike, and roll. We provided testimony and technical support to Ithaca College, Cornell University, and the City of Ithaca as they worked with New York State to advance a legitimate and safe railroad crossing at Cascadilla Street. In collaboration with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, we explored opportunities to improve the built environment on the Commons to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. We also spoke during public comment at Ithaca Common Council meetings in support of renewing the City’s commitment to the Ithaca Green New Deal, underscoring the connection between climate action, equity, and active transportation.

 

Education remained a cornerstone of our impact. We provided 56 one-on-one bike skills lessons for adults and youth, meeting people where they were and building confidence on two wheels. A total of 94 participants took part in mechanic classes and shop volunteer orientations, including 46 participants in SHIFT program classes, across 20 total sessions. We hosted 12 group rides, each drawing 20–40 participants, creating low-pressure opportunities for community members to ride together. Beyond the shop, we brought pop-up bike skills education directly into neighborhoods across the Southside, Northside, West Hill, EcoVillage, and Washington Park—expanding access and reaching people where they live, gather, and play.

 

Together, these efforts reflect a year of deep engagement, practical impact, and continued momentum toward a more connected, people-centered transportation system.

 

Throughout 2025, Bike Walk Tompkins, in close collaboration with Ithaca Bikeshare, delivered direct transportation services and hands-on bike skills education through a series of curated pop-up events and individualized classes designed to reduce barriers to bicycling and bikeshare use.

 

The project launched with two mini–open streets events in partnership with No Mas Lagrimas, a local mutual aid organization. One event took place on South Geneva Street adjacent to No Mas Lagrimas’ regular food distribution site, and the second was held on Park Street next to Washington Park. At both locations, Bike Walk Tompkins temporarily closed a section of the street to motor vehicle traffic and parking, transforming it into a welcoming space for biking, play, and community connection.

 

At each open street event, Bike Walk Tompkins staff and volunteers hosted a bike repair clinic, set up a simple all-ages riding course, and provided a fleet of mechanical bicycles for community members to ride. Adults were also invited to test-ride Ithaca Bikeshare bikes. Staff and volunteers supported participants at every step, from downloading the bikeshare app to taking their first ride, helping residents feel confident and comfortable using the bikeshare system. Across these two events, approximately 30 community members participated.

 

Building on the success of these initial events, Bike Walk Tompkins hosted an additional mini–open streets event on Madison Street, between Conway Park and the Northside Apartments, an 86-unit affordable housing complex managed by the Ithaca Housing Authority (IHA). Partnering with IHA, Bike Walk Tompkins promoted the event directly to residents, with a focus on bike skills and safety education.

 

As with previous events, a block of Madison Street was opened to create space for a bike repair clinic, a bike skills course, and access to both mechanical bikes and bikeshare bikes. Approximately 25 children actively participated in bike skills activities while parents and caregivers learned about bikeshare, asked questions, and test-rode the bikes.

 

In addition to these pop-up events, Bike Walk Tompkins offered one-on-one adult bike skills lessons throughout the summer, serving 20 individual participants. Many of these adults had little to no prior bicycling experience. Notably, one participant was a City transportation engineer who not only relearned how to ride a bicycle, but also gained firsthand experience using the bikeshare system. This individual plays a key role in the implementation of the City’s new Active Transportation Plan and in pursuing funding for future bicycle infrastructure, underscoring the broader systems-level impact of this hands-on education.

 

Bike Walk Tompkins further expanded access and visibility for biking by providing free bike valet services at two major regional festivals: Reggaefest in June 2025 and Applefest in September 2025. The valet service accommodated both personally owned bicycles and bikeshare bikes, reducing parking barriers and encouraging people to arrive by bike. For each festival, Ithaca Bikeshare also offered a discount or free-ride code to attendees. Across both events, staff and volunteers parked more than 100 personal bicycles and facilitated dozens of bikeshare trips, demonstrating the practicality and appeal of biking for large community gatherings.

 

Overall, BWT demonstrated that bringing bike services and education directly into neighborhoods meaningfully increases comfort, curiosity, and participation in bicycling and bikeshare. The project also highlighted the ongoing challenge of engaging people outside of their typical routines, as attending scheduled events can be a barrier for many residents due to time constraints, work schedules, and competing responsibilities. By embedding activities in places people already gather and pairing street activations with hands-on support, trusted community partnerships, and individualized instruction, Bike Walk Tompkins and Ithaca Bikeshare were able to reach residents who might not otherwise engage with these transportation options. These lessons underscore the importance of flexibility, proximity, and visibility in future programming and will continue to guide efforts to expand equitable access to active transportation and build a biking culture that is inclusive, practical, and community-driven.

 

Ithaca Bikeshare

Ithaca Bikeshare is more than an additional service, it is essential transportation. Our system connects people to jobs, school, healthcare, groceries, and community. For many residents, especially those in low-income neighborhoods, it is one of the most reliable ways to get around.

 

System Growth

Over the last three years, we have seen consistent and meaningful growth. Trips increased by more than 30% from 2023 to 2025. Annual ridership is now over 95,000 trips per year. The system has surpassed 260,000 rides as of December 2025. This growth happened without major marketing budgets, or operational funding; it happened because people need this service.

 

Ridership Trends

Year	Trips	Year-over-Year Change
2023	73,041	-
2024	87,166	+19.3%
2025	95,440	+8.5%

 

Financial Impact

While revenue is not our primary goal, it shows strong demand and system sustainability. This growth occurred while we expanded access to low-income riders through our Easy Access membership program, meaning revenue growth did not come at the expense of financial accessibility for qualifying riders. In fact, One of our proudest achievements is that 25% of all trips are taken by low-income members through our Easy Access program.

 

Year	Rider Revenue Collected
2023	$217,327
2024	$221,646
2025	$236,051

 

Equity Impacts

Reducing barriers to transportation access is central to CCT’s equity-driven mission. Both Ithaca Carshare and Ithaca Bikeshare offer discounts through our Easy Access program to reduce financial barriers to participation. (We offer this program with support from GO ITHACA, our community’s Transportation Demand Management group.) BWT provides education and resources to individuals so they are better equipped to navigate active and shared transportation options in our community.

 

Environmental Impacts

• Total Bikeshare Miles Traveled (2025)
  • 95,400 trips × 1.64 miles = 156,456 total bikeshare miles
• Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Saved
  • Apply North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association’s replacement rate: 156,456 miles × 34% = 53,195 vehicle miles avoided in 2025
• Carbon Reduction
  • 53,195 miles × 404 g CO₂ per mile = 21,490,780 grams CO₂
  • Convert to pounds: 47,410 lbs CO₂ avoided
  • Convert to metric tons: 5 metric tons CO₂ avoided
• User Summary
  • There were 5787 distinct users in Ithaca in 2025 signed up and took at least 1 complete trip.

 

Citizens Climate Lobby, Southern Tier and Finger Lakes Chapter

 

Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national and state-level policies to address climate change. Our Southern Tier and Finger Lakes chapter has 1,080 members from three Congressional districts: NY-19, NY-23, and NY-24.

 

Many climate solutions are needed. CCL focuses on bipartisan climate policies. In particular, we support national and state-level solutions that:

 

1. A) lower carbon emissions significantly
2. B) don't raise overall costs for low- or middle-income people, and
3. C) have bipartisan appeal, so they can pass and last.

 

To raise awareness and support of such policies, we have local conversations, publish media, and reach out to our legislators. It's also important to us to civilize dialogue across the political spectrum.  Our volunteers span that spectrum, and we work with legislators of all stripes. We'd love to work with you!

 

In 2025, members of our Southern Tier and Finger Lakes Chapter:

• Worked with State Assemblymember Anna Kelles and Solar United Neighbors to develop a bill, the Grid Reliability and Energy Affordability Transition Act (the GREAT Act, A10354 Kelles/S9500 Hinchey), promoting expanded use of virtual power plants statewide.
• Developed a Climate Budgeting Game for 8th graders and played it with several classes in Ithaca schools
• Published at least 14 letters and op eds in local papers including Finger Lakes Times, Buffalo News, Batavia News, Union Sun and Journal, Orleans Hub, Syracuse Post-Standard, and The Observer
• Participated in 24 lobbying events. We lobbied our legislators: Senator Schumer; Representatives Riley, Tenney, and Langworthy; and State Assemblymember Kelles. And we lobbied other legislators, including Representatives Clark, Meng, Torres, Kennedy, and Garbarino, as well as State Senator Harckham.
• Met with representatives of other environmental groups to coordinate action
• Participated in coalitions to support state climate bills
• Participated in other New York state-level actions, such as analyzing state legislative priorities and developing ideas for utility reform legislation
• Worked with CCL volunteers statewide to produce a 20-page letter of comments on the New York State Draft Energy Plan
• Held 22 outreach actions (presentations, tablings, and climate conversations)
• Contacted legislators 852 times

 

City of Ithaca

 

Climate Action Plan: After shifting approaches to the Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2024, sustainability staff worked in 2025 to develop a CAP centered around the concept of “Dignity Toward Decarbonization.” This new framework places social equity at the heart of the City’s climate action approach by focusing on six key sectors: housing, labor, public health, equity, emergency response, and power reliability. These sectors reflect the areas of life where community members will (or currently) experience the impacts of climate change, allowing the City to approach climate action through a community-oriented and resilience-building lens.

 

Throughout 2025, draft versions of the new CAP were presented for feedback at several Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission meetings. Members of the public had the opportunity to share suggestions through public comment, as well as several other avenues, including an in-person event at the Tompkins County Public Library in August and three online surveys. We anticipate that the CAP will be adopted by Common Council before September 2026.

Resolution to Reaffirm the Ithaca Green New Deal: As changes in the federal administration brought substantial anti-climate rhetoric and action, the Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission felt it was important to reassert the importance of equitable and timely climate action by the City of Ithaca. Following a recommendation by the Commission, the Common Council passed a resolution reaffirming the City of Ithaca’s commitment to the goals outlined in the Ithaca Green New Deal.

Municipal Investment Fund: The City of Ithaca—in partnership with Tompkins County, Community Sustainability Partners (CSP), and Cornell University’s Environmental Systems Lab—successfully secured $250K as part of Phase 1 of the Municipal Investment Fun (MIF) grant. The funding supported the development of a portfolio of local clean energy projects eligible for investment that prioritize emissions reduction, workforce development, and reducing barriers to participation in low-income and disadvantaged communities. This public-private partnership aims to scale green energy projects and find avenues for supporting them through the pre-development stage.

Rate case participation: The City of Ithaca participated as a party in the 2025 NYSEG electric rate case. City staff advocated for electricity rates that are affordable and support a just transition, including submitting testimony in support of an electrified property rate and closely following rate case proceedings.

Participatory budget pilot: When the City of Ithaca adopted Justice50 in 2024, it committed to the creation of a Participatory Budget program. To introduce community members to the concept of a Participatory Budget, the City released a survey seeking community input on the redesign of the plaza outside of City Hall. Over 400 people responded, indicating a preference for green space, the presence of public water fountains, and availability of trash receptacles.

Community Outreach: Sustainability staff hosted or attended several outreach events in 2025, seeking more opportunities to engage members of the Ithaca community with the Green New Deal. This included tabling at CCE’s second annual Earth Day Festival, hosting an educational event at the Sciencenter for younger children, and hosting a feedback session on the Climate Action Plan at the public library.

Community Choice Aggregation and Own Your Power: The City continued to work towards the launch of both the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) and Own Your Power programs. The City formally partnered with Local Power to serve as the administrator for both programs, and outreach efforts for the sister programs began in 2026.

Fleet electrification: The City replaced nearly 40 traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with battery electric vehicles, primarily used by the Building Division and Parking Division, and developed a fleet electrification plan to replace all light-duty vehicles by 2030.

Emergency Management & Resilience: City staff completed a surface-level needs analysis for emergency management planning. It was concluded the City of Ithaca has an ongoing need for an Emergency Manager to coordinate activities in the event of a climate or manmade disaster. Staff continue to identify opportunities for funding this position and other supporting steps to prepare the City and its residents for any future disasters.

Energy Code Supplement (IECS): The City of Ithaca was forced to delay the implementation of 2026 net-zero standard of the Ithaca Energy Code Supplement due to litigation at the state level regarding the legality of fossil fuel “bans”. The City delayed the 2026 implementation of the IECS until July 2026 Revised Climate Action Plan (CAP): In late 2024, the city's Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission recommended a major overhaul of the CAP. The new approach, titled Dignity Toward Decarbonization, reframes climate action by prioritizing social equity in six key sectors: housing, labor, public health, equity, emergency response, and power reliability.

The goals of the Green New Deal remain the same, but the updated CAP offers a more robust roadmap to ensure we don’t reinforce existing vulnerabilities, displace residents, or overlook urgent threats to our social and physical infrastructure. 

Focus on local action: The new CAP strategy emphasizes local, community-driven projects over large external partnerships. This shift came after previous efforts, such as the building electrification initiative with BlocPower, were stalled by the company's change in strategy.

Justice50 policy: In May 2024, the Common Council unanimously passed the Justice50 policy. This landmark legislation requires that 50% of the city's funding for its energy transition and major infrastructure projects be directed toward residents most at risk from climate change. 

Justice50 & the 2025 Capital Budget: A preliminary analysis of prioritized and necessary projects identified during the 2024 capital budget process showed just under 40% of the capital budget serving Climate Justice Communities (CJC). To reach the city’s 50% goal, the committee agreed the best course of action was to increase resources and services to populations experiencing homelessness.

Mixed results on 2030 carbon neutrality target: An analysis released in February 2024 by the Ithaca Green New Deal Scorecard, a platform to keep track of the progress, indicated that the city's progress toward its ambitious 2030 carbon-neutrality goal was mixed. While some areas are moving forward, the overall effort had fallen behind its original targets. Progress on new initiatives, however, shows the city is still headed in the right direction.

Building electrification efforts: The city continued to advance building electrification efforts. Electrification projects taking advantage of NYSEG incentives for commercial buildings are projected to prevent nearly 680 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. New building codes adopted in 2024 require all new construction to forego fossil fuels for heating and cooling and to be net-zero energy by 2026.

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA): After a nearly two-year delay, the city's CCA program finally received state approval in December 2024, and will  launch in phases throughout 2025. The program aims to cut city-wide Scope 2 emissions (from purchased electricity) by matching 100% of municipal energy use with renewable energy credits.

