Join advocates in Albany on March 4th, 2026, for a rally to demand Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State legislature take action to modernize the Bottle Bill, New York’s most effective recycling system! We’ll be gathering with environmentalists, independent recyclers, redemption center owners, charities, and more who benefit from the unmatched recycling outcomes…
The Sustainable Finger Lakes Neighborhood Mini-Grants program recently awarded the Dundee Library $450 to create a collection of basic medical equipment. These tools will be useful to lend out to patients for use at their homes. This, alongside other local and regional grants, has contributed to the library’s mission of improving community needs, especially for…
Seneca Meadows, the largest landfill in New York, remains open despite being slated to close at the end of last year. The landfill operator is also seeking to expand the site, which could keep it operating until 2040. While the expansion has not been approved, Seneca Meadows has resubmitted environmental impact statements, and the Department…
In an article from January 2026, the Board of Trustees of Wells College, a liberal arts college that closed in 2024 after 156 years of operation, agreed to sell the campus to the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge. The institute is a nonprofit organization focused on Native American history and education. Their plans are to…
Original article from No Data Centers FLX — Easy actions you can take to help stop them. Two Permits Are Up For Renewal A Water Withdrawal permit and a SPDES permit. A Water Withdrawal permit sanctions a particular amount of water per year to be taken out of Cayuga Lake.A SPDES permit (State Pollutant Discharge…
Sustainable Finger Lakes signed a letter objecting to Governor Kathy Hochul’s environmental policy decisions, including the reversal of previous regulatory actions. Among the decisions cited in the letter are those directly affecting the Finger Lakes Region, such as granting Greenidge Generation crypto mining operation in Yates County a five-year air permit. This letter was signed…
As many NYSEG customers have realized, energy costs have gone up and will continue to rise. Gerri Wiley is an Energy Navigator and long-term resident in NY’s Southern Tier, dedicated to tracking and breaking down delivery and supply cost increases through her monthly updates. Her newsletter, Energy Updates, also provides the latest on offerings by…
🎉New mini-grant projects announced! 🎉 We funded three different pollinator gardens for our Seneca and Keuka pilot chapter: Libraries contribute to their communities beyond their roles in providing programs, resources, and services. According to the Sustainable Libraries Initiatives, “Libraries play an important and unique role in promoting community awareness about resilience, climate change, and a…
🌿Mini-grant project update! 🌿 Last Fall, we awarded a mini-grant to Claire Dehm for a Bike Seat Library at Bike Walk Tompkins. Bike Walk Tompkins is a nonprofit that teaches bike skills courses. They also support the community with free repair help and refurbish bikes, which makes having the Seat Library a perfect place to…
Article from River Reporter By NEIL SELDMAN and YAYOI KOIZUMI NEW YORK STATE — The New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S7408/A8007), an extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill, is one of the most talked-about environmental bills in Albany this year. On paper, it aims to make corporations responsible for the packaging waste they…
🎉New mini-grant project announced! 🎉 Lodi Food Pantry is one of our awardees from our new Keuka and Seneca Watersheds Chapter. Based in Seneca County, Lodi’s Food Pantry is open to all, regardless of income or town of residence. They received funding for two rolling crate carts for food pantry patrons and a coat rack…
🌿Mini-grant project update! 🌿 Last Fall, we awarded a Neighborhood Mini-Grant to Zoë Van Nostrand for materials to use in running four Beginner Textile Repair & Care workshops in Tompkins County. The workshops included a community clothing swap, felting for sweater repair, minor mends with hand sewing, and leather care for boots, belts and bags.…
🎉New mini-grant project announced! 🎉 Ithaca Community Gardens is one of our newest Tompkins County Neighborhood Mini-Grant awardees. Ithaca Community Gardens is a non-profit that furthers community food self-sufficiency. They provide support and encouragement for gardeners, including garden tools and soil amendments, as well as additional resources, mentoring, and events. The funding awarded will be…
We’re excited to kick off our “Give the Gift of a Mini-Grant” Giving Tuesday Campaign! We want to share with you all some great updates on last year’s projects, while also announcing our newest awardees. 🌿Mini-grant project update! 🌿 Last Fall, we awarded a Neighborhood Mini-Grant to Danby Food and Drink, a community hub that…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: ITHACA, NY—November 18, 2025— Sustainable Finger Lakes is announcing updates for Neighborhood Mini-Grant projects awarded last year, including Danby Food and Drink’s new shade sails, an air-quality monitoring research project by an Ithaca High School student and the Bike Seat Lending Library hosted in Bike Walk Tompkins. The full stories,…