Get Involved in Town Sustainability Efforts

Wondering what you can do to learn more and improve sustainability in and around the Town of Ithaca? Review the Current Initiatives section of the Sustainability webpage and the resources below.

Local
Not Local

Local

Local Government & Organizations

Several local government agencies, non-profits, and businesses are working to advance sustainability. Do you want your local organization to be included here? Email us your logo, website link, and a short description (up to 35 words).

City of Ithaca Green New Deal

The City of Ithaca has a Green New Deal similar to the Town’s. The Ithaca Green New Deal was adopted unanimously by the City of Ithaca Common Council on June 5, 2019 to address climate change, economic inequality, and racial injustice.

Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability

Tompkins County should be a place where the needs of current and future generations are met without compromising the ecosystems upon which they depend. Sustainability means equitably meeting the needs of all community members now and in the future.

Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management

The mission of the Department of Recycling and Materials Management is to develop and implement a sustainable materials management strategy for Tompkins County. With a focus on the state’s solid waste management hierarchy, this approach utilizes and prioritizes environmentally sound, cost-effective, socially responsible, and safe practices.

Cornell Cooperative Ex-tension of Tompkins County

The mission of Cooperative Extension is to enable people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. Several CCE programs relate to energy, environment, food, and other important aspects of sustainability.

Cornell University

Cornell is a global leader in sustainability and climate change research, teaching and engagement. Our campuses are living laboratories for developing, testing and implementing solutions that address these most challenging issues.

Get Your GreenBack Tompkins

GYGBT works collaboratively to help people, especially those with limited income, and organizations take high impact steps that simultaneously reduce our community’s carbon emissions, save money and create a socially-just, local economy.

HeatSmart Tompkins

HeatSmart Tompkins, a program of Solar Tompkins, facilitates improved building insulation and promotes the conversion of fossil fuel heating to heat pumps. We provide the tools for each resident to make their own positive decisions based on the best information available. HeatSmart Tompkins is transitioning to CCE Smart Energy Choices.

Ithaca 2030 District

The Ithaca 2030 District is an interdisciplinary public-private collaboration working to create a groundbreaking high-performance building district in Downtown Ithaca.

Ithaca College

Our office focuses on supporting institution-wide, environmental- and social justice-focused projects initiated across the Ithaca College campus. We strive to integrate sustainability from the grassroots level into every aspect of student, faculty, and staff life.

Sunrise Movement – Ithaca Chapter

At Sunrise Ithaca, we mobilize young people to fight for climate justice. As a local branch of the national Sunrise Movement, we strive to push for the climate and social policy that will best benefit Ithacans from all socioeconomic backgrounds. We work to combat systemic issues through youth-driven action, spearheading city-wide legislation such as the Ithaca Green New Deal. We recognize that the climate crisis is now, and we need everyone’s help. For the communities of tomorrow and the strengthening of our own, climate justice is a necessity.

Sustainable Finger Lakes

Sustainable Finger Lakes (formerly Sustainable Tompkins) is a community-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the long-term well-being of our region by integrating social equity, economic vitality, ecological stewardship, and shared responsibility.

Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative

TCCPI is an award-winning climate action and clean energy coalition in the Ithaca, NY area made up of community leaders from the education, business, local government, and nonprofit sectors.

Not Local

International

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. The IPCC was created to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options.

United States

The National Climate Assessment

Summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future. The Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) is the most recent report, consisting of two volumes published in 2017 and 2018.

NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides data, tools, and information to help people understand and prepare for climate variability and change.

New York State

Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act

New York State is committed to the most aggressive clean energy and climate agenda in the country. In 2019, NYS passed the nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act or CLCPA) to empower every New Yorker to fight climate change at home, at work, and in their communities.

NYSERDA

NYSERDA offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and support to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Department of Environmental Conservation

The Energy and Climate section of the DEC website focuses on the policies, programs and plans DEC and New York State have made to reduce GHG emissions and to help New Yorkers adapt as the climate changes. There is also information on New York’s energy resources.

More About Sustainability in Ithaca

Home Page

Goals

Current Initiatives

Accomplishments

Press Coverage

Documents