Vehicle electrification plan: The city began a four-year transition for its light-duty fleet in 2024, with plans to electrify approximately 25% of the fleet annually. An initial analysis in 2024 identified about 35 vehicles that could be immediately electrified and leased. Grant funding was also secured for the necessary charging infrastructure.

Charging Infrastructure: In May 2024, the city initiated a competitive bidding process for a "Charging-as-a-Service" project to install and maintain charging infrastructure for its growing EV fleet.

 

The Climate Reality Project, Finger Lakes Greater Region NY (FLGR-NY) Chapter

 

(Tom Hirasuna & Diane Stefani, 2026 Co-Chairs)

The Finger Lakes Chapter of Climate Reality includes inspired climate activists located in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions of Central NY. We are working to unify climate activism over a widespread area, with plans to improve public awareness of the climate emergency and to actively promote the completion of the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) for our region and the Ithaca Green New Deal. The Chapter also aims to reach out and work cooperatively with other active environmental, climate justice, and sustainability groups within the region. On a global perspective, we support and include working toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations: https://sdgs.un.org/goals. We welcome all trained Climate Reality Leaders living in our region as well as community members who are interested in participating.

Chapter email: fingerlakesgreaterregion.ny@gmail.com

Website: http://climaterealityfingerlakes.org/

IGND Scorecard website: http://igndscorecard.org/

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/ClimateRealityFingerLakes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/climaterealityfingerlakes

Facebook (Book Group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/2971646586421809

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crpfingerlakesny.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climaterealityflgr/

 

2025 Accomplishments

• Metrics for 2025: Chapter membership grew from 188 to 206 members, 86 of whom are trained leaders; Facebook group ended 2025 at 111 members. We held 9 Chapter meetings (attendance range 11-27, median 17), participated in 1 NYS Coalition Joint and Retreat, 6 Book Group meetings (attendance range 4-18, median 6) and 2 informal meetings (attendance 6 for both) and a summer picnic (attendance 9).
• With the changes in the Executive and Congressional majority there was no significant Federal climate legislation to help alleviate the climate emergency; in fact, there were direct actions by the Executive to reverse and weaken any regulations or activity which would reduce fossil fuel use or greenhouse gas generation. We established regular monthly calls with Rep. Josh Riley’s Legislative Assistant Lauren Berry (NY-19).
• In NYS legislation, we actively participated with the rest of the NYS Coalition in the Advocacy working group. Efforts included focused attention on legislation related to limitation of fossil gas supply build out, reduction of fossil fuel subsidies, defending against CO2 fracking, packaging EPR, and fashion sustainability. We share a concern with other NYS environmental groups that our Climate Act is not receiving adequate support from our Governor to meet the goals written in the law.
  • Active Projects in 2025:
• IGND Scorecard-the website featuring the scorecard (https://www.igndscorecard.org/). A major revision to the Climate Action Plan is nearing completion from the City of Ithaca Sustainability office; thus, once this is approved by Common Council, we will work on revising the overall structure of the website – likely transitioning to more of an informational site.
• Although our Chapter continued as an affiliate chapter of Beyond Plastics, we had limited participation in these activities. One important aspect which we supported was the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA).
• We worked with the other NYS Coalition local chapter leaders to organize the in-person Spring Retreat at Ashokan Center, which took place 3/14-16/25.
• We continued to table and present about electrification and the Federal incentives from the IRA, as well as NY State and utilities’ incentives. We also participated in sessions about the hazards of gas stoves.
• We have established a good connection with the Climate Change Awareness and Action (CCAA) group in Syracuse and inviting their participation our programs. We also continued close contact with Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County, Southern Tier Clean Energy Hub, Tier Energy Network (TEN) Group, and both the Broome County and Tompkins County Environment Management Council (EMC) groups. We regularly attend the meetings (either live or virtually) of the City of Ithaca Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission (which is providing guidance toward the Ithaca Green New Deal).

 

General Chapter Priorities (ongoing)

• Communications and Networking: We will serve as a central communication point for all Climate Reality communications in our region and serve as a coordinating hub for the Climate Reality presentations. Through the NYS Coalition, we will continue to maintain active networking with other New York State chapters including our participation in the NYS Retreat and advocating for Federal and NYS legislation, as well as other statewide initiatives. In most cases, working together with other groups in the state provide synergistic results, especially in statewide coalitions formed around NYS legislation of common interest.
• Local Regional Efforts (GHG Reduction & Sustainable Development): We seek to connect with other local organizations to help New York State fulfill its CLCPA goals in our region. We want to encourage more local community action and longer-term commitments to alleviating climate change and its effects. We will strive to establish and maintain communications within our local municipalities to help craft local policies to address the immediate problems and to set the framework for a sustainable future.

• Local Chapter Activities: We will organize regular monthly meetings and working committees to help us fulfill our Chapter’s Mission and Vision; these include joint meetings with the whole NYS Coalition. For other meetings we could partner with other organizations or chapters. Our meetings should feature presentations on topics of interest from members or outside speakers, with an emphasis on our region.
• Community Outreach: We will facilitate the training of our members to make presentations to our local communities. We will try to increase our exposure in the local communities across the region. We would encourage our community members to take the Climate Reality Leadership training. More experienced chapter members can mentor newer Climate Reality Leaders while they gain experience. We should also collaborate or co-sponsor with other local organizations to plan larger events which would reach out to a larger region.
• Climate Reality’s Impact Areas: We need to keep in mind the overall Impact Areas prioritized by The Climate Reality Project for this year: reduce emissions, finance a just transition, and promote global climate leadership. Included is an underlying priority for environmental justice. We can make use of the Action Packs provided by CRP as a starting point for the Chapter’s work in these areas.

 

Specific 2026 Goals

Overall: We aim to increase member engagement, especially those who have completed the Climate Reality Leaders Training but are not currently participating in our initiatives. For each goal listed below we have some specific actions that the Chapter leadership can take toward that goal. Note that there is some overlap among the items on the list.

Goal #1: Increased in-person activities

• NYS Coalition Retreat in July (in our region, Geneva)
• An Inconvenient Truth showing - as Chapter meeting
• Summer picnic at a local winery, cidery or brewery
• Set up mentoring for making climate presentations

Goal #2: Initiate activity in local communities, large and small

• Color Your Community Green (CYCG) Campaign
• Seek potential candidates for Green Schools Program
• Green drinks/coffee meetings (informal gatherings in different towns)
• GOTV campaigns

Goal #3: Build onto Climate Reality Project’s 20th Anniversary Initiatives

• Promote Nashville Climate Realty Leaders Training • Post-training local event
• Decarbonization – Join Make Polluters Pay effort
• Global Climate Leadership – Keep abreast of COP 31 initiatives2
• 20 for 20 Actions Challenge to help increase Reality Hub usage

Goal #4: Continue quality Chapter and Book Group Meetings

• Monthly Chapter Meetings
• Bi-Monthly Book Group Meetings
• Joint meetings with NYS Coalition
• Build Beyond Plastics Collaboration (tabling topic)
• Establish a local Climate Changemakers Group

Goal #5: Continue Collaborative Activates with NYS Coalition and other organizations

• Build on CCAA connection in Syracuse
• NYS Coalition Advocacy Working Group
• NYS Coalition Retreat Planning Group
• Build Beyond Plastics Collaboration
• Establish a local Climate Changemakers Group

Goal #6: Improve internal communications

• Increase Reality Hub participation
• Optimize Chapter email while encouraging shift to Reality Hub
• Offer office hours and onboarding calls with new members
• Expand social media (Instagram, LinkedIn) and link up with other Chapters
• Develop accessible site for news and events outside of Reality Hub

 

Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County Environment Team

 

Energy and Climate Change Team

In 2025, the Energy and Climate Change team at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County redoubled efforts to enhance community capacity to respond to, plan for, and positively adapt to a changing climate. We have blended programming that supports individuals’ self-identification as members of community, programming that helps groups self-actualize and community-based institutions develop and deploy enhanced capacity for climate-ready projects.

 

The Southern Tier Clean Energy Hub team last fall at the Hub annual

conference.

 

In the County’s Department of Social Services, our educators support systems-impacted individuals in

accessing resources for healthy living. These Day Reporting and Probation classes also help to affirm participants as members of our community, with rights and responsibilities, and an expectation of mutual aid. This work is primarily housed within Extension’s Nutrition and Family and Community Development teams. By supporting cross programming, we help to reaffirm that supporting individual mental and emotional health is an important component of whole-community resilience to the hazards posed by climate change.

 

As part of our work to develop group capacity, Extension agents work alongside groups of educators, local school clubs, and self-affiliated faith groups interested in climate action. Sometimes this work is to build bonding ties, in-group affiliation and shared purpose; it can also involve supporting bridging ties, links to other groups or outside resources. In partnership with the Sciencenter, the Center for Climate Change Education at PRI, and the Connected Learning Ecosystem, our team hosted the Climate Education Teacher Resource Fair and Professional Development Workshop. Not only does this event connect practitioners to usable resources, but it also creates space for new and powerful ties built on shared purpose.

 

Institutional capacity is also critical for whole-community resilience to climate change. This can take the form of funding for climate mitigation and adaptation projects, enhanced administrative capabilities, and engagement with long-range operational planning. Our municipal support team, which includes the Clean Energy Communities program, works with local governments, but our work includes other types of community-based organizations as well. In 2025, Extension agents helped several local non-profits identify and pursue funding to continue critical climate-ready operations; through these efforts the Enfield Fire Company secured over $150,000 in local and state funding for clean energy building upgrades that will increase long-term financial sustainability while benefiting the environment.

 

Earth Day Festival

The Earth Day Festival returned to the Ithaca Commons in April 2025. Coordinated in partnership with the City of Ithaca’s Green New Deal, the event showcased nearly 40 community organizations on the Ithaca Commons for an afternoon of family-friendly fun and learning.

 

Our event brought together a wide array of partners to illustrate ways for community members to get involved with local history and culture, storytelling, workers’ groups and job training opportunities, community and backyard gardening projects, and more. We highlighted circular economy and reuse with our clothing swap and mending circle, active transportation and DIY with CCT’s bike repair clinic on the commons, and state and local programs for energy efficiency and home clean energy projects.

 

The theme for our Earth Day Festival is Together for Tomorrow. This event is critical for showing members of the community that they are not alone in their concern about climate change and in their desire for a more resilient community.

 

Clean Energy Communities (CEC)

During the most recent round of this NYSERDA program in 2023 and 2024, Extension’s CEC team worked with municipalities in the Southern Tier to secure over $3 million for clean energy projects. During 2025, our team shifted focus to supporting implementation and installation. Through this state program, Extension’s Energy and Climate Change team can offer support for project scoping, funding and financing, procurement and bid review, and more.

 

Several municipalities we worked with needed assistance developing Requests for Proposals (RFPs), or competitive bids for rooftop solar projects. Our team was able to provide a selection of resources and draft materials, which had been put together based on in-house expertise, our statewide network of peer CEC Coordinators working in other municipalities, and local success stories from Tompkins County and beyond. Across eight counties, we helped implement over $1 million in solar installations on municipal property.

 

A popular project type in the previous CEC round, and new to the program, was the purchase and deployment of Electric Landscaping Equipment. Advances in battery power and capacity have made common landscaping equipment battery-power-able. This includes chainsaws and pole saws, weed eaters, and trimmers/edgers, leaf blowers, and push and ride-on mowers. Because of the highly modular nature of this grant-funded project type, highway departments and DPWs were able to purchase kits that worked for their needs. In these cases, we deferred to local crews on equipment needs and assisted with invoicing. What we heard from crews was encouraging. Without an on-board engine, the equipment was quieter and didn’t smell of fuel or emit fumes into trucks. The equipment was safer as well: unlike a gas chainsaw, the electric version immediately shut off when not in use, reducing potential injury. Our team has worked to document and share these experiences, and a priority in 2026 will be creating space for crews to talk to one another across municipalities to directly share experiences, lessons learned, and best practices.

 

Climate Smart Communities (CSC)

Extension bid farewell to the Climate Smart Communities program in 2025. During the most recent round of contracting, primary responsibility for CSC moved over to our friends at Southern Tier 8 Regional Planning and Development Board. As a result, Extension’s Energy and Climate Change Team has pivoted to providing a broader array of support, especially in the realm of community engagement around climate projects and greater connections between local governments. Extension agents regularly attend CSC Task Force meetings in participating towns and have coordinated inter-municipal gatherings to promote shared purpose and co-learning. Repair Cafes, like those hosted in the Town of Dryden, are gaining popularity as a way to reduce waste and participate in community. Our team worked with the Dryden Climate Action Committee to develop and circulate a quick-start guide for Repair Cafes to other interested municipalities.

 

More concretely, as part of our pivot to implementation, our team assisted the Village of Lansing to apply for and eventually secure nearly $600,000 for sidewalk improvements along Janivar Drive and Uptown Road. This project has deep roots in the Village’s efforts to become more walkable and overall more sustainable. Our team helped connect priorities in the Village’s Comprehensive Plan to State grantmaking priorities. We also provided original research and analysis to estimate the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Reduced by New Sidewalk Infrastructure. Our team drew on local transportation data and research from institutions across the country to evaluate a range of methods and estimates, which strengthened the application and helped lead to the award.

 

This grant award comes as the capstone of the Village’s efforts in the Climate Smart Communities program. Extension support helped the Village achieve Bronze Certification in the program in June 2025, after several years of projects. Nearby, after more than a decade of dedicated work by Extension, community partners, residents, and the town government, the Town of Dryden achieved Silver Certification, the highest level of recognition in the program.

 

Lansing Non-Pipes Alternatives

The Non-Pipes Alternatives program is a collection of NYSEG-sponsored initiatives designed to reduce natural gas demand in the Lansing, NY area. In 2017, NYSEG issued a natural gas infrastructure moratorium, meaning no new interconnections, in response to low system pressure. Demand had outpaced supply infrastructure. On peak-demand days, customers ran the risk of service outages, which can lead to dangerous buildup of gas in the home. NYSEG’s proposal was to install new infrastructure through the Town of Dryden. After community outcry, NYSEG pivoted, hence the ‘Non-Pipe’ solution. Extension provides outreach and education services on the project, connecting individuals, residents, business owners, local government officials, and whole neighborhoods to resources for reducing natural gas demand. Of particular interest is the hefty Residential and Small Commercial incentives for heat pump conversions, which were renewed in July 2025.

