Earth Day was founded in 1970. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin called for a nationwide demonstration in the spring of 1970 aimed to raise awareness of environmental issues. It worked. The first national Earth Day was April 22, 1970.
The Green Labs group was founded in 2020 by Lara Pes, Sustainability Program Manager (at that time Laboratory Supervisor in the Radiology Department), and Matthew Domser, Sr. Hazardous Materials Manager. A distribution list exists where members are encouraged to share resources and initiate discussions on sustaianbility-related topics: GreenLabs@med.cornell.edu. We also have a small group of Green Labs Officer that help us in a more active way collaborating on specific projects.
We strive towards energy efficiency, waste minimization, and water conservation. Active programs are:
- Shut the Sash program
- ULT freezer maintenance
- Waste minimization and recycling
- Sustainability Lab Checklist (pilot)