Zero Waste Ithaca

06/17/2026

Zero waste is a climate action. Local climate planning must include waste reduction, reuse, composting, and a clear rejection of incineration and other false solutions. .ithaca

06/17/2026

It is hard to understand why waste reduction is still so often treated as optional in local climate planning. Zero waste, reuse, and organics diversion are practical climate strategies, and they belong at the center of climate action.

City of Ithaca, New York Tompkins County, NY Sustainable Finger Lakes Sunrise Movement Ithaca GAIA US Canada

06/08/2026

Zero Waste Ithaca is introducing updated sticker designs for our Reuse Business Network: Bring Your Own, Skip the Stuff, and Circular Economy.

These stickers identify practical steps local businesses can take to reduce unnecessary waste and make reuse more visible in everyday life.

Bring Your Own (BYO): Customers are encouraged to bring reusable cups and containers for drinks and takeout.

Skip the Stuff: Utensils, napkins, straws, condiments, and other single-use accessories are provided only when requested.

Circular Economy: Businesses support reuse, repair, refill, waste diversion, or other practices that keep materials in use longer and out of the landfill.

Look for these stickers at participating businesses around Ithaca as we continue building local systems that make reuse easier, visible, and normal.🌿

Businesses interested in joining the Reuse Business Network can sign up here:
https://forms.gle/kFfg7qWJq6SsMo8c8

06/06/2026

🎶 WIN 2 JACK JOHNSON TICKETS! 🎶

Support Zero Waste Ithaca and enter our raffle for a chance to win 2 tickets to see Jack Johnson live in Canandaigua on July 1! 🌿

There are two ways to enter:
🙌 Volunteer at our Move-Out Community Gift Exchange on June 13
🎁 Attend the event and enter the raffle

The winner will be drawn on June 14.

Your donation goes even further thanks to matching support from the Jack Johnson's All At Once Foundation. 💚

Volunteer sign-up: https://forms.gle/CJLUPF7wJCayrnns7

06/05/2026

What is true Zero Waste? Read a blog post from our parent network GAIA!

What is ?

In this blog post, GAIA’s Global Zero Waste Cities Director Cecilia Allen urges everyone to “honor zero waste’s true spirit that drives systems change.”

Reject harmful waste-burning and other false solutions, ! READ in full: https://www.no-burn.org/defending-the-real-spirit-of-zero-waste/

Zero Waste Forum

06/04/2026

🌿 Join us for the Move-Out Community Gift Exchange on June 13! 🌿

Enjoy an afternoon centered around reuse, community care, and zero waste living

🕙 10 AM–12 PM
Open first for community organizations

🕛 12 PM–3 PM
Open community session featuring:
🎶 Music
🍲 Potluck
🎟️ Raffle
🌱 Reuse swap

Bring your own:
🥤 Cups
🍴 Utensils
🍱 Containers
🧻 Napkins

Help us reduce waste by avoiding single-use items. We’ll provide iced mint lemon water 🍋

✨ How the reuse swap works:
• Bring something unloved from your household to gift
• Adopt a new-to-you item from what’s available
• Every item is priceless, and everything deserves a second life

We’re also encouraging homemade vegetarian and vegan dishes for the potluck as part of our plant-forward and ecologically conscious values 🌎

🎟️ Support Zero Waste Ithaca through our raffle for a chance to win 2 tickets to see Jack Johnson in Canandaigua on July 1!
Donations will be doubled through support from All at Once Foundation.

We also need volunteers for:
🚚 Hauling
🪑 Setup & takedown
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Tabling support

Volunteer sign-up:
Sign Up Here: https://forms.gle/CJLUPF7wJCayrnns7

05/28/2026

After students left campus, Cornell University has begun installing plastic turf at Meinig Fieldhouse while the public still has not received basic product and testing information, including the exact turf model, PFAS testing protocol, lab report, detection limits, sampled components, or chain-of-custody documentation. A few people at the site reported a noticeable chemical-like odor during installation.

Approval first. Disclosure later is not meaningful environmental review.