 

During 2025, our team continued our outreach in partnership with the Town of Lansing, Tompkins County Community Resource Hubs, and the Lansing Library.  Our collaboration with the Lansing Midde School resulted in a community art show; our educators asked students to imagine a post-fossil-fuel future, and to see themselves as part of it. Their work was displayed at the Lansing Library. Extension Agents took part in a Tabletop Planning Exercise to guide priorities for strategic decommissioning in Tompkins County. We provided public comment on the plan, highlighting our experience in the community, and reinforcing the importance of strategic planning to avoid cost burdens on low-income customers. In August, our Lansing Community Sustainability Picnic returned to Myer’s Park, highlighting local environmental and civic groups for a sunny afternoon at the lakeside. This effort helped showcase local groups to residents and created a space for groups like Friends of Salt Point and the Lansing High School Sustainability Club to build shared purpose and new partnerships.

 

Finally, in late 2025, we bid farewell to our longtime NPA Outreach Educator Siobhan Hull, who moved over to the City of Ithaca to support the Green New Deal. In December, we welcomed new NPA Educator Jake Raynsford to continue this important whole-community decarbonization work.

 

Participatory Budget Project Award

The Energy and Climate Change team was awarded a grant by NYSERDA to support the City of Ithaca’s pilot Participatory Budget initiative taking place this year. Our work will complement the successes of the Ithaca Green New Deal by helping to connect Ithaca residents’ lived experience to climate change hazards in our community. We are hoping to launch this project in conjunction with the Participatory Budget later in 2026.

 

Smart Energy Choices

Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Smart Energy Choices program, the Regional Clean Energy Hub for the Southern Tier, continued to deliver outreach, education and advising to residents and businesses throughout the 8-county Southern Tier region. With 15 staff housed at 6 Cooperative Extension associations in the region, we engaged close to 12,000 residents, at 313 events: mobile food pantries, community festivals, and hands-on energy workshops. Over 5,000 of these people were engaged at events where our tiny home “PowerHouse” was present. Community Energy Advisors (CEAs) provided personalized energy advising to close to 1,300 mostly low- and moderate-income households, and registered almost 300 high-impact actions, from insulating basements and attics, to installing heat pumps, or signing up for subscription solar.

 

In collaboration with Ithaca Murals, we sponsored a series of public murals on the theme of “Thriving Futures,” picturing communities where all people and the living environment thrive. 18 murals were completed throughout the region. Plaques with QR codes will be installed and ribbon-cutting ceremonies will be held in 2026 to leverage these beautiful murals to raise awareness about our clean energy programming.

 

Energy Warriors – Green Career Pathways

Energy Warriors is a green workforce development program that provides training for individuals experiencing barriers to employment to enter the growing green job sector, including heat pump and solar installers, insulation technicians, and reuse specialists, among others. The training is grounded in the nationally-recognized Roots of Success curriculum. Program graduates go on to gainful employment in green jobs or to pursue advanced degrees related to environmental topics. Recent program graduates are now working for USC Builds (part of Southworks), Finger Lakes ReUse, and Halco Energy’s Home Energy Advising team. Another founded his own food business and secured a spot with the Ithaca Farmers Market.

 

Highlights in 2025:

• 15 Energy Warriors participated in 12-week cohorts, completing the Roots of Success Environmental Specialist Pre-Apprenticeship, OSHA-10, and Building Science Principles certificate
• Program staff taught 32 middle school students the environmental literacy curriculum at New Roots Charter School
• We began planning an expansion to CCE Chemung County, including hiring a Program Manager and beginning contracting for $1.45 million of workforce development funding over the next 2 years

 

Cornell on Fire 

 

Cornell on Fire (CoF) is a coalition of Cornellians and community members calling for a just and comprehensive university-wide response to the global climate emergency. Its action asserts that, at a time of escalating human-made ecological collapse and climate destabilization, Cornell University should use its resources and prestige to lead the necessary transition towards sustainable societies that center equity at local and global levels.

 

Fossil-free degree campaign:

We advanced our campaign for a fossil-free degree through a resolution for university-wide dissociation from fossil-fuel funds in research, donations, and retirement funds. Cornell on Fire delivered the resolution to Cornell senior administrators in May 2025 and is now working to pass the resolution through all five university governing bodies. The resolution was unanimously passed by the Student Assembly in December 2025.

 

Decarbonization:

We continued to advocate for Cornell to electrify heating for new construction and significant renovations in line with the Ithaca Energy Code Supplement. This included publishing three op-eds in the Ithaca Times and the Cornell Daily Sun. We also held several presentations and discussions on the topic, including presentations to the Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI) and Tompkins County Environmental Management Council (EMC), a discussion at the First Unitarian Society Annex, and a public presentation and discussion to Dr. Nelson’s debate and advocacy class (ILRLR 3300). We also created infographics to help spread the word about this issue.

 

Protest Actions:

• Public Lecture on How to Disrupt Fossil-Fuel Business-as-Usual by scholar-activists Bill McKibben and Kevin Young. This lecture was followed by a mock commencement ceremony outside Day Hall calling on the University administration to dissociate from fossil-fuel funding and for the larger community to engage in nonviolent disruptive action.
• Spring 2025 Graduation protests. We attempted to gag and blindfold a statue of Cornell co-founder A. D. White and suspend signs on it asking Cornell not to silence activists. We also attempted to display a banner to the official procession of graduating students and distribute fliers encouraging new graduates to support a move to fossil fuel degrees at their alma mater.

When the graduation protests were halted by Cornell police, we created media to draw attention to the concerning increase in punitive measures for peaceful, non-destructive forms of protest and the crack-down on free expression by the Cornell administration.

 

Public discussion:

We held a public advocacy event to Dr. Nelson’s debate and advocacy class (ILRLR 3300) that reviewed Cornell’s progress on their climate goals and pointed to actionable steps forward. The event was attended by nearly 100 students and visitors, and advanced campus discussion around Cornell’s lack of climate leadership in general, and particularly their attempts to create an amendment that would effectively exempt the campus power plant from the IECS’ fossil-fuel phaseout. 

 

Climate Art-ivism:

We created a climate art-ivism display that challenges cultural creations of “normalcy” in the face of the climate crisis, and advocates for climate criminals to be held accountable. This was displayed throughout the fall in three vacant storefront windows on South Cayuga St. in central Ithaca. We held two open house evenings as part of First Fridays Gallery Night, welcoming members of the public to discuss the issues raised in the artworks and learn about Cornell of Fire.

Faculty Fellows:

In February 2025, we announced the Faculty Fellows program. Cornell on Fire Faculty Fellows are Cornell faculty members who support our work to push forward climate action at Cornell. So far, 14 faculty members have joined as fellows who provide expert input on our initiatives, contribute to specific calls for change, convene with us, and demonstrate what it means to mobilize academia to confront the climate crisis.

 

Ithaca Airport Private Jet Emissions Research:

We worked on data preparation and development of a custom software solution for analyzing data on private jet traffic and emissions at the Ithaca Airport. The report is forthcoming.

 

Cornell University

 

• In 2025, Cornell University maintained a Platinum Rating from STARS, the highest rating possible. Only 17 institutions worldwide have achieved this rating.
• $91M+ saved and 271,000+ MTCO₂e avoided — driven by Cornell’s Energy Conservation Initiative (ECI).
• 23% of campus electricity needs are met by renewable energy.
• 37% reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area since 2005.
• 34% of employees opt for sustainable commuting options such as walking, cycling, carpooling, taking public transportation, working remotely, etc.
• Dozens of sustainability-focused majors and minors offered.
• 91% of academic departments offer sustainability-focused and/or sustainability-inclusive courses, totaling over 857 classes available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
• 660 acres of natural areas are managed for biodiversity.
• 100% of entering students had the opportunity to participate in sustainability-focused orientation activities.
• 100% of newly constructed or renovated buildings receive LEED certifications.
• Over 1,000 acres of grounds managed organically or in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM).
  • 296 acres of grounds managed organically.
  • 712 acres of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program.
• 60% of materials were diverted from landfill by recycling, composting, donating, or re-selling.

 

What you need to know about carbon capture, utilization and storage

Cornell researchers launch CAPTURE-Lab to advance carbon capture technologies, aiming to combat climate change with more efficient, cost-effective solutions.

 

KOTLIKOFF | Cornell’s Energy Transition

 As climate impacts accelerate, the urgency to decarbonize grows. In 2025, we reflect on Cornell's energy transition, with its unique challenges and opportunities.

 

Keeping campus warm: steam to hot water conversion

Hidden beneath Cornell’s campus, a vast energy system powers the university. A major upgrade is now slashing emissions and advancing Cornell’s net-zero goal.

 

Athletes win collegiate cup to support healthy coral reefs

Cornell students and staff took first place among 28 schools to win the EcoAthletes Cup and fund coral reef recovery.

Mobile battery system to provide campus with clean power

Cornell University is piloting a mobile battery system to replace diesel generators at major events and potentially provide emergency backup power across campus. 

 

Downtown Ithaca Alliance

 

• The Ithaca Downtown Conference Center on W. Green Street, which officially opened in 2024, is the first all-electric conference center in the U.S.
• At least 11 of our businesses on The Commons – Alley Cat Cafe, Thai Basil, Taste of Thai, Casablanca Pizzeria, The Greenhouse Cafe and Cocktail Lounge, Lou’s Street Food, Sangam Indian Curry, Capital Corner Restaurant, Gorgers, Jimmy John's, and Mercato Bar & Kitchen – support the Ithaca Reduces program, spearheaded by Zero Waste Ithaca. These restaurants and eateries support the program by asking customers to bring their own containers and cups.
• Downtown Ithaca is an important green retail showcase with several independent, locally-owned stores that specialize in reused and recycled products. Such stores include SewGreen, Pastimes Antiques, Autumn Leaves Used Books, Angry Mom Records, Art and Found, Home Green Home, Feel Goods Ithaca, and Upcycled Lamps (on display at the State Theatre).
• The Press Bay Food Hub serves as a collection and distribution point for local farms where people can pick up fresh produce, baked goods, and other items. The Alley also serves as a pickup spot for the Full Plate Farm Collective CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
• Downtown Ithaca is the regional transit hub for Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT), which its industry peers have recognized as being the best transit system of its size in North America.
• Hotel Ithaca and the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center have been participating in the Friendship Donation Network since it started in January of 2025, a collaboration between Food Donation Network and Tompkins County Waste and Materials Management in which restaurants can donate surplus prepared foods to help feed our community and reduce food waste.
• All 12 of the Business Improvement District’s artistic bike racks were scraped, sanded, and restored by the original artist before being reinstalled by the DIA and City Commons Crew. These art bike racks installed provide ample amounts of bike parking in the urban core, which decreases dependency on automobiles and increases biking and access to public transit.
• In partnership with the City and led by Cornell Cooperative Extension, Hammerstone constructed new planters for Cayuga and State Street, adding beauty and vibrancy to two of Downtown's most-traveled corridors, with additional installations planned for spring 2026.
• The DIA has implemented composting and recycling systems for its major downtown events, such as the Apple Harvest Festival, the Summer Concert Series, and Chili Cook-Off, which over 100,000 locals and tourists attend. Local service organizations like the Master Composters from Cornell Cooperative Extension have helped to oversee these composting stations.
• The DIA also offers and encourages the use of reusable cups during the Summer Concert Series and offers reusable spoons and encourages attendees to bring their own reusable spoons for its Chili Cook-Off.
• City Centre includes many green features such as energy-efficient windows and lighting and low-flow toilets. City Centre is also eliminating the need for venting to accompany clothes dryers by outfitting them with heat pumps.
• Harolds Square on the Commons is an energy-efficient building. Designed per NYSE and ENERGY STAR® standards, the building uses at least 35% less energy than a similar conventionally built building.
• Press Bay Court on W. Green St. offers a free-to-use community bike repair station. By providing tools for people to make simple bike repairs, we’re making it safer for people to bike around the community.

 

EcoVillage at Ithaca, Inc.

 

• EVI, Inc. continued to pursue its mission in 2025 to steward the 140 acres outside the village area for the preservation and conservation of open space, development of sustainable agricultural practices on this land, and promotion of sustainable high-density community living.
• Throughout the year, the EVI, Inc. board worked closely with the four organic farms located on the nonprofit’s land: West Haven Farm, Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming incubator farm, Kestrel Perch, and Three Story Farm. As part of this process, the leases were updated.
• New Roots Charter School took over the Kestrel Perch operation in 2024, incorporating it into its farm program. The board reviewed a proposal in early 2025 for adding a shed to Kestrel Perch for equipment storage, as well as to set up a washing station for vegetables and educational programming needs.
• Other proposals that the board considered and approved included a request for funding from Thrive Ithaca to support its education program at EcoVillage, requests from Three Story Farm to drill a well, host a small flock of sheep during the summer, and install a pre-built wooden shed behind the nursery. The board also approved a proposal for electrical upgrades for Groundswell, West Haven Farm, and Three Story Farm, and a request to locate two sheds and a compost toilet in the forest adventure area to support and encourage educational programs there.
• In addition, the board began a discussion about a guiding framework for making proposals to EVI, Inc., usually for the use of EVI land for farming leases, as well as other projects.
• The board continued to manage its process for investing the funds from the sale of land for the refugee housing project, so that they would generate interest to support projects that the board may want to undertake in the future.

 

Finger Lakes Land Trust

 

During 2025 Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) passed the 35,000 acre mark, achieving 6 miles of lakeshore protected permanently, 55 miles of trails free to everyone, and about 195 private properties conserved. The Land Trust also accomplished the following in the greater Ithaca/Tompkins County area last year:

• The Land Trust announced the purchase 108 acres in the town of Dryden in December. The mostly wooded property borders Yellow Barn State Forest and is in close proximity to Hammond Hill State Forest and the FLLT’s Roy H. Park Preserve.
• The FLLT planted 575 native trees and shrubs on a recently acquired 25-acre property in the Cayuga Lake watershed. The project took place in a former corn field bordering a tributary of Taughannock Creek and adjacent wetlands in the town of Enfield. This was the FLLT’s fifth restoration project involving the creation of stream buffers completed in the Cayuga Lake watershed.
• It purchased 26.5 acres of wetlands and upland buffers in the town of Summerhill, Cayuga County. The property contains 3,440 feet along Fall Creek, the source of Cornell University’s drinking water supply and the largest tributary to Cayuga Lake.
• The Land Trust purchased 23 acres in the town of Ulysses, Tompkins County, from the Cayuga Nature Center. In partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), the parcel will become part of the popular Black Diamond Trail. OPRHP is interested in creating a midway access point on the property with parking, restroom facilities, and a water fountain.
• The Land Trust announced in September it has purchased 35 acres in the Willseyville Valley in the town of Caroline, Tompkins County. Directly across Coddington Road from the organization’s Eberhard Nature Preserve and the adjacent boundary of Danby State Forest, the parcel is an important landscape connection piece in the Emerald Necklace, a growing complex of conservation lands.
• In July, the FLLT protected 73 acres of scenic farmland in the town of Ulysses, Tompkins County, with a conservation easement. The property was donated to the organization in 2023 by longtime FLLT member and local resident Sandy Hill. Located on Wilkins Road, the parcel also contains mature woodlands and frontage on a tributary of Cayuga Lake. The easement limits development to a single home, allows for continued agricultural use, and provides for a forested buffer along the tributary, enhancing watershed protection.
• The FLLT and the Village of Aurora announced in May the future creation of a new park featuring 1,100 feet of Cayuga Lake shoreline along with four acres of adjacent upland. Previously part of Wells College, this land was acquired by FLLT member Grace Bates with the intent of creating the park for public enjoyment.

