Ithaca College

Peter Kilcoyne, manager of printing services, recently completed training that certified him for Best Practices for Sustainability in Print. Awarded by Print Communications Professionals International (PCPI), the certification meshes with the College's stand on sustainable practices in all its operations.

“We were already following a lot of the sustainable practices, such as using soy-based inks and buying from local printers,” Kilcoyne said. “But the instruction for this certification covered the whole spectrum of the printing operation, from managed forests to chain-of-custody of the pulp and paper products to the production of the printed project at the printing company, and even touching on the company’s culture and employee relationship.”

“This program lays out an action plan to make a difference,” said Suzanne Morgan, CEO and founder of PCPI. "When you specify and buy print in a sustainable way, you really do have a major, positive impacat on our planet."

Ithaca College's commitment to sustainability began in 2001, when the framework of sustainability emerged organically from grassroots conversations among all constituencies of the college. These conversations led to the creation of the Ithaca College Institutional Plan. Elements of the plan include fiscal stability and stewardship, sense of community, and an appreciation of the institution’s learning environment, its physical plant, and natural surroundings.