Explore Sustainability in the Finger Lakes

The GREEN Tour (Gardening, Recycling, Eating, Enjoying Nature) is an opportunity for first-year students to learn about sustainability and to connect to one another and to the Ithaca community by exploring local food traditions.

On the GREEN Tour, the group will travel by bus to see several farms and parks that are unique to the Cayuga Lake region of the Finger Lakes. Participants might hike in the Taughannock Falls gorge or explore the water’s of Cayuga lake via kayak, too.

Leaders will help students connect both on campus and in the community by helping them reflect on their experiences while on the GREEN Tour. The GREEN Tour will help first-year students learn about being a part of a connected community and understand the impact they have on the local, regional, and global levels.

GREEN Tour participants have the chance to:

  • Observe and participate in Ithaca’s local, sustainable community
  • Discuss their connection and impact on the community
  • Visit area attractions such as local gorges and the Farmers' Market

“[The GREEN Tour] was a great experience where I got to learn about local agriculture and explore Ithaca. It showed me how I could better help the environment, and it helped me adjust to college life before other students arrived. I even met my best friend there!”

Student next to cow at a farm.

Students who participate in the GREEN Tour have a chance to learn about local food sources and taste local foods on this tour around beautiful Cayuga Lake. 

Contact

For more information, please contact Courtney Owens, assistant director of leadership programs.