SUNY Potsdam Proud to Host 3rd Annual Sustainability Day on April 5

Photojournalist Peter Menzel will Present Keynote Address About Documentary Work on Consumption and Waste

Potsdam, NY (03/18/2019) — The Associated Colleges Sustainability Day, an annual event that started in 2016 as a way to build a culture of sustainability across the four colleges and the North Country, will be hosted by SUNY Potsdam on Friday, April 5 from 12:30 to 6 p.m.

The full day of activities includes workshops, panel discussions, poster presentations, and a keynote address by photojournalist Peter Menzel who will discuss consumption and waste around the world. The keynote address will be held at SUNY Potsdam's Proscenium Theater from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m., which is located inside the Performing Arts Center. The keynote session will be opened by Taiawentonti, Chelsea Sunday, who will deliver the traditional, "Words Before All Else" in Mohawk. Following the keynote, several breakout sessions to discuss sustainability issues will be held around campus throughout the afternoon.

Sustainability Day will conclude with Menzel's photography exhibit, "Talking Trash: A Week's Recycling and Waste for 8 U.S. families," which will be on display in SUNY Potsdam's Performing Arts Center lobby from 4:30 to 6 p.m. A poster session of student and faculty projects, highlighting the many facets of sustainability, will be on display at the same time as well as a sustainability fair with interactive booths and community organizations' informational tables. A reception featuring local food and beverages will also be held in the lobby at that time.

Sustainability Day is organized by a planning committee with representatives from all of the Associated Colleges, which includes SUNY Potsdam, Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University and SUNY Canton. The event is intended to be an inspiring opportunity for constituents from all four campuses and the wider community to come together to collectively consider and collaborate on the issue of sustainability, which is central to the values of all four institutions.

For more information about Sustainability Day 2019, visit: Bit.ly/SDAY19.

About the Keynote Speaker:
Peter Menzel is a freelance photojournalist who has worked for 25 years with his wife, Faith D'Aluisio, to travel around the world and document the lives of average families. They have published four books focused on the theme of consumption: "Material World," "Women in the Material World," "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats" and "What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets."

Menzel is known for his coverage of international feature stories on science and the environment. His award-winning photographs have been published in GEO, Stern, Le Figaro, Der Speigel, Paris Match, Focus, Muy Interesante, El Pais, National Geographic, Smithsonian, the New York Times Magazine, and Time. He has received a number of World Press and Picture of the Year awards. His work can be viewed at: www.menzelphoto.com.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges-and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.

Media Attachments

Freelance photojournalist Peter Menzel will provide the keynote address during Sustainability Day 2019.