Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

Sustainability

Lycoming College actively promotes sustainability with initiatives such as campus-wide recycling and the Clean Water Institute. Whether it’s through our faculty-led Sustainability Committee, through the LEAF student group, or through a collaboration of both, there is a way to get involved in raising awareness of environmental issues and promoting both short-term and long-term sustainable practices.

Sustainability Committee

The Sustainability Committee at Lycoming College brings together faculty and staff in a collaborative and supportive atmosphere to promote long-term environmental sustainability within our campus community.

The committee collects and analyzes meaningful data on water and energy usage, as well as other sustainability metrics at the College, and develops recommendations that can help improve the sustainability of our campus. Every year, the committee develops a report with proposed actions, estimated costs of the proposed changes, required institutional investment needed to implement proposed changes, and expected benefits of the recommended actions. In celebration of Earth Week each spring, the report is presented to campus leaders who then work across campus to bring select ideas to fruition.

For more information on the Sustainability Committee, please email rieck@lycoming.edu.

LEAF Student Club

LEAF (Lycoming Environmental Awareness Foundation) is a student group at Lycoming College that promotes environmental awareness on campus through educational programs, volunteer events, local field activities, and outdoor recreation. The committee engages in the following activities every year:

Native Plant Sales – LEAF holds spring and fall native plant sale fundraisers at Rider Park from plants reared by club members in the Lycoming College greenhouse.

Weigh the Waste w/ Dining Services – LEAF collaborates with Dining Services on an annual “Weigh the Waste” demonstration in Lycoming’s main dining hall, weighing the discarded food on everyone’s tray during the lunch hour. This demo raises awareness about how we can reduce food waste.

Habitat management at local parks – LEAF members volunteer their time at Robert Porter Allen Natural Area and Rider Park to plant native trees and manage invasive plants.

Campus Composting – LEAF maintains two composters on campus and coordinates weekly pickups from the Dining Hall. LEAF composts more than 100 gallons of landfill-bound food waste during the school year. Mature compost is used at the Lycoming Biology Field Station pollinator gardens.

Park Cleanups – LEAF hosts a cleanup at Brandon Park every fall, and one at the Lycoming Biology Field Station in the spring in celebration of Earth Week.