Current Projects
Can Carrier Reuse
Can Carrier Reuse is a program that incentivizes the recycling of can carriers, the plastic toppers that hold the individual cans in a package of beer together. The team will follow the framework of the Reusable Solutions model for the Can Carrier Reuse program to create a program in Ithaca, with the help of Ithaca Zero Waste.
The Can Carrier Reuse tasks involve researching which local Ithaca breweries are interested in the program. The team will collaborate with Ithaca Zero waste to implement the program through grant application for program funding and establishing drop-off locations.
Carbon Calculators
The Carbon Calculators team consists of undergraduate students who analyze and reduce the carbon footprints of small to midsize businesses. Using extensive data and an Excel-based tool, they calculate CO2-equivalent emissions and advise on mitigation strategies. The team’s efforts enable companies to become Carbon Neutral or Carbon Negative through purchases of carbon offsets.
Currently, the team is calculating the total carbon emissions for a warehousing project in Rockland County, NY, focusing on the removal of mature trees from the site and the resulting loss of carbon sinks.
Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP)
The STAMP team is building a global knowledge base, online training, and research support to help destinations manage tourism assets with social and environmental considerations. One important function of the STAMP team is collecting testimonials and conducting interviews within Cornell's network on topics such as sustainable travel, digital platform development, and ESG metrics in tourism.
This semester, the team will be working on developing the Stamp Carbon Platform, a scalable digital tool that tourism destinations can use to track and set measurable sustainability goals through use of emissions factors and HEAT-D index metrics. The team will tailor the platform through specifications relevant to client data from Tunisia and Cold Springs, NY.
Sustainable Beverage
The Sustainable Beverage team works to improve sustainability in breweries and wineries of the Finger Lakes region by providing individualized business progress strategies on best practices through industry-specific research. The team synthesized a comprehensive report detailing best practices and current trends regarding sustainability in the brewing industry.
Sustainable Beverage currently has Personal Best Brewing as a new client, where members will conduct a site visit of the brewery to identify key issues and conduct research requested by the client to address the acknowledged areas for sustainability growth and improvement.
Sustainable Branding
The Sustainable Branding team is dedicated to amplifying the sustainability stories of environmentally conscious companies. By developing effective marketing, branding, and revenue strategies, the team helps businesses achieve their sustainability goals.
Currently, Sustainable Branding is collaborating with the Learning Farm, a local farm in Ithaca on their organic juice products. The team will continue to develop an entry strategy for the organic juice market along with a pricing strategy for the Learning Farm’s products.
Sustainable Commerce
The Sustainable Commerce subteam works with the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce to provide local businesses with tailored sustainability recommendations. The team works on a range of different tasks from encouraging compliance with local, state, and federal initiatives to setting personalized KPIs, and sustainability roadmaps and working on issues our clients request of us.
This Semester, the team will work to improve client, Ithaca Farmers Market, and their Zero Waste Program by reducing its carbon footprint and ensuring its long-term viability. Members will also assist Ithaca Farmers Market with other goals of addressing the sustainability and financial implications of the parking lot and waterfront renovations.
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance (SWEEP)
The SWEEP team works with LEED Green Building Rating System founder Rob Watson on a second standard for sustainable materials management, in which institutions achieve accreditation for exemplary solid waste management practices. The team creates calculators that help certifying entities achieve specific credits needed in the certification process (ex: fleet fuel-use efficiency).
This semester, members are working to create a SWEEP Campus Standard that may be adopted by universities across the nation. The SWEEP team is currently creating a model for cornell waste, using the WARM software from the EPA, which will inform the design of the Campus Standard.