Greening Initiative

We Are Taking Action to Become an Environmentally Sustainable Organization in Keeping with Thomas Cole’s Early Environmentalist Values

We know that every little bit counts, that’s why we are re-imagining our everyday practices to reduce our harm to the earth.

“A few short years!—These valleys, greenly clad, these slumbering mountains, resting in our arms, shall naked glare beneath the scorching sun.”

Thomas Cole, from his poem, ‘Lament of the Forest,’ 1838

ACTIONS COMPLETED

Reduce Air Toxins and General Chemical Use

Controlling plant growth on visitor walking paths with environmentally friendly methods
Installed public dual EV charger for local community and visitors
Mowing grass less frequently to reduce the amount of toxins in the air.
Using environmentally friendly soaps, paper products, and cleaning products in all visitor and staff restrooms, kitchens, and offices

Reduce use of single-use plastics

Now using compostable waste bags in visitor and staff areas
Now using cleaning concentrates with recyclable or compostable packaging
Created 1-page reference guide for employees which is integrated into all employee onboarding

Reduce waste materials

Regularly re-use exhibition cases, rather than build new cases each year
Recycle all printer toner cartridges, as well as all possible recyclable waste
Switched from non-recyclable coffee pods to refillable pod/filters and pour-over methods with compostable filters
Composting Garden/Yard scraps to reuse in garden
Utilize a composting system at the Cole Fellows’ residence. Compost is used in Site’s gardens

Reduce Waste of Natural Resources

Now using 100% recycled paper for office printing
Decreasing amount of office printing, reusing scrap paper, and printing double sided when able
Majority of historic site and office electricity now obtained through renewable resources
Three recent publications are printed on paper made from sustainably harvested forest products using renewable wind/solar energy
Membership correspondence/materials is now 80% digital
Donation acknowledgements are 80% digital

Encourage Biodiversity

Mowing grass less frequently and at a height of ~4 inches in order to support healthy soil and provide essential habitats for pollinators
Continue to plant pollinator-friendly plants
Promoting growth of volunteer trees in a woodlot on the historic site
Developed pocket meadows. Read more here
Joined the Pollinator Pathway Northeast project

I cannot but express my sorrow that the beauty of such landscapes are quickly passing away–the ravages of the axe are daily increasing – the most noble scenes are made desolate, and oftentimes with a wantonness and barbarism scarcely credible in a civilized nation. The wayside is becoming shadeless, and another generation will behold spots, now rife with beauty, desecrated by what is called improvement. […] Nature has spread for us a rich and delightful banquet – shall we turn from it? We are still in Eden; the wall that shuts us out of the garden is our own ignorance and folly.

Thomas Cole, Essay on American Scenery, 1835

The EV charging station was made possible by a gift from Sara and Tom de Swardt.

Photo by Margaret DiStefano | Drone photography by Alon Koppel

Sustain Environmental Action

Help support the increased costs to the museum operating budget to sustain these environmental actions.

Support Greening