By Theme:Arts and Literature | Campus Sustainability | Community Perspectives | Development | Economic Analysis | Ecosystem Analysis | Education | Energy | Environmental Justice | Food Systems | Geology of the Watershed | Green Architecture | Green Business | History of the Watershed | Invasive Species | Land Use Patterns | Public Policy | Recreation | Transportation | Water Quality
Campus Sustainability
Composting at Skidmore: Turning our Waste into a Resource
Will Coffey and Nadine Dodge (2010)
Skidmore College produces a substantial amount of organic waste in the form of food scraps, horse manure, and lawn maintenance byproducts that present both economic and environmental concerns to the College. We conducted a comprehensive study to ascertain how these wastes can be turned into a valuable economic and environmental resource through composting. After completing a study of composting at peer institutions, analyzing available composting technologies, and conducting a cost-benefit analysis, we determined that a windrow composting system will be the most cost-effective waste management system for Skidmore. The final result of our project is a detailed proposal that outlines how such a system can be implemented.
Sense and Sustainability: An Assessment of Skidmore's Sustainable Development
Julia Brenner and Christina Puerto (2011)
Skidmore’s sustainability efforts have steadily evolved in their number, complexity, and scope. We constructed the first comprehensive list of sustainability initiatives at the college. We also assess their impact on promoting environmental literacy, increasing the role of environmental considerations in decision-making, and reducing the impact of our physical operations.
Local Food from Farm to School: Investigating the Skidmore Dining Hall's Local Partnerships
Maranda Duval and Jesse Moy (2011)
The Skidmore College Dining Hall has joined the local food movement by forming partnerships
with nearby farmers, processors, and distributors. In this study, we investigate the
history and effectiveness of these local partnerships and make recommendations on
how to expand and improve them in the future.
Skidmore Supported Agriculture: Bringing More Local Food to the Skidmore College Community
Will Dowling (2012)
The current industrial agriculture system in the United States has damaged the environment and distanced people from their food and farms. The organic and local food movements have arisen in response to this system’s flaws. Through programs such as Community Supported Agriculture, people are gaining access to wholesome, local food while reconnecting with their food and communities. This project seeks to provide the benefits of this service to the greater Skidmore College community.
Rachel Chalat and Leandra Cooper (2012)
We examined the technological and financial feasibility of a solar installation for the Williamson Sports Center and the Van Lennep Riding Center at Skidmore College. The technological portion of this study evaluates practical installation considerations for each site, and the financial portion provides monetary incentives and options. Ultimately, our study provides possible opportunities to help Skidmore continue to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
The Gift That Keeps on Giving: Skidmore College's New Land
Eva Fillion, Jackie Slocombe, and Roz Freeman (2012)
Skidmore College recently received a gift of 200 acres of forest just north of the College’s riding stables. We investigated the educational and recreational value of the new land, estimated the carbon sequestration capacity of the forest within the context of the greenhouse emissions by the College, and explored whether other peer colleges have comparable forests (and, if so, how they use them). We offer recommendations to balance effective use and preservation.
Sights and Sounds: Building a Broader Audience for Environmental Issues
Gordon MacPherson and Alex Ethier (2012)
Designing a Sustainable Field Research Station for Skidmore College’s Off Campus Properties
Marcus Goldbas, Gwyn Harris, and Lily Alverson (2013)
We developed an architectural design for a field station that will increase the use of Skidmore’s forested properties for teaching, learning, and outdoor activities, while implementing sustainable design strategies to limit the environmental impacts on the surrounding landscape. We combined stakeholder analyses with evaluations of siting, orientation, climate, access/transportation, solar energy, passive solar heating, storm water management, rainwater catchment, day lighting, and materials, and offer a proposal to the Skidmore Community.
Conceptual Landscapes on Skidmore Campus: Reconciling Perception and Reality
Hannah Greendorfer, Meghan Burke, and Abby Wyant (2013)
Colleges are constantly adapting to internal and external pressures. In the past ten years Skidmore College has increased in size and scope. Our project aims to illustrate how the Skidmore population views and interacts with the college campus. We investigate the conceptualizations of space using cognitive maps drawn by members of the Skidmore community. The assessment of space can then influence future developments and supports sustainable design and a strong Skidmore community.
Videos Unplugged: Combining Comedy with Consequence
Racquel Figueroa, Eric Stumpf, and Anthony DiLisio (2013)
What does it take to make an effective video PSA for the Skidmore Unplugged energy saving campaign? We surveyed students about their usage of electrical devices to identify the sources of energy consumption and key behaviors to target. We made ten videos exploring the themes of humor, social influence and environmental concern. Focus group discussions showed that a combination of these themes would be most effective for the college audience. Other key aspects were brevity, shock value, personal relevancy and specificity of both target behavior and audience.
Growing a Green Campus
Kate Brittenham, Max Conley, Will Blasini, and Margot Reisner (2014)
Human attempts to control nature through landscaping create problems. By working in conjunction with ecological cycles, sustainable landscaping practices can regenerate rather than degrade the environment. We compared the ecological impacts of traditional landscaping to the benefits of sustainable landscaping, and used other institutions as examples to develop a guide for best practices, costs and benefits, and a timeline for sustainable landscaping at Skidmore.
Sabrina Dabakarov, Will Borowka, and Alex Ricci (2020)
Across the US, higher education institutions are realizing the benefits alternative farming on their campus. Hydroponic farming, where crops grow submerged in nutrient solution rather than soil, can reduce food miles and engage college students and their communities. We used a variety of techniques to evaluate the feasibility of a hydroponic garden at Skidmore. Hydroponics supports Skidmore’s sustainability and educational goals, and can easily be maintained and scaled up for greater future yield and profit.
Skidmore College: Bee-ing the Change
Madison Collins, Maia Taylor, and Anna Tiajoloff (2020)
Higher education institutions in the U.S. are expanding pollinator conservation efforts. Bee Campus institutions, certified by the Xerces Society, commit to conserving and raising awareness about pollinators, their habitats, and population declines. We used literature review, semi-structured interviews, student surveys, and bio-geospatial inquiry to evaluate Skidmore College’s potential to become a pollinator-friendly certified campus. Skidmore College would benefit from the certification, but further research is recommended.
Paper is not available. For information, please contact the ESS Program Director.
“Plastics-Free” Skidmore? A Feasibility Study of Skidmore College Going Single-Use
Plastics Free
Sarah Baker, Matt Cocchi & Hannah Paolucci (2021)
We investigated the feasibility of Skidmore College reducing single-use plastic in a typical year. We looked into providing vending operations and Dining Services on campus with sustainable alternatives. We conducted a literature review, action and archival research, calculated per-item costs of commonly-used plastic items on campus, conducted semi-structured interviews, and distributed a campus survey. Going plastics-free offers multiple benefits for Skidmore, and we provide recommendations for college-wide implementation.