 

Finger Lakes ReUse

 

In 2025, Finger Lakes ReUse (ReUse) accepted a record number of drop-off donations, keeping almost 900,000 items in use and out of the waste stream.

 

With a growing number of materials flowing through our donation intake, we are committed to offering quality materials at affordable prices. Last year, we granted more than 1000 households almost $200,000 in our resale value, giving access to quality materials to a record number of Tompkins County residents. ReUse in action takes dedication and hard work, and in 2025, 86 living wage employees, 33 trainees (through our ReUse Skills & Employment Training program), 25 youth compensated through partner programs, and more than 800 volunteers helped us work towards our vision of a just, resilient, waste-free world.  

 

In 2025, Finger Lakes ReUse:

• Received 61,186 material donation drop-offs from the community
• Kept 895,911 items in local use and potentially out of the landfill.
• 1,388 tons of waste diverted from landfill
• Hosted the Ithaca Fixers Collective & the Community Quiltmaking Center in our Triphammer ReUse MegaCenter Community Space, offering free weekly programming open to the public.
• Partnered with 44 local human service agencies to provide 1036 households in need with $197,856 in gift card value through the ReUse Materials Access Program (ReMAP). $156,023 of these gift cards were spent by these families.
• ReUse also provided 251 families with a free delivery through this program.
• Provided 38 nonprofits and community organizations with free materials for community projects and initiatives.
• Through the ReSET (Skills and Employment) job training program, ReUse worked with 33 trainees and successfully connected 9 to permanent, unsubsidized employment.
• 15 ReSET Graduates
• Provided 86 employees with a living wage.
• Over 800 volunteers logged more than 8,000 hours, supporting Community ReUse Center activities.
• Worked with 25 workers under the age of 18, through a partnership with the Ithaca Youth Bureau Youth Employment Services & Tompkins Workforce NY’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

 

Historic Ithaca and Significant Elements

 

Historic Ithaca and Significant Elements are leaders locally and regionally working to link preservation with sustainability. Founded in 1966, Historic Ithaca has stood together with the citizens of Tompkins County to protect the built environment and to promote those efforts through education, advocacy, and action. In 1991, our Significant Elements Architectural Salvage retail store opened, and was our answer to keeping items out of the landfill and promoting reuse of those items via a circular economy. In 2025, almost 8,000 visitors came to Significant Elements, and 647 people joined us for Historic Ithaca tours and events. In addition to our annual Walk & Talk series and Ithaca City Cemetery Clean-Ups, we hosted other fun and educational events with Wharton Studio Museum, Friends of Stewart Park, and the City Forester, Jeanne Grace. Work Preserve, our job training program, began 16 years ago for young adults who often have barriers to employment. This program builds skills related to preservation, sustainability, retail and customer service.

 

There have been multiple successes in 2025:

• We have had two full years at Historic Ithaca and Significant Elements using heating and cooling through new air source heat pumps. We were among the first ten buildings in the original City of Ithaca and BlocPower’s Electrify Ithaca program.
• We continue to be partners in the CR0WD (Circularity, Reuse, Zero Waste Development network, which holds weekly meetings about the circular economy, reuse, and deconstruction. These meetings focus on local, regional and statewide deconstruction and building reuse efforts. The network now includes local and state government agencies, Cornell labs such as the Just Places and the Circular Construction Labs, students and professors, and multiple municipalities, as well as members of the public interested in climate action through our built environment.
• As part of CR0WD, Historic Ithaca participated in several statewide conferences and presentations, including the CR0WD Conversations virtual presentation series, the New York Statewide Preservation Conference in Poughkeepsie, and a workshop focused on possibilities for a statewide deconstruction policy at the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government.
• We continued work on developing statewide legislation on deconstruction with progress hoped for in 2026.
• Locally, we spoke to the Rotary Club about Historic Ithaca and Significant Elements efforts in deconstruction, reuse, and preservation.
• We promoted efforts for reuse, salvage, and deconstruction through advocacy efforts for 300 and 308 North Tioga Street, both purchased by Tompkins County as their planned site for a new Government Center. We also advocated for the reuse of the now shuttered Wells College campus.
• We worked with Cornell University facilities staff to collect salvage from buildings undergoing rehabilitation (McGraw Hall and Sibley Hall).
• With support from a grant from the Historic Preservation Education Foundation, we completed a series of hands-on repair and sustainability workshops. These workshops focused on door hardware repair, paint removal, and window repair basics.
• 17 participants completed our Work Preserve Program at Significant Elements in 2025.
• Historic Ithaca’s staff participated in many of the Ithaca and Tompkins County sustainability initiatives and have joined Boards and partnerships to work together on important goals such as the City of Ithaca’s Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission and the Tompkins County Planning Advisory Board. We are also part of Ithaca District 2030.
• The Energy Toolkit remains one of the most heavily trafficked pages on Historic Ithaca’s website. The toolkit serves as a free service to anyone who owns a property and is looking for information on energy efficiency for historic properties.

 

HOLT Architects

 

HOLT Architects is a leading firm specializing in the design of Healthcare, Higher Education, and Community sector projects throughout Pennsylvania, Idaho and New York State. With a deep commitment to sustainability and high-performance design, HOLT is uniquely positioned to drive the development of environmentally responsible, energy-efficient structures. In 2025, we continue to advance sustainable design by educating and collaborating with our clients, refining construction details to enhance building performance, and improving both the efficiency of our own facility and the sustainability practices of our team. Additionally, we remain dedicated to expanding our expertise through industry conferences and in-house training, ensuring our staff is equipped with the latest knowledge and skills to deliver innovative, high-performance solutions.

 

Project highlights, Certifications, and Awards:

• Lavery Library at John Fisher – This transformative renovation of the 1970’s library reimagines an inward-looking concrete structure as a daylit, future-ready student success hub. Through adaptive reuse, the project preserves embodied carbon while upgrading building performance, improving daylight access, and creating flexible spaces that support evolving academic needs. Significant areas of former impervious surface were restored to native, biodiverse landscape, and subgrade stormwater chamber systems were installed to promote infiltration into subsurface soils, protecting the local watershed and reducing stormwater runoff. By prioritizing wellness, accessibility, and long-term adaptability, the project demonstrates how mid-century campus buildings can be renewed as resilient, sustainable assets for decades to come.

 

• Performance of our building and behavior of our team:
• We continue to operate and monitor our LEED Gold & WELL facility at 619 West State Street.
• We continue to investigate methodologies for better understanding the energy needs of our 619 West State Street offices as well as potential actions for lowering the overall energy use.
• As an all-electric building, our on-site PV system continues to provide the majority of energy that we use in our building, in 2025 offsetting 62% of our total annual electricity.
• We actively compost to divert organic waste from landfills, reducing our environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable waste management system.

 

• Staff training and continuing education:
• HOLT co-presented “Climate Change and the Impacts to NYS Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities” at the NYS Healthcare Facilities Conference in Verona, NY.
• Two HOLT designers received their LEED Accreditation certification (Zen and Mia).
• Multiple HOLT staff members attended the NYS Green Building Conference, gaining valuable insights into sustainable building innovations, energy efficiency, and eco-friendly materials.

Ithaca 2030 District

 

• The District as a whole in 2025 reduced its energy consumption by 33% from the baseline and used 58% less water compared to the baseline, a significant improvement over the 46% in gallons avoided in 2023. The energy reduction fell just short of the 2025 target but the drop in water consumption met the 2030 goal.
• By the end of 2025, the District consisted of 59 buildings representing nearly 965,000 square feet and 35 property members.

• We continued to collect monthly energy data and quarterly water data for the property owners, which we uploaded to our new central database that replaced Portfolio Manager. The data for each individual building was then migrated to the online building performance dashboards. We carried out reviews of the individual dashboards on Zoom with the owners or designated building managers to make sure that they understood how to operate the dashboards and to see if they had any questions.
• We carried out our seventh annual commuter transportation survey of member buildings. Commuter emissions remained a significant area of concern in 2025. After several years of improvement following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, commuter-related emissions rose significantly in 2025. Remote work continued to decline, solo driving increased, and the use of hybrid and electric vehicles dropped modestly among survey respondents. As a result, the District’s transportation emissions rose above baseline levels for the first time since 2021 and remain far from the reductions needed to meet 2030 goals. The full 2025 annual progress report can be found here.
• We held monthly Advisory Board meetings and four District Partner meetings on Zoom as well as published four issues of the e-newsletter. The District Partner meetings bring together the property owners and other stakeholders to discuss issues of mutual concern and provide updates on the progress of the 2030 District.
• Topics discussed at the quarterly District Partner meetings included presentations on the SouthWorks project, city transportation emissions, the draft city climate action plan, and a panel discussion on sustainable transportation.
• The executive director attended monthly meetings of the directors in the network to discuss issues of mutual interest, helped organize the network’s museum group’s webinars, and he participated in the annual 2030 Districts Network Summit.

 

Ithaca College

 

• AASHE Stars Gold Rating:Ithaca College (IC) was rewarded a Gold Rating in December 2025from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). AASHE is a member-driven organization with a mission to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. STARS is AASHE’s reporting framework for universities and colleges to track their sustainability performance. 
• Top Green College:IC was again named as one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges by the Princeton Review based on the AASHE Stars Rating and student surveys.
• Green Power Partner:In 2025, IC was recognized by EPA as an 8-year member of the Green Power Partnership for its continued commitment to buying completely renewable electricity, which helps to eliminate the school’s Scope 2 Emissions.
• Geneva Solar Farm: IC celebrated the nine-year anniversary in 2025 of its 2.9 MW solar farm in Geneva, NY, which to date has produced over 22.9 GWh of electricity for the College.
• Lansing Community Solar:IC continues to subscribe to energy produced at a Nexamp Lansing community solar farm for a portion of our College Circle Apartments electric needs.
• Electric Vehicle Charging Expansion:IC completed a significant expansion of its electric vehicle charging network in 2025. IC added another 28 Level 2 chargers and two dual port DC Fast Chargers. These Fast Chargers are the first publicly available Fast Chargers installed on a college or university campus in New York State.
• Sustainable Service Learning: Received added Americorps VISTA funding in 2025 and hired Jeremy Sauer as the Sustainability Coordinator who started in September 2025. His service will extend through August 2026. The college procured additional funding for a Year 3 VISTA as well as a Summer Associate position which is anticipated to start in June 2026.
• Eco Reps:Student Eco Reps continued to act as peer-to-peer educators by engaging student, faculty, and staff in campus-wide sustainability dialogue. Eco reps continued to support composting in the College Circle Apartments in 2025 and expanded that work to the Garden Apartments. The group further increased circulation and improved monthly “Installments,” a quick read posted in campus restrooms that highlights global sustainability issues. Eco Reps also help to foster and curate on-campus reuse through the Take It Or Leave It reuse shop and lead a partnership with the Friendship Donation Network that packed and donated 4688 unserved meals from the dining hall, diverting about 7536 pounds of food waste.
• Academic Outreach:The Office of Energy Management & Sustainability (OEMS) developed and presented content for the Ithaca College Seminar Series (ICSM) lectures, “Choices for a Sustainable ” OEMS further presented monthly Student Leadership Initiative (SLI) discussions geared at engaging students in Sustainable Transportation, and developed content and presented as guest lecturer for over a dozen courses. OEMS also continues to lead the Jumpstart Green Tour which introduces first year students to local sustainability resources each August.

 

Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services

 

INHS strives for a holistic and sustainability-driven approach to all of its activities, from repair and homeownership programs to real estate development and property management. In 2025, Village Grove, INHS’s most recent development, was named Upstate Project of the Year by the New York State Association for Affordable Housing. Village Grove previously received the NYSERDA Building of Excellence Award for its NetZero and Passive House certifications and incorporation of geothermal heat and off-site community solar.

In addition to development work, INHS leveraged nearly $1.54 million to conduct or finance critical home improvements for 186 households across its seven-county service area, bringing efficiency and other home improvements to more than 220 people. A core component of the INHS mission, these repairs and upgrades are a critical path to increased home efficiency and a healthier home environment for the people they serve.

INHS also prioritizes environmental justice and climate adaptation for underserved communities in strategic planning by prioritizing nodal development, visitability and accessibility, supporting access to a variety of support services for residents, and by advertising to, and serving, income constrained and marginalized communities. These efforts ensure increased access to multi-modal transportation and micro mobility options, mitigate the negative local and global impacts of climate change, and facilitate climate adaptation for all of INHS’s residents and clients.

More broadly, INHS is a national leader in real estate development incorporating green building and is one of the developers that helped create the LEED for Homes building standards, the leading national residential green standard. INHS develops housing that consistently exceeds industry green building standards, including 85 units that are certified as LEED Platinum, 103 as LEED Gold, 77 as LEED Silver, and 46 as Passive House. The remainder of INHS-developed housing units are built to meet or exceed a variety of other green-building certification requirements. All new INHS developments will be all-electric and the majority will include electric vehicle charging stations. INHS’s Community Housing Trust (CHT) Program has to date built or rehabilitated 80 affordable for-sale homes that meet or exceed the LEED Gold standard. Proactive maintenance and operations practices at all INHS-owned buildings ensure their continued performance and energy efficiency for generations to come.

