Earth Day Expands into Green Dragon Weeks at SUNY Oneonta  

By DAKOTA KEATS
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA

As Earth Day approaches on Wednesday, April 22, SUNY Oneonta is turning the celebration into multiple weeks of environmental action, inviting students and community members to think about sustainability not as a single day, but as a set of everyday choices. 

The university’s Green Dragon Weeks series, which spans from April 18 through May 2, will feature events ranging from farmers’ market outreach to park cleanups and thrift shop pop-ups, all designed to highlight environmental stewardship and community connection. 

For Rachel Kornhauser, associate director of sustainability for SUNY Oneonta, Earth Day offers a pause from daily routines to reflect on broader social responsibility.  

“Our fast-paced society typically rewards short-term, individual-focused thinking,” Kornhauser said. “Earth Day is a great chance to remember we are a part of something greater than ourselves.” 

That perspective is reflected in a slate of campus and community events centered on both environmental impact and local engagement. One major highlight is SUNY Oneonta’s participation in the Oneonta Farmers’ Market on both Saturday, April 18 and Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to noon. Enrolled SUNY Oneonta students visiting the campus’s “community table” will receive $15.00 vouchers to spend on locally-produced goods. 

Kornhauser said the market is a valuable way for students to engage with the wider community.  

“Many students are unaware of the greater Oneonta community and the diversity of businesses and people here,” she explained. “By connecting students to the farmers’ market and the farmers, they become more familiar with Oneonta as a place and not just as a college.” 

Environmental action will also take place off campus. Students, faculty, and community members are invited to join a cleanup at Neahwa Park on Sunday, April 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., organized in partnership with the city’s Department of Public Service and the Environmental Board. The effort will focus on removing trash revealed after winter snow melt. 

“People want to see the direct impact of their good work,” said Kornhauser, explaining that cleanup events allow participants to see tangible results from just a few hours of effort. 

A central hub for campus sustainability efforts is the Red Dragon Thrift Shop, a student-run space in Hunt Union focused on reuse, equity and waste reduction. The shop operates on a “pay-as-you-wish” model, offering affordable clothing and household items while supporting a sustainability scholarship fund. 

For student worker Luca Montana, the campus thrift shop reflects the spirit of the Green Dragon Weeks on campus.

“I love clothes, and I’m passionate about saving textiles from landfills,” Montana said. “In a circular system, everyone wins.” 

Montana, a senior dual majoring in environmental sustainability and history, noted that Earth Day-related programming at SUNY Oneonta has expanded over time.  

“The focus isn’t on the scary stuff,” Montana said. “It’s about celebrating what’s in our control.”  

Kornhauser similarly explained that “sustainability can be as simple as saying no to new items that you don’t need, to thinking twice about driving a car instead of using public transportation, and to taking notice of the environment you are a part of.”   

The Red Dragon Thrift Shop itself plays a key role in that message. Donated items are given a second life, offering students affordable options while reducing landfill waste. Montana described thrifting as letting students express their individuality beyond fast-fashion trends.  

“It’s a cheaper alternative, and you’re not locked into what traditional retail is selling,” they said. 

Student manager Rudy Hess, who joined the project through the Empire State Service Corps, has seen the shop grow as both a sustainability initiative and a community resource.  

“It’s important to have places where clothing goes toward a good cause of supporting students through scholarships and equitable shopping opportunities,” they said.  

A student manager at the thrift shop, Hess is also a senior majoring in geology. “I hope students see the amount of consumption occurring throughout our campus community,” Hess explained, adding, “and realize thrifting is important to promote a healthy environment.” 

Several upcoming thrift shop events are scheduled as part of Green Dragon Weeks. A bag sale on Thursday, April 23 from 12:30-5 p.m. will allow shoppers to fill a bag with items for a suggested price of $5.00, helping clear space ahead of student move-out donations.

On Tuesday, April 28 from 1-3 p.m., a pop-up thrift shop will bring clothing racks to the campus quad, making it easier for students to browse between classes. The pop-up event will also feature a tote bag crafting activity and trivia.  

This year’s Green Dragon Weeks lineup also includes nature walks and hands-on activities aimed at encouraging small but meaningful actions. For instance, there are “green commute” days on Thursday, April 23 and Thursday, April 30, which offer incentives of free coffee and donuts to students who walk, bike, carpool, or take the bus to campus on those days.  

Beyond scheduled events, organizers emphasize that sustainability is rooted in everyday decisions—choosing secondhand goods, reducing unnecessary purchases or rethinking transportation options. 

Kornhauser hopes students leave Earth Month with a simple but powerful takeaway: “Doing good work feels good.” 

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.