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Students’ Sustainability Projects Help Reduce Their University’s Carbon Footprint

As the semester drew to a close, students in Michael Sheridan’s business class at SUNY New Paltz were gearing up for a hot summer by presenting innovative solutions to reduce waste and emissions on campus. Their proposals aimed to transform the university into a beacon of sustainability and climate action.

One standout project came from a team advocating for a solar canopy over a sun-drenched parking lot near the athletic center. This structure, they argued, would not only provide shade but also harness solar energy, significantly reducing the campus’s dependency on natural gas. With an initial investment of $43,613, the solar canopy was projected to become profitable within five years and save the university $787,130 over five decades. Ian Lominski, a senior aspiring to join the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, emphasized the feasibility of the project, citing successful implementations at other SUNY schools.

Sheridan’s course exemplifies the “campus as a living lab” approach, where students engage in hands-on projects that both educate and contribute to reducing the campus’s carbon footprint. Across various disciplines, from engineering to theater, students are integrating their learning with sustainability efforts. For instance, engineering students retrofit buildings, theater students create zero-waste productions, and ecology students restore wetlands. This multidisciplinary approach is gaining traction nationwide, with hundreds of campuses adopting similar initiatives.

However, these efforts face challenges, including the short duration of academic semesters, which can hinder long-term project continuity. Yet, the benefits are substantial: students acquire practical skills and create impactful projects that educate the broader community on climate solutions.

Higher education institutions have a significant environmental impact, from energy consumption to waste production. In New York, buildings are a major source of carbon emissions, and the SUNY system alone owns 40% of the state’s public buildings. Despite the challenges, efforts to achieve sustainability are ongoing. For instance, Dickinson College in Pennsylvania has achieved net-zero emissions since 2020, with students actively participating in various sustainability projects, such as data analysis of building efficiencies and promoting behavior change to reduce food waste.

At SUNY New Paltz, sustainability coordinator Lisa Mitten has been instrumental in integrating climate action into the curriculum. Faculty members, like Andrea Varga in the theater department, guide students in developing projects that address environmental issues, such as reducing the impact of the fashion industry.

One student, Jazmyne Daily-Simpson, is working to expand a project that installs microplastic filters in campus washing machines, a continuation of a previous student’s initiative. These filters capture microplastic particles, preventing them from polluting the water supply. In the business classroom, Sheridan’s course, “Introduction to Managing Sustainability,” has empowered students to develop practical, economically viable sustainability projects. Funded by a green revolving fund that reinvests savings from past projects, these initiatives are designed to demonstrate that sustainability can drive economic growth.

Among the projects presented, a solar canopy proposal stood out and received startup funding approval, a significant achievement for the students involved. This hands-on experience not only provided them with valuable skills but also the satisfaction of seeing their efforts lead to real-world implementation.

Madeleine Biles, a senior majoring in management, found the course particularly impactful. It transformed theoretical financial concepts into tangible outcomes, reinforcing her commitment to a career in sustainability. With her team’s project set to become a reality, Biles expressed a sense of fulfillment and optimism for the future.

As campuses continue to embrace the living lab model, students like Biles and Lominski are leading the way in turning classroom projects into lasting environmental solutions. These efforts not only benefit the institutions but also equip students with the skills and motivation to address the pressing challenges of Climate change.

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