 

Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council

 

The Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council (ITCTC) works with municipal, county, state, transit, and community partners to advance a multimodal transportation system that provides alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle travel and supports local climate goals. Key activities and accomplishments during 2025 included:

• Completed the Tompkins County Joint Safety Action Plan. ITCTC continued its active role supporting the multi-jurisdictional Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) initiative involving ten municipalities, Tompkins County, and NYSDOT. The Joint Safety Action Plan was completed in 2025, providing a countywide framework for reducing serious injuries and fatalities and improving safety for people walking, bicycling, using transit, and driving.
• Supported development of the City of Ithaca's Active Transportation Network Plan (Move Ithaca). ITCTC supported this Carbon Reduction Program-funded effort to develop a connected network of safer, more convenient routes for walking, bicycling, and other forms of personal mobility. The project directly advances alternatives to automobile travel and was an ongoing ITCTC implementation priority during 2025.
• Advanced development of the countywide trail network. ITCTC continued coordinating with municipalities and community partners on priority trail projects, including the Dryden Rail Trail bridge over Route 13, the Coddington Valley Rail Trail, and the Black Diamond Trail extension. These projects are part of the broader effort to create a connected network for active transportation throughout Tompkins County. The 2026 UPWP identifies these projects as continuing elements of the county's trail development program.
• Supported transit, shared mobility, and transportation demand management programs. ITCTC worked with TCAT, Gadabout, the Center for Community Transportation, GoIthaca, and other partners to maintain and strengthen transportation alternatives including public transit, Ithaca Carshare, Ithaca Bikeshare, bicycling, ridesharing, and transportation demand management. During 2025, Ithaca Carshare continued rebuilding following its earlier interruption in service, while GoIthaca was selected by Tompkins County to serve as the County's mobility manager.
• Advanced transportation demand management and mobility management. ITCTC continued supporting implementation of TDM strategies with GoIthaca, CCT, TCAT, the City of Ithaca, and other community partners, with the goal of increasing use of transportation alternatives to private automobiles. ITCTC also worked with Tompkins County Planning and Sustainability to advance implementation of the County's Mobility Vision and improve transportation access, particularly for residents facing mobility
• Completed the 2026–2030 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). ITCTC coordinated with NYSDOT and local project sponsors to develop the region's new five-year program of federally funded transportation projects. The TIP was approved in July 2025 and took effect October 1, 2025. The program provides the mechanism for advancing federally funded ransportation investments, including bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and other multimodal projects.
• Continued implementation of several federally funded bicycle and pedestrian projects. Projects advancing through the TIP and Transportation Alternatives Program included the Black Diamond Trail Connector in the City of Ithaca, Cayuga Heights sidewalk connections, the Village of Dryden Safe Routes to School sidewalk project, the East Shore Drive Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Corridor in the Town of Ithaca, and the West Main Street sidewalk project in Trumansburg.
• Integrated climate and sustainability considerations into ongoing transportation planning. ITCTC's 2025–26 work program explicitly identified the federal planning emphasis area of “Tackling the Climate Crisis—Transition to a Clean Energy, Resilient Future,” including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing transportation-system resilience. ITCTC also continued working with the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability on transportation-related implementation of the County Comprehensive Plan, including the Priority Trails Strategy, transportation demand management, and transportation components of hazard mitigation planning.

 

All ITCTC reports and work products can be found in our website: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Ithaca-Tompkins-County-Transportation-Council

 

Local First Ithaca

 

• Produced our 15th Annual Guide to Being Local. Produced our 14th Annual Guide to Being Local.
• Became the 2nd city in the U.S. to launch a Crowdfunding Investment program, the Ithaca Exchange, allowing people to invest small amounts of money in businesses they know and love, and receive a modest return on their investment.
• Hosted talk at May 15^th launch by Stephanie Geller, director of Community Wealth Builders.
• Featured local businesses throughout 2024 on our Facebook page.
• Continued our work with the Ithaca 2030 District Advisory Board and Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative Steering Committee.

 

New Roots Charter School

 

Established in 2009, New Roots Charter School is a small, tuition-free public school with a big mission. Located in the heart of downtown Ithaca, enrollment is open to any student eligible for grades 6-12 in our wider region. Our college and life preparatory program engages students in learning actively, thinking critically, and solving problems creatively and collaboratively, developing the knowledge and skills to be 21st century solutionaries working towards a sustainable future.

 

2025 was a watershed year for New Roots Charter School. Our dedicated faculty and staff earned our authorizer SUNY’s highest award for excellence, a five-year charter renewal, with permission to expand to offer our community’s long-awaited middle school program. 100% of our graduates left high school with college credits, college acceptance, and sustainability credentials that employers value.

 

When we first opened our doors in 2009, the importance of “sustainability” seemed theoretical to many. Now, as we began our seventeenth year, the impacts of global climate change, changing resources, and shifting geopolitics are becoming increasingly apparent. We see the urgency of sustainable practices, and in preparing our young people with hope, optimism, and new understandings and skill sets.

 

The heart of education for sustainability at New Roots is for each young person to understand their own strengths, passions, and interests, and develop the skills, understanding, and personal capacity that they will need to envision and create the life they want for themselves now and in the future.

 

New Roots is pleased to share the following updates on our school-wide climate protection, clean energy, green workforce development, and overall sustainability initiatives in 2025:

 

Green Workforce Development at New Roots: EarthForce

The mission of New Roots Charter School’s EarthForce program is to prepare Tompkins County youth for success by developing career-ready leadership skills for climate justice and a growing green economy. The EarthForce program focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to help build new systems for energy, water, food, transportation, waste and business—systems that respond to the realities of climate change and shifting energy needs. The program is designed to prepare students across all career interests to think environmentally and act entrepreneurially. EarthForce is supported by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Energy Warriors Program, the Park Foundation, and a grant from the Tompkins County Community Recovery Fund.

 

2025 was an action-packed year for the EarthForce program at New Roots! EarthForce programming highlights include:

• Katie Church, our school’s first-ever EarthForce Program Manager, expanded community partnerships to develop opportunities for work-based learning experiences aligned with EarthForce program goals. In the Fall 2025 semester, 25% of our high school students were actively interning in our community, following their interests and learning hands-on practical life skills as well as the soft skills that will serve them well in everything they do in the future. Student internship placements included Bike Walk Tompkins, WRFI radio station, Historic Ithaca, and Durland Alternatives Library, Habitat for Humanity, GreenStar, and Rep Studios.
• New Roots hosted its first-ever Climate Fair in downtown Ithaca in April 2025. Seventeen community partners participated in the fair by tabling, hosting demonstrations and activities, sharing resources, and educating community members about their organizations’ missions.
• A group of about 50 New Roots students went on a field trip to SUNY Morrisville’s Renewable Energy Programs and Agricultural and Clean Energy Technology Center in May 2025. Students attended sessions including a tour and demo of residential and commercial heat pump systems, a walk-through of the on-site solar farm, a demonstration of pressing sunflower seeds into biodiesel, and wind turbine lab activities.
• New Roots partnered with Ithaca Murals in 2025 to produce a student-designed mural on the downtown Ithaca Commons through the Public Art and Community Connections elective held in the Spring 2025 semester. Funded by generous grants from the Park Foundation and the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, the vibrant mural, which represented students’ vision of sustainability, community, and imagination, garnered significant community interest and received coverage in several local and regional news outlets. You can view the colorful mural at 102 The Commons, across the street from New Roots.
• Following on the success of the first Introduction to Trades elective offered in 2024 in partnership with Historic Ithaca, Significant Elements, and Work Preserve, New Roots offered additional sections of the Introduction to Trades elective in 2025. Four students completed the course in the Spring 2025 semester and four students completed the course in the Fall 2025 semester. The Intro to Trades course provided students with a foundational understanding of essential skills and concepts needed for work in construction, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, and other trades. Through hands-on activities and instruction, students learned safety procedures, tool handling, and basic construction techniques, giving them an introductory insight into potential careers in these fields or further studies in the building trades industry.

 

Roots of Success

 

In 2025, 21 New Roots students completed the Roots of Success environmental literacy course, offered in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Energy Warriors Program. First piloted to juniors and seniors in the spring of 2022, with thanks to the Park Foundation, New Roots has continued to integrate Roots of Success into the school curriculum. The Park Foundation has continued to renew its funding to support the Roots of Success program annually since the pilot year.

Funding has expanded our teaching capacity for this course, providing us with a dedicated, Roots of Success-certified adjunct instructor from the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Green Energy Warriors program.

 

While it was offered as an elective course in its first two years, Roots of Success has now been established as a required course in the school’s four-year College and Career Success Seminar sequence. The Roots of Success course introduces students to topics in environmental literacy and green careers, with field trips to local sites such as the water treatment plant and the electrical bike rental company, and guest speakers from related fields, like the City of Ithaca’s sustainability planner. As an added benefit for students, the course is now approved as a concurrent enrollment class eligible for TC3 college credit.

 

In addition to earning college credit, students participating in Roots of Success receive an Environmental Literacy certification from the U.S. Department of Labor, a credential we anticipate that regional employers will be looking for when hiring employees at all levels. New Roots Charter School is a member of a new regional green workforce development consortium which, along with partners such as TC3, will open up pathways for young people to bring their gifts and passions to the growing green economy in our region.

 

New Roots Presents at Green Schools National Network: Growing Environmental Justice Problem-Solvers through 4PBL

 

In March 2025, Principal and Superintendent Tina Nilsen-Hodges and Academic Dean David Streib traveled to Orlando, Florida to be part of a team leading a conference session titled “Growing Environmental Justice Problem-Solvers through 4PBL” at the annual Green Schools National Network conference. Partners included the Green Schools National Network and two other leading green schools, Common Ground High School and Mundo Verde Public Charter School.

 

"4PBL" is an educational approach that aims to improve student achievement and problem-solving skills

by incorporating phenomena, place, project, and problem-based learning within the context of sustainability to inspire students to build their solutionary skill sets, including critical systems and strategic thinking. New Roots Charter School is a national leader in utilizing this approach to education.

 

In this workshop, participants learned about the framework's structure, where students explore engaging phenomena, deepen connections to their environment, undertake meaningful projects, and tackle real-world problems in their community. Our Cayuga Wetlands Restoration Project was presented as an exemplar for this approach to learning.

 

New Roots Receives School Composting Grant

In 2025, New Roots was awarded a School Composting Support grant from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (CCE) to restart a schoolwide composting program and to provide composting education to the school community. The grant provided $2000 for the 2025-26 school year and another $2000 for the 2026-27 school year, to support the infrastructure or capacity of school sustainability projects that aim to reduce waste at the school. Under the direction of Roots of Success teacher Patrick Lynch, New Roots recruited four students interested in serving as Student Sustainability Coordinators who will work with staff from CCE and Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management to improve recycling, composting, and waste reduction systems at New Roots. In addition to great leadership experience, this student coordinator role also comes with a stipend. Student Sustainability Coordinators have identified a location in the school for a composting bin and have given presentations to their fellow students in Crew about the new composting program. The Sustainability Coordinators are planning to launch the new school composting system in Spring 2026.

 

USDA Farm to School Grant & Farm Internship Program

 

In the summer of 2025, New Roots wrapped up a two-year, $100,000 Farm-to-School grant awarded by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to expand the size and capacity of the school farm, a 3.5-acre agricultural space located at EcoVillage at Ithaca featuring a school vegetable garden and a community-supported agriculture program with u-pick berries including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, and red and black currants. In addition to expanding the size and capacity of the farm, the grant also aimed to boost local procurement efforts for the school’s free Farm-to-School breakfast and lunch program, and to increase education and internship opportunities for our students related to farming, local foods, and agriculture. While this grant concluded in June 2025, the school’s farm continues to operate, providing organically grown produce to the school’s lunch program and providing educational activities and field trips for students.

In 2025:

• 50 pounds of produce grown at the school farm were used in the New Roots farm-to-school lunch program, which is free to all students and staff.
• 50 community members joined our berry CSA program.
• Agriculture education electives offered included Berry Farming, Vegetable Farming, and Regenerative Agriculture.
• 20 students participated in hands-on, paid internships with the school’s farm program.

During the grant period, New Roots developed a productive partnership with local nonprofit The Learning Web. The Learning Web supported our student farming internship program by funding a portion of our paid internship positions, which proved to be very popular among students. Interns worked on planting, weeding, harvesting, berry plant pruning and maintenance, and sold produce at local farmers markets.

 

Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education Grant

 

In 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified New Roots that our Environmental Education grant application was selected for funding. We were awarded a two-year grant of $100,000 to fund a multi-year sequence of learning activities integrated throughout our curriculum that will engage students in moving along the environmental education continuum from awareness and knowledge to informed action and stewardship. Guided by partners from the Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ Nation, our students will integrate traditional ecological knowledge with scientific knowledge to understand the issues impacting water quality in Cayuga Lake. As the primary source of water for our city and a major recreation area, these issues impact our health and quality of life, particularly for marginalized communities.

This grant will feature further development of the Cayuga Wetlands Restoration, a project initiated in 2016 as a Senior Capstone Project by students inspired by a unit in David Streib’s Environmental Science course. Since the project’s inception, support from the Park Foundation and the Department of Environmental Conservation led to the development of the Youth Ecological Conservation Corps and the creation of paid summer employment to support ecological restoration work in the south end of Cayuga Lake.

 

New Roots is currently working on engaging grant project partners and planning for May Intensives Week and summer wetlands restoration programming related to the grant.

 

New Roots Charter School Digital Media: WEBSITE // FACEBOOK // INSTAGRAM // YouTube

 

Paleontological Research Institution, Museum of the Earth, and Cayuga Nature Center

 

• PRI’s Director of Teacher Programming, Don Haas, has been a key member of the Climate & Resilience Education Task Force (CRETF), a group organized by the National Wildlife Federation to advocate for climate change education in New York State’s public schools. Their efforts came to fruition in March 2026 when NYS’s Board of Regents voted for mandatory, interdisciplinary climate change education in grades K-12.
• We continue to move forward with our Resilience Hub project. Resilience Hubs are trusted, community-serving facilities that support residents before, during, and after extreme weather events. They can offer public education, community-building activities, and a safe space for residents to go during a weather emergency. In 2025 we ran multiple climate change resilience education programs in the Museum of the Earth, and we hosted one of the New York National Guard’s Citizen Preparedness Corps trainings. We also held listening sessions with local residents, to hear community voices so that we create a Resilience Hub that meets the actual needs of our community.
• In 2025 we reached over 3,000 people through our climate change education programs at the Museum of the Earth, the Cayuga Nature Center, online webinars, education conferences, local events, and at partner schools and colleges.

