Sustainable Tompkins is a broad-based coalition of organizations and individuals whose mission is to ensure the long-term well-being of our communities and region.
The resources on the right tell you more, those at the top help you get involved.
The Tompkins County Public Library, located in Ithaca, NY, received a 148 kWac PowerGuard photovoltaic roof top system in July of 2001. With 1,430 solar electric PowerGuardŽ roof tiles this system is considered a large building installation of Photovoltaics. Covering 18,500 square feet, this roof-mounted system will provide electricity, insulation and shading. Increasing energy efficiency in summer and winter months. This system will bring significant environmental savings to the region and contribute to air quality and resource conservation over its expected 30-year design life.
Food Preservation and Local Self-Reliance
This gathering has been postponed until January 2009. For more information on canning and food preservation, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it from IthaCan at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sustainable Tompkins Leader Gay Nicholson Honored with Cornell Tradition 2008 Award
On Saturday, April 26, the Cornell Tradition bestowed the seventh annual Debra S. Newman ’02 Community Recognition Award on Sustainable Tompkins' Gay Nicholson. Nicholson received the award at the National Volunteer Week Day of Service, a collaboration between the Cornell Tradition and OnSite Volunteer Services.
More than 70 people attended the ceremony, at which James Brown, executive director of the United Way of Tompkins County, spoke about leadership and volunteerism before Gay was given the award by Todd Hilgendorff and delivered a well-received talk covering sustainability, activism, and the importance of individual effort in the fight to save our planet.
The Newman award is presented by the Cornell Tradition, an alumni-endowed fellowship program for outstanding undergraduates who are dedicated to work, service and scholarship.
Nicholson received the Newman award because of her strong record of achievement in community service and leadership, including her work with Sustainable Tompkins, a coalition she helped create in 2003-4. Nicholson served as program coordinator for the organization at its founding, and continues to further the organization’s mission by facilitating educational workshops and study circles, convening the Cayuga Sustainability Council, helping to strategize the best ways for businesses, organizations, and municipalities in the region to become truly sustainable, and much more.
High Prices Call For Green Jobs
Laura Hutchinson
May 6, 2008
WENY-TV News Channel 36
View
the news video clip.
ITHACA-- High gas prices are reason enough to make financial cuts or pick up
a second job.
One local community is doing that, with green collar jobs.
People came together in Ithaca Tuesday, to connect what needs to be done and
who has the power to do it.
Local lawmakers joined students, professors, and members of the community to
come up with a plan.
Cornell professor, Susan Christopherson said,“You need to build the markets, train people for the jobs, and you need
finance, either small business finance or low cost loans, that could be provided
by the state.”