• We continue to publish online content on climate change such as blog and social media posts, web pages, YouTube videos, and Instagram reels. Our climate change-themed videos and reels published in 2025 have over 7,100 views, and our previously published videos continue to generate thousands of views. Our blog post titled “Ten Ways You Can Mitigate Climate Change”(2022) remained in our top 5 visited webpages on PRI’s priweb.org website in 2025. Our 2025 blog posts include:
• Looking Back on Earth Day - Where my passion for sustainability came from
• Climate Education is Changing in New York State
• An Eggsperiment with Data Collection
• Our climate-focused content on Earth@Home, PRI’s free, online resource for learning about Earth and its history, had over 75,000 unique views in 2025.

 

Park Foundation

• In 2025, the Park Foundation awarded approximately $8.0 million in grant funds to 118 organizations and programs around the country advancing climate protection and clean energy. About $2.5 million of these grant funds (31%) were awarded to 36 organizations and programs in Tompkins County, mostly through the Sustainable Ithaca grant program and the pilot Building Decarbonization Fund.
• Grants supported a wide variety of projects in alignment with the Foundation’s mission of advancing a more just, equitable, and sustainable society and environment. Project focus areas included, among others: the fossil fuel transition, GHG emissions reduction, the Ithaca Green New Deal, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem conservation, social justice, green jobs, low-carbon transportation, waste reduction, plastics/petrochemicals, climate resilience, and green finance.
• In January 2025, Park launched the pilot Building Decarbonization Fund (BDF) to equitably distribute funding for projects like energy efficiency upgrades and heat pump installations in local non-profit buildings. The pilot BDF provided $500,000 in grant funding to 15 projects. In alignment with the City of Ithaca’s Justice50 initiative, 60% of BDF funding was awarded to organizations serving Climate Justice Communities.
• In addition to grantmaking, Park provides Program Related Investments (PRI) - mission-aligned low-interest loans - to local organizations in Tompkins County. As of December 31, 2025, PRI commitments totaled $4.2 million dollars, about half of which were dedicated to sustainability-related projects.
• All Park Foundation investments are screened to ensure alignment with its priorities. Park estimates conservatively that a quarter of its portfolio - valued at $393 million at the end of 2025 - is invested in climate solutions.

 

Sciencenter

• The Sciencenter continues to facilitate a local Connected Learning Ecosystem (CLE) dedicated to climate education and data literacy. Our Ithaca CLE is part of a regional network, GMRI’s Learning Ecosystems Northeast, funded by NASA. In Ithaca, we’re convening both formal and informal educators, including middle school science and social studies teachers and informal STEM educators from various institutions and community-based organizations, for professional development and to learn about each other’s work and programs. The overall goal is to better broker connected learning experiences for Ithaca youth and families across learning contexts. https://sciencenter.org/ithaca-cle/
• In 2025, the Sciencenter hosted a climate education resource fair with the Ithaca Connected Learning Ecosystem, welcoming over a dozen community partners. The Sciencenter distributed four micro-grants to local organizations (Discover Cayuga Lake, Cornell University Botanic Gardens, Paleontological Research Institution, and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Rural Youth Services) to complete projects dedicated to climate education and data literacy.
• In 2025, over 1,000 students from Tompkins and Cayuga Counties learned about alternative energy through the engineering design process during our Power the Future classroom-based field trip at the museum.
• Many of our 2025 Science Connections programming featured activities related to climate science and public discourse. The Science Connections program is designed to engage a family audience visiting the museum during weekend programs. Related programs included presentations by OJI:SDA’: Sustainable Indigenous Futures, Ithaca Green New Deal, Sunrise Ithaca, Engineers for a Sustainable World, and many more.
• The Sciencenter began a large-scale sustainability improvement project to replace its aging HVAC system with a more efficient one and make substantial improvements to its building envelope to increase energy efficiency and decrease airflow vulnerability.
• We began a NASA-funded project with the Mount Washington Observatory to create hands-on floor programming about extreme weather phenomena.

 

Sunrise Ithaca

 

Sunrise Ithaca (bit.ly/sunriseithaca) is a local youth climate justice organization. In 2025, we:

• Organized climate-justice oriented afterschool programs at BJM, CHES, GIAC, and Southside Community Center
• Collaborated with the Sciencenter to host two Science Connections event about climate change
• Endorsed and held canvasses for both Hannah Shvets and Jorge DeFendini for Common Council –both won their elections

• Endorsed Adam Vinson for Tompkins County Legislature, who won his election undisputed
• Presented for 4 English 9 Classes
• Presented to 4 Social Studies 8 Classes
• Presented at IHS Social Justice Week
• Led a People’s Earth Day in collaboration with XR Ithaca, Fossil Free Cornell, IDSA, Sunrise LACS and IHS Climate Justice Alliance with 250+ attendees and a walkout of 50 IHS students
• Spoke on a NYSPHA panel about climate change as a public health issue
• Spoke at No Kings I
• Tabled at 3 Earth Day events organized by New Roots, CCE, and GIAC
• Made public comments to the Common Council in support of a resolution reaffirming their commitment to the IGND, which they passed
• Supported Just Cause Employment Campaign at rallies, public comment, lobbying, and Town Hall organizing
• Hosted a campaign launch watch party for End the Oligarchy: Save Our Futures (Sunrise Movement National Campaign)
• Tabled at the Tompkins County Workers Center Annual Labor Day Picnic
• Hosted a Climate Justice Town Hall for Hannah Shvets and Jorge DeFendini
• Tabled at No Kings II
• Presented at Regional GARE Conference
• Restructured internal organization, elected two new co-leaders
• Regularly attended the national Sunrise Movement’s Delegate Body Meetings, including sending members to Pennsylvania, Chicago, and DC for in-person retreats
• Launched a Cornell-specific Sunrise hub

 

Sustainable Finger Lakes

 

Beginning in September 2025, Sustainable Finger Lakes has taken a leadership role in organizing local and regional resistance to the proposed 400 MW hyperscale AI data center that TeraWulf, a bitcoin mining company, wants to build at the site of the old coal plant on Cayuga Lake in the Town of Lansing. We're working with organizations like FLX Strong, Cayuga Lakes Environmental Action Now, No Data Center FLX, Frack Action, Ithaca DSA, Seneca Lake Guardian, NYPIRG, and a host of talented and committed local citizens to investigate the potential impacts of adding this much load to our local grid and the reliability of the claims being made by TeraWulf. Our work continued in 2026, helping to persuade the state legislature in June to support a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers in New York.

 

We wrapped up our mobile home pilot project in May. The project, supported by a grant from the Tompkins Community Recovery Fund, aimed to retrofit 50 mobile homes with envelope improvements and heat pumps, targeting households earning 80% or less of the area median income, with many participants falling below 60%. Most projects also included upgrades to insulation and air sealing to maximize energy efficiency. By the end of May, the project had successfully retrofitted 34 households. The average cost of each project ranged from $22,000 to $44,000, with participants paying only 7% of the total cost.

 

The Clean Energy & Equity Pilot (CEEP), funded by NYSERDA’s Innovative Market Strategies

program to install heat pumps in the homes of low-income tenants in the Ithaca area, also wrapped up in 2025. It assisted 28 property owners and renters in Tompkins County by making it easier and more affordable to install electric heat pumps and access state and federal grants.

 

Since 2008, the Sustainable Finger Lakes Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program has awarded over $100,000 in over 250 grants to support sustainability-related projects in the region. In the Fall 2025 cycle, SFLX began piloting the Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program to our neighbors in Seneca, Schuyler, and Yates Counties. This new Keuka and Seneca Watersheds chapter awarded a first round of six grants totaling $2,995.

 

Grants in the Tompkins County fall cycle included funding the distribution of first aid kits with Loaves & Fishes, plants and materials to create a native forest beside a section of the Dryden Rail Trail, and refurbishing shelves for Lansing Loves to Read’s bookshelf project, as well as grants supporting Ithaca Community Garden, WRFI community radio, and Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming. 

 

In November 2024 we were invited to join WE ACT for Environmental Justice as their Community Voices partner for the NY Southern Tier in a new EPA-funded program to bring technical assistance to environmental justice groups across NY and NJ. WE ACT is a long-established leader in addressing decades of environmental racism in West Harlem, and continues to organize for climate justice, clean air, and healthy homes.

 

Sustainable Finger Lakes and WE ACT for Environmental Justice had a successful turnout in Fall 2025 for our Philanthropic Funding Workshop: How to Identify and Align with the Right Funders. This event provided a free training for community members from surrounding counties looking to prospect for potential grantors and apply for funding opportunities.

 

Finger Lakes Climate Fund

The Finger Lakes Climate Fund works to promote clean energy projects in the Finger Lakes area while strengthening our regional economy and assisting local families in need. The Climate Fund provides a way for people to support our community while offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from their buildings or travel.

 

Since its launch in 2010, the program has awarded grants in 15 different counties in the Finger Lakes Region. It has resulted in almost 12,000 tons of carbon emissions offset and more than $200,000 invested back into communities. In November 2025, we awarded our 110^th grant and in December we announced that we had surpassed our annual fundraising goal of $40,000.

 

The Finger Lakes Climate Fund works to promote clean energy projects in the Finger Lakes area while strengthening our regional economy and assisting local families in need. The Climate Fund provides a way for people to support our community while offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from their buildings or travel.

 

Taitem Engineering

 

Taitem Engineering is proud to have contributed to regional and national climate action that advances building decarbonization. Throughout 2025, our team has partnered with local governments, housing authorities, educational institutions, and private developers to create sustainable, resilient, and healthy buildings. As a longstanding TCCPI member, we're pleased to share these accomplishments that demonstrate our ongoing commitment to carbon reduction, climate resilience, and environmental justice in Tompkins County and beyond.

 

Local and Regional Projects

 

Syracuse Bread Factory is a gut rehab of a 100+ year old commercial bakery. This project involves staff from Taitem’s Design and E+S Departments and features an innovative geothermal system design integrating heating and cooling, ventilation, and hot water. Taitem presented this project at the Passive House Accelerator’s annual Reimagine Buildings conference, and it has recently been awarded additional Buildings of Excellence funding to support the project through construction.

Cornell University. As a NYSERDA Technical Assistance Provider, Taitem is continuing to monitor and validate the energy performance results of energy-saving improvements to several campus buildings. These improvements were completed through NYSERDA’s REV Campus Challenge and other programs.

P-12 Schools. Taitem completed energy efficiency and electrification studies for public school districts on New York’s priority list, including Alfred-Almond and Cincinnatus. A study for Newfield began in 2025 and is now nearing completion. Priority-list school districts may have the cost of their study entirely covered by NYSERDA.

Stately Apartments, 510 West State/MLK Street. Taitem provided engineering design services for this new affordable 57-unit apartment building in downtown Ithaca. Construction spanned all of 2025 and is now nearing completion. The Stately will be highly energy efficient, complying with HCR’s Stretch Sustainability program.

 

Affordable Housing Excellence

 

NYS Housing and Community Renewal. Taitem continues to provide technical assistance to support new LMI multifamily housing projects throughout the state  to meet their energy and sustainability goals.

NYC Housing Preservation and Development. Taitem assisted HPD in developing and implementing pilot programs for energy retrofits and new construction. Following the pilots’ success, HPD has fully implemented its REDi program, and Taitem continues to provide technical assistance to promote successful completion of these multifamily projects in New York City.

 

Innovation and Research Initiatives

 

Advanced Buildings Construction. This U.S. Department of Energy-funded project at Syracuse University showcases cutting-edge technologies and methodologies for deep energy retrofits in townhouse-style buildings. 2025 saw construction completion followed by post-construction commissioning and measurement and verification.

Building America Retrofits – National Renewable Energy Labs. This project builds on the positive results of the NYSERDA-NYPA Clean Heat for All (CH4A) demonstration project for "plug and play" window heat pumps at the New York City Housing Authority. Taitem provides technical assistance in this project that expands demonstration of both packaged window and through-wall heat pumps at several more NYCHA sites. Taitem is gathering, analyzing, and presenting data about the performance of these heat pumps to promote their wider adoption in New York and beyond.

 

Thrive EVI Education Center

 

Thrive’s mission is to provide transformative learning experiences to grow healthy, just, and sustainable communities. Our programs draw from lessons learned at the EcoVillage at Ithaca (EVI) – a living laboratory of sustainability that is part of a global movement in intentional living. Programs showcase experiments to address the global polycrisis, emphasizing positive, practical solutions to pressing societal issues with a focus on developing community-based climate resilience.

 

The EcoVillage at Ithaca has been an experiment in sustainable living since it was first conceived in the early ‘90s. When our founders began this adventure, atmospheric carbon concentrations were around 355 parts per million (ppm). Today, climate change demands that we rethink our priorities modeling the skills and lifeways needed in a future shaped by uncertainty and change. The Global Ecovillage Network poignantly asks: “The [ecovillage] movement now faces a critical question: What’s next? What happens when the aim no longer is to ‘just’ turn society around to avert climate disaster, but how to adapt to and mitigate it, while also striving for a more just, ecological, and meaningful future for all life?”

 

In response to these critical questions, Thrive is working with ecovillages around the world to develop resilience strategies and new cultural pathways grounded in interdependence, responsibility, and care for each other and the ecosystems that sustain us. We know from our experience living in an intentional community that relationships are key in times of crisis. Sharing space, time, and resources with other people who share your concerns and values is an essential part of the resiliency puzzle.

 

Leveraging our strengths to support regional resiliency efforts in Tompkins County, Thrive is nurturing local networks and support systems for neighbors grappling with anxiety, fear, and distress about a climate changing world. In 2025, Thrive launched a Climate Resilience Education Program, offering workshops and support groups focused on disaster preparedness, climate emotions, and tools and strategies to take meaningful action, with the aim to strengthen community cohesiveness wherever community is built. We partnered with Ithaca College’s Counseling and Psychological Services Nature Rx Program to offer an 8-week Climate Emotions toolkit series on campus, which we aim to expand to other campuses and community groups in the coming year.

 

In 2025 we also began an internal climate resilience assessment process at the EcoVillage at Ithaca that will inform all of our educational programming moving forward. We began networking with White Hawk Ecovillage residents, convening three conversations about how our communities are addressing climate change. And we presented workshops on climate resilience for the Cohousing Association of the United States and the SUNY Sustainability conference.

 

In addition to this work, Thrive led sustainability education programs – including field trips, workshops, internships, research, and service-learning projects – for students from:

• Cornell University
• Ithaca College
• SUNY Potsdam
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Webster University, Uzbekistan
• LeMoyne College
• Paul Smith’s College
• American University of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan
• and the McGraw Central School

 

Tompkins County

 

Business Energy Advisors Program The Business Energy Advisors (BEA) program continued into 2025, completing a total of 3 projects by the end of the year. These projects included 2 nonprofits and one large multifamily developer.

 

Clean Energy Communities Induction Cooktop Program. Using the Clean Energy Communities grant awarded in 2023 for the induction cooktop program, in partnership with Whole Health through the Healthy Neighborhoods Program (HNP), significant progress has been made. To date (June 2026) 162 cooktops, pots and pans have been distributed, and 52 surveys have been collected. These cooktops will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve indoor air quality. We also completed a video case study that is being shared at the state level to expand HNP offerings to include induction cooktops, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beXCUHcOsnQ

 

Sustainability Conference for Municipal Staff. Hosted a three-day conference of nearly 30 municipal sustainability staff from around New York State to foster connection, shared purpose and ways to be more effective through collective advocacy, and adoption of sustainability programs based on best practices and lessons learned from around NYS, as well as experts from the City of Boulder, Colorado; the Urban Sustainability Directors Network; and ICLEI.

 

NYSEG RGE Rate Case. Actively engaged in NYSEG/RGE Gas Planning and Rate Case Proceedings by participating in hearings, workshops, and meetings and submitting written testimony that represents the County’s interests based on input from Legislators through regular updates on development in the proceedings.

 

District Thermal Feasibility Study. Oversaw a feasibility study for a district thermal system on the Dewitt Park block. Study results were presented to County staff, the Facilities and Infrastructure and Downtown Facilities Committee, and consultants working on the Center of Government design.

 

Solar Canopy at Health Department. Utilizing grant funding received from participation in NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities Program, the County began construction on a solar canopy at the Public Health Department building on Brown Road in Ithaca, NY. Construction will continue through 2026 with interconnection set for the fall.

 

The Tompkins Transportation Scout app was launched in April to provide customized transportation guidance to users on a mobile-friendly platform. In 2025, the app was used by 276 customers and partners GO Ithaca and Human Service Coalition’s One Call One Click center continue to receive positive feedback from app users.

 

Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative

 

• The Ithaca 2030 District continued to be the flagship program of TCCPI in 2025. Fifty percent of the coordinator’s hours are committed to this project. The 2030 District is vital to achieving two important strategic goals for TCCPI: 1) strengthening the involvement of the business community in efforts to reduce the community’s carbon footprint; and 2) establishing a process for collecting building performance data in downtown Ithaca and benchmarking it against both national and local baselines. For more details, see the Ithaca 2030 District report above.
• The TCCPI monthly general meetings continued to be very well attended, with an average of about 30 participants. That the meetings continue to attract a sizeable number of community leaders and activists after more than fifteen years reflect the continued strong interest in TCCPI.
• Topics in 2025 included:

• Center for Community Transportation: What’s Up for 2025? – Jeff Goodmark NYS
• Park Building Decarbonization Fund – Nick Goldsmith
• Estimating the Operational Emissions of Cornell University
• Heat Decarbonization Pathways – Fenya Bartram, Eric Potash, bethany ojalehto mays, Jacob Mays, and Tony Ingraffea
• Digital Twinning & Energy Planning – Timur Dogan and Team
• Transitioning Cornell’s District Energy System – Sarah Carson, Stacey Edwards, Jaimee Wilson
• Expanding Access to Residential Heat Pumps in Our Community – Gay Nicholson
• Climate Change Awareness & Action (CCAA) – George Lorefice and Peter Wirth
• Bangladesh & Climate Change – Sujoy Chakma
• Tapping the Unique Power of Food to Confront Climate Change – Mike Hoffmann
• Ithaca 2030 District & 2024 Annual Progress Report – Peter Bardaglio
• NYS Climate and Clean Energy Legislation: The Road Ahead – Anna Kelles
• The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health – Emma Nelson
• Climate Change in the News – Peter Bardaglio
• The NY Energy Plan & the NYPA Renewables Plan – Marguerite Wells
• Climate Change Education at PRI-Museum of the Earth – Ingrid Zabel and Don Haas
• What Happened to the CLCPA and the Scoping Plan? – Bob Howarth
• The Attack on the Empower+ Program – Michael Hernandez
• The NYSEG Rate Case – Terry Carroll and Hailley Delisle
• The Rate Case Process and the Issue of Confidentiality – Irene Weiser
• The City of Ithaca Climate Action Plan – Rebecca Evans

• The TCCPI Newsletter, which comes out every two months, had a subscriber base of about 420 and the average open rate during 2025 was 54% for its six issues. The combined TCCPI/Ithaca 2030 District subscriber base was about 500; there is significant overlap among the two groups of subscribers.
• The TCCPI website continues to be a rich resource on climate change and clean energy issues, and was updated monthly. All of the meeting notes, annual reports, and newsletters can be found archived on the site, dating back to 2009.
• On the social media front, regular postings were made on the Facebook pages for TCCPI and the Ithaca 2030 District. In addition, the TCCPI coordinator continued to post information regularly about energy, climate change, and sustainability issues on X/Twitter, and has 2,235 followers.
• Outreach efforts included articles by the coordinator about the Cap & Invest Program in January 2025, Inflation Reduction Act and clean energy investments in upstate New York in April 2025, and landfill methane emissions in June 2025 in the Ithaca Times in June 2025 as well as the Ithaca 2030 District annual progress report in the Tompkins Weekly in 2025. TCCPI now has its own channel on YouTube, where selected talks recorded at our monthly meetings are posted regularly.
• TCCPI continued its advocacy activities in 2025 focusing on climate and energy legislation in Albany and actively participating in the NY Renews, Renewable Heat Now, and Climate Can’t Wait campaigns.
• The TCCPI coordinator served on the boards of the Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming, New Roots Charter School, PRI/Museum of the Earth/Cayuga Nature Center, and EcoVillage at Ithaca, Inc, and he was a regular attendant at meetings of the Tompkins County Climate and Sustainable Energy Advisory Board.

 

Tompkins County Environmental Management Council

 

Environmental Management Councils (EMC) are voluntary advisory boards appointed by county governments throughout New York State. Sixteen remain active statewide. They were established under Article 47 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law, passed in 1970.

 

The Tompkins County EMC is one of the first in the state, established by Resolution No. 103 of the Tompkins County Board of Representatives in 1971 and added to the County’s Charter in 2003.

 

Our Relationship to County Government

We report to the Tompkins County Legislature through the Planning, Energy, and Environmental Quality (PEEQ) Committee. We present this annual report to PEEQ each spring and can request time on the PEEQ agenda whenever needed. We typically do not present to the full legislature unless invited.

We are supported through the County Planning and Sustainability Department, which provides us an administrative assistant (Kristin McCarthy) and a staff planner/liaison (Darby Kiley). Both attend our monthly meetings.

 

We also coordinate with the Water Resources Council (WRC) and the Climate and Sustainable Energy  (CaSE) Advisory Board, which also report to PEEQ. Our County Legislature liaison keeps us informed on County priorities and keeps PEEQ updated on our work.

 

 

2025 Highlights and Accomplishments

 

UNA Boundary Revisions

Our Unique Natural Areas (UNA) Inventory is one of our longest-standing contributions to the county. In 2026, we will celebrate 50 years of UNAs! The inventory identifies 194 sites with ecological, biological, geological, cultural, or aesthetic value, covering approximately 14.7% of county land. It is an advisory tool for landowners, municipal governments, and planning boards and carries no legal protection.

 

In March 2025, we adopted Resolution 2025-01, approving boundary revisions to 64 of the 194 UNAs. The revisions drew on updated aerial photography, GIS technology, LiDAR data, National Wetlands Inventory data, and updated biological information. The refinements increased total UNA acreage from 43,484 to 43,939 acres, a 0.27% increase.

 

Biosolids and PFAS Resolution

In 2025, we led an effort to address PFAS contamination from biosolids. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often called “forever chemicals,” accumulate in soil and water and have been linked to cancer and other serious health impacts.

 

We consulted broadly before and during drafting, working with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s farmland protection program; Cornell SoilNOW; the NY Center for Organics Recycling and Education; the Water Resources Council; the County Recycling and Materials Management Department; the County Attorney; the County Planning and Sustainability Department; the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board; the Farm Bureau; Tompkins County Whole Health; the Cayuga Watershed Intermunicipal Organization; the City of Ithaca’s wastewater treatment facility; and the County Legislature.

 

In November 2025, we voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2025-02, supporting NYS Bills S5759C and A6192D and urging caution on biosolids land application. The resolution called on the state to pass comprehensive PFAS legislation, urged the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) to establish testing protocols, and recommended the County redefine biosolids as solid waste subject to hauler permits. PEEQ revised and passed the resolution, and the County Legislature adopted it unanimously in December. The Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board passed a complementary resolution, and an interdepartmental working group formed to address hauler permitting – efforts that continue into 2026.

 

Five-Year Strategic Plan

We partnered with Dr. Aubryn Sidle and 18 graduate students from the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy (PUBPOL 5180: Strategic Planning for Non-profit Organizations) to develop our first-ever five-year strategic plan. Over seven weeks with EMC support, the students mapped stakeholders, conducted interviews with County legislators, municipal representatives, nonprofit organizations, and our own members, and synthesized their findings. We received the final plan in July 2025 and held an in-person session to discuss it.

 

We spent several months reviewing the recommendations and translating them into committee structures and work plans. We now operate with three standing committees (Community Outreach, Legislative Affairs, and Unique Natural Areas) and a Member Engagement working group to support the tasks identified as key actions to accomplish over the next five years.

 

Municipal Conservation Network Meeting

Each May, we invite representatives from municipal conservation boards and conservation advisory councils across the county to meet with us. In 2025, discussions covered UNA conservation prioritization, our environmental directory project, and opportunities to collaborate. We plan to continue this annual tradition.

 

Tompkins Green Scene Newsletter

Our Green Scene newsletter has been published biweekly since Jan. 28, 2024, under the editorship of Tom Hirasuna. It connects environmental groups in Tompkins County and keeps readers informed of our work. Subscriber numbers grew from 212 to 293 over the past year.

 

In February 2026, we migrated from MailChimp to the Beehiiv platform. MailChimp had reduced its no-cost service limits, and Beehiiv allows us to retain our current subscribers and grow. Current subscribers should check their spam folders to confirm delivery. We welcome new subscribers and always appreciate feedback. https://tompkins-county-green-scene.beehiiv.com

 

Community Events

In April 2025, we staffed a table at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Earth Day event on the Ithaca Commons. We engaged residents, shared information about our work, and promoted our resources.

 

In August 2025, we staffed a table at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s second annual Lansing Community Sustainability Picnic at Myers Park. We shared information about our UNAs and engaged with other sustainability-minded people and organizations.

 

Cargill Salt Mine Comments

In January and February 2025, we reviewed and voted to send formal comments to NYS DEC regarding its Negative Declaration on Cargill’s application to renew and modify its Mined Land Reclamation Permit for the Cayuga Salt Mine. Our letter raised concerns about brine water disposal and the adequacy of the environmental review, and we supported the detailed comments submitted by our partner organizations.

 

2025 Guest Presentations

• Cornell on Fire: Protecting Ithaca’s Green New Deal and the Evidence for Why Cornell Should Not Be Exempt from Ithaca’s Fossil Fuel Phaseout – Cornell on Fire representatives
• 2025 Initiatives for the TC Climate and Sustainable Energy (CaSE) Advisory Board – Irene Weiser, CaSE Chair
• Transitioning Cornell’s District Energy System – Sarah Carson, Stacey Edwards, and Jaimee Wilson, Cornell Campus Sustainability Office
• 2025 WRC Initiatives – Cynthia Brock, Water Resources Council Chair
• Sewage Sludge and PFAS: How to Protect Our Land and Food – Claire Walsh-Winsler, Environmental Advocates of New York

 

2026 Priorities

We enter 2026 with a clearer structure and a set of concrete priorities:

• Implement the five-year strategic plan, including formalizing our new standing committees (Outreach, Legislative Affairs, and Unique Natural Areas)
• Continue UNA outreach to additional municipal boards and explore connections to other conservation programs
• Strengthen our relationships with county agencies, municipal conservation boards, and partner organizations

 

Tompkins County Water Resources Council

 

The Tompkins County Water Resources Council (WRC) had a productive and impactful

year in 2025, with significant achievements in watershed protection, public education, and

interagency collaboration. Key accomplishments included:

• Issuing four letters of comment and advocacy to state and federal agencies on

            issues including the Cayuga Salt Mine    brine disposal permit, EPA 303(d) list

additions, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) draft phosphorus guidance values, and the Council on Environmental Quality's role under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

• Hosting six expert presentations on critical water resource topics, including onsite

wastewater systems, drinking water source protection, Cayuga Lake dynamics,

agricultural and environmental management, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

implementation, and PFAS research.

• Conducting an educational tour of the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility to deepen members’ understanding of local water infrastructure.
• Developing and distributing a two-page factsheet on the Cayuga Lake TMDL for Phosphorus, created in collaboration with the New York Water Resources Institute and shared with municipalities across the county.
• Hosting a municipal training site visit at a completed stream restoration project along the west branch of Cayuga Inlet, attended by staff from four municipalities and multiple agencies.
• Continuing to distribute the Clean Boating on Cayuga Lake map to promote responsible recreational use and protect lake health.
• Facilitating collaboration among municipalities, Cornell University, state agencies, and local watershed organizations to implement water protection measures across jurisdictional boundaries.

The Council continued to serve as the county's primary forum for water resource management discussion, bringing together diverse stakeholders to address shared challenges.

 

2025 Presentations

The WRC regularly invites guest speakers to present on water-related topics. In 2025, presentations included:

• An Introduction to the Design, Function, and Oversight of Onsite Wastewater

            Treatment Systems in Tompkins County – Doug Barnes, TC Whole Health

• Drinking Water Source Protection Plan (DWSP2) Implementation – Buildout

            Analysis in Six Mile Creek Corridor – Roxy Johnston, City of Ithaca

• Cayuga Lake, Rocking, Rolling, Stirring, and Mixing – Todd Cowen, DeFrees Hydraulics Lab, Cornell University
• AEM and Beyond (Agricultural and Environment Management) – Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District Staff
• Permanent Protection of Best Management Practices to Help Reach TMDL Goals – Lydia Brinkley, Upper Susquehanna Coalition
• Overview of Background Levels for Sediment Associated PFAs in the Great Lakes – Brett Hayhurst, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

 

2025 WRC Committees

 

Cayuga Lake Monitoring Partnership Committee

The Monitoring Partnership addressed a broad range of water quality and regulatory topics

throughout 2025. The committee reviewed information about biosolids, including the proposed state moratorium on land spreading, and explored potential hurdles to its implementation. PFAS, commonly called "forever chemicals"), was another major focus area, as well as the proposed data center in the Town of Lansing. The committee also discussed NYSDEC's new wetlands regulations, examining hurdles in implementation and the overall assessment of their effectiveness.

 

Drinking Water Protection Committee

Bolton Point, Cornell University, and the City of Ithaca have all developed Drinking Water Source Protection Plans (DWSP2), and committee meetings provided a forum to share information as the utilities transition from plan development to implementation. Throughout the year, committee members shared updates and looked for ways to leverage the DWSP2s and other state-recognized plans and permits to

further advance source water protection across the county.

 

Education & Outreach Committee

The Education & Outreach Committee's signature accomplishment in 2025 was the development of a two-page factsheet providing municipal officials and staff with essential information about the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Phosphorus in Cayuga Lake, released by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in September 2024 (https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/tmdl_phos_cayuga.pdf). In early 2026, WRC members presented it at a Tompkins County Council of Governments meeting, posted it to the WRC webpage, and distributed it to municipalities across the county.

 

Executive Committee

The WRC issues letters of comment and advocacy to local, state, and federal agencies.

These letters are drafted by WRC members or committees and then approved by the entire

Council. In cases where a timely response is needed and deadlines do not align with the

WRC's regular meeting schedule, the WRC chair and executive committee are empowered

to approve and submit letters on the WRC's behalf.

 

In 2025, the WRC issued four letters: 1) The WRC expressed concern to NYSDEC Region 7 over Cargill's permit application to renew and modify its Mined Land Reclamation Permit for the Cayuga Salt

Mine in Lansing; 2) The WRC provided comments to EPA Region 2 Water Division on the EPA's addition of 96 Waterbody/Pollutant Combinations to the New York 2020–2022 303(d) list; 3) The WRC submitted detailed comments on the NYSDEC Draft Guidance Values to Advance New York State's Regulation of Phosphorus. and 4) The WRC provided comments to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)—

the body within the Executive Office of the President responsible for ensuring federal agencies meet their obligations under NEPA.

 

Membership & Nominating Committee

The Membership & Nominating Committee works with County staff to manage the recruitment process for Council positions. In 2025, the committee focused on the reappointment process, working to retain existing members and support continuity in WRC operations. The committee also prepared and presented officer nominations as part of its annual responsibilities.

 

Municipal Training Committee

In 2025, the Municipal Training Committee hosted one training—a site visit to the Shelter

Valley restoration project—with seven attendees from four municipalities and the County. This training was led by Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) staff

 

Tompkins Food Future

 

• The final comprehensive Tompkins County Food System Plan was brought to the Tompkins County Legislature in July 2022 and accepted unanimously.
• Since then we have been working to get the word out about the plan and build support for it in the community.
• We held a free skill-building and coaching program featuring a series of fundraising workshops and individual coaching sessions for farmers, food-related nonprofits, food justice organizers, and food entrepreneurs by appointment between February and May and then between August and December in 2025.
• We co-sponsored a farmer wellness event at the Foundation of Light in April.
• In July we issued a Food System Impact Report covering activity from January 2024 through the first half of 2025.
• In August we transitioned our organizational home from Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. As part of this move, TFF shifted to become a member-led, self-governing coalition, and expanded opportunities for advocacy, community organizing, and collaborative projects.
• Throughout the year, in meeting with groups and organizations and in our newsletters, we have been encouraging them as well as individuals to take the Community Food System Pledge.

 

Town of Caroline

 

Town of Caroline Zoning Subdivision Law: In 2025 we revised the town’s Subdivision Law to work in tandem with the town’s Zoning Law. It enables a planning process when lots are subdivided to support the town’s vision as codified in the Comprehensive Plan. Among other features, subdivision of land into five or more parcels is classified as a Major Subdivision and in the Ag/Rural District, which comprises more than 95% of the town, requires that the layout follow a Conservation Subdivision design in which building sites are designated with attention to the landscape and environmental features.

 

Municipal Broadband in Caroline: Our partnership with the Town of Dryden is continuing for the provision of high-speed, affordable fiber-optic internet in the two towns. Internet access has been a long-standing issue in Caroline, like many other places in upstate New York, and we are excited at the prospect of providing this crucial service for our residents. The project will allow the 1,500 households in Caroline to join the 6,500 households in Dryden in New York State’s first publicly owned and operated fiberoptic broadband service. Robust, affordable broadband will enable all residents to conduct business and personal life remotely, thereby reducing the need for transit. We are very grateful to our partners in Dryden and the Dryden Fiber Team for their vision and determination in developing this municipal broadband utility. And we are extremely grateful to New York State and the Federal government for providing the funds to make this a reality.

 

Local Clean Heating & Cooling Campaign: Councilmember Jonathan Bates is now serving as the town’s Climate Smart Communities Task Force Chair and will be working in that role to renew the town’s Climate Smart Communities Bronze certification this year.

 

Recreational Trail: The Towns of Ithaca, Dryden, Danby, and Caroline are now working to establish a 7.8-mile extension of the South Hill Recreation Way from its current terminus at Burns Road to the county border. We have dubbed this extension the Coddington Valley Rail Trail. Friends of the Coddington Valley Rail Trail (https://fcvrt.org/) volunteers are now clearing a walking path on the railbed for the entire length by fall of 2026. For trail design and construction, M&J Engineering is now finalizing concept design plans for the segment from Burns to Banks Roads. The Coddington Valley Rail Trail will provide a safe corridor for non-motorized transit and recreation from Ithaca to the county border near White Church and Coddington Roads.

 

Town of Dryden

 

• The Climate Smart Communities/Clean Energy Communities (CSC/CEC) Task Force kicked off the year with member introductions and a presentation by Ray Burger on the structure of the Town’s government, services, and volunteer committees. Alice Green gave an overview of the Town of Dryden’s participation in the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) and Clean Energy Communities (CEC) programs.
• In February, all pending energy upgrades to the Department of Public Works office building were completed. It is now a weather-tight, net zero, all-electric building, heated and cooled by air-source heat pumps. These efforts were funded through CEC funding. Also this month, more than half the Town’s employees participated in a commuters’ municipal greenhouse gas emissions inventory.
• In April, Jerry Sheng, NYSERDA CEC Coordinator, created a greenhouse gas emissions report for the town, utilizing the data from the commuter survey. He discovered that the Town’s emissions decreased by 20% since 2018, attributable mostly to greater efficiency of newer vehicles in the fleet. There was a slight increase in electricity use, which coincided with significant infrastructure improvements and the onboarding of Dryden Fiber.
• In April, the Town took delivery of a Chevy Silverado EV, paid for with CEC funds earned by the CSC/CEC Task Force.
• In April, committee members created posters and a display case exhibit at Town Hall on the Town’s municipal solar and heat pump use.
• In April, the Town completed a draft of a new flood prevention law.
• In May, the Town of Dryden achieved CSC Silver designation through the work of the CSC/CEC Task Force. This accomplishment has been achieved by only 25 municipalities in New York State.
• In May, the Town took delivery of a Ford Equinox EV, paid for with CEC funds earned by the CSC/CEC Task Force.
• In May, members of CSC/CEC Task Force visited the Montour Falls Repair Café to get ideas for hosting such an event in Dryden.
• In May, member Alice Green was an invited speaker at the Hudson Valley Regional Council to talk about incorporating a Climate Action Plan into a Comprehensive Plan. This event was attended by 150 people. Alice emphasized youth engagement, which was a subject of interest from people all over the State.
• Member Jack Wright became the CSC/CEC Task Force Chair by unanimous committee vote in May. At this same meeting, Evan Kurtz became Vice Chair by unanimous committee vote.
• In July, the committee recognized Alice Green for her leadership and her sustained, persistent, and in-depth work in achieving CSC Silver designation for the Town.

 

Town of Ithaca

 

• The Town of Ithaca was the first and only municipality in New York State to adopt a local Energy Code that requires net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in commercial and residential buildings starting in 2026 (Chapter 144 of the Town Code).
• Continued to develop the CCA and DER program with the City of Ithaca. As part of this effort, the Town of Ithaca repealed and replaced its original CCA and DER local law with a new local law (L. No. 6-2025) which separated DER and CCA programming into two articles of the Town Code (Chapter 135). This separation was deliberate to ensure that they are legally and functionally separate programs, in accordance with NYS regulations.
• Began process (data collection and analysis) for a Greenhouse Gas Inventory for Government Operations for the Town of Ithaca. The last inventory was completed in 2019.
• Completed the third annual green fleet inventory.
• Reviewed the Town’s Green Procurement Policy and started process of integrating it into the Town’s general procurement policy (should be completed in 2026).
• Updated the Town’s Sustainability website to make it more accessible for users.
• Applied for grants to fund restoration and weatherization of the Town of Ithaca’s historic Town Hall. This is part of a phased approach for eventual full-building electrification.

 

Zero Waste Ithaca

 

Zero Waste Ithaca is a grassroots nonprofit organization working to advance true zero waste in Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York State, and beyond. ZWI works on source reduction, reuse, repair, community-based waste prevention, public education, policy advocacy, and accountability around plastic pollution, PFAS, microplastics, and false solutions. In 2025, ZWI became a 501(c)(3), assumed the fiscal sponsor for BYO - US Reduces, helped build support for statewide BYO (Bring Your Own) rights, published independent PFAS testing records, removed approximately 800 pounds of trash from waterways connected to Cayuga Lake, and brought zero waste concerns into local and state policy debates.

 

Organizational development

• ZWI became an incorporated nonprofit and received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. ZWI also strengthened its grassroots structure by adding a board structure, regular board meetings, and clearer volunteer intake while continuing monthly organizers’ meetings.
• ZWI became the fiscal sponsor for BYO - US Reduces, a national grassroots network supporting bring-your-own-container legalization, reuse culture, and policy learning across states.

 

BYO (Bring Your Own), reuse, and single-use packaging reduction

• ZWI continued working to make BYO, or bring-your-own-container, a central part of reuse policy rather than something treated as secondary or optional. BYO is one of the most accessible and democratic forms of foodware reuse.
• ZWI launched and expanded the BYO Rights NY petition, proposed amendment language for New York’s Right to Refill / BYO legislation after a legislator’s office invited ZWI to submit language, and reached more than 1,000 individual sign-ons and more than 50 organizational and business sign-ons by fall 2025.
• ZWI continued the Ithaca-area BYO sticker and business outreach program, with more than 100 business participants listed on ZWI’s reuse map.
• ZWI published statewide commentary making the case for full BYO rights, including a Times Union op-ed later republished in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

 

Synthetic turf, PFAS, and environmental review

• ZWI continued public-interest work challenging synthetic turf expansion in Ithaca and Cornell-related projects, focusing on PFAS, microplastics, plastic waste, stormwater, heat, public health, climate justice, and inadequate environmental review.
• ZWI continued legal advocacy challenging synthetic turf approvals under SEQRA and appealed dismissals in Cornell-related synthetic turf cases.
• ZWI published independent PFAS testing records related to Cornell synthetic turf materials, including chain-of-custody documentation and three accredited laboratory reports, raising serious questions about Cornell University’s public claims that the turf was “PFAS-free.” The testing was reviewed by Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center in Michigan. ZWI worked on this issue with support from Safe Healthy Playing Fields and allies across the country.

   

  Plastic Free July, Trash Paddle, and public education

  • ZWI was selected as one of GreenStar’s Partners for Change during Plastic Free July and used the opportunity for tabling, public education, community outreach, and fundraising through round-up/token support.
  • ZWI organized Trash Paddle Ithaca, a water and land cleanup supported by GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives), of which ZWI is a member. More than 40 volunteers removed approximately 800 pounds of trash over roughly four hours. ZWI also conducted a trash audit and documented roughly 200 bottles and cans, along with plastic debris, tires, shopping carts, and other waste.
  • ZWI hosted a public screening of Plastic People at Cinemapolis, with three panelists, drawing 77 attendees and convening discussion around microplastics, public health, local waterways, and upstream plastic reduction.

   

  Local and state policy

  • ZWI worked to make sure zero waste was included in local climate policy. Although the City of Ithaca Climate Action Plan regrettably did not include waste reduction as a standalone section, the final plan did include a solid waste reference after repeated public comments and advocacy. ZWI considers this only a starting point and continues to call for stronger local action on single-use packaging, reuse, repair, and waste prevention.
  • ZWI continued local “Skip the Stuff” work at the city and county levels, building on work begun in 2023. ZWI shared draft ordinance concepts, developed public education materials, worked with City Council and County Legislature contacts, and estimates that foodware accessory waste may impose substantial annual disposal costs on Tompkins County.
  • ZWI engaged in state-level policy work on PRRIA, Carpet EPR rulemaking, PFAS, and product stewardship. ZWI opposes PRRIA as written because of concerns about producer control, weak reuse requirements, chemical recycling and mass-balance risks, lack of strong public governance, and insufficient support for BYO and community-led reuse. ZWI raised these concerns publicly through two op-eds co-authored with Neil Seldman, Ph.D., of Zero Waste USA, in the River Reporter and the Albany-based Times Union.

   

  Coalition work, presentations, and media

  • ZWI participated in the emerging Zero Waste New York statewide network, including the 2025 founding conference in Albany; presented to regional and national audiences, including Just Zero’s Waste-Free Summit and a Northeast Recycling Council webinar on reuse and food code guidance; and joined dozens of organizational sign-ons, petitions, and coalition letters related to PFAS, chemical safety, microplastics, incineration and plastic burning, sewage sludge, waste export, federal environmental protections, cigarette filters, plastic foam enforcement, and anti-chemical recycling campaigns.
  • ZWI’s work was covered or published in local, regional, and statewide outlets in 2025, including Times Union, River Reporter, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Ithaca Times, FingerLakes1.com, 14850.com, WICB, Cornell Daily Sun, and The Cool Down. Complete media list: https://zerowasteithaca.org/news/

   

  Grassroots Capacity

  Despite limited funding, ZWI coordinated massive volunteer efforts, legal appeals, and 35+ coalition sign-ons. Our priority need is general operations support to sustain this work.

   

  In 2026, ZWI is continuing work across its major areas: statewide BYO policy, support for BYO - US Reduces, PRRIA and EPR policy monitoring, local single-use packaging reduction, synthetic turf accountability, public education, coalition participation, and grassroots infrastructure for true zero waste and climate justice.