Starting March 1, 2020, New York’s ban on single-use plastic bags will take effect. Just this week, the state Department of Environmental Conservation released its final regulations to govern the ban. Mildred Warner is a professor of city and regional planning and an expert on how to promote environmental sustainability at the local level says while New York’s hybrid model for banning plastic bags with a fee on alternatives is key, if there are loopholes – such as thickness requirements – the plastic bag manufacturers and retailers will take advantage. 

New York State

Law and Policy

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

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An obvious and tasty accompaniment for pancakes (and anything else it touches on a breakfast plate), maple syrup is also a healthy sweetener for New York’s agricultural economy. Earning New York state producers an estimated $141 million annually, syrup and maple-related products are big business. With the second of two New York State Maple Weekends hosted March 30 – 31 at various “sugar houses” around the state, Cornell Cooperative Extension Lewis County Executive Director Michele Ledoux talks about how the number two maple syrup producing state in the U.S. produces, processes and markets a wide array of delicious sweet and savory maple products.

Food & Agriculture

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New York state passed a budget this week that includes measures that would end cash bail for all but certain violent felonies, among other reforms, and Cornell government professor and author of "Incarceration Nation", Peter Enns, says this change indicates New York is a leader in reforming the system.

Law and Policy

New York State

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On Thursday, votes from Starbucks workers at three stores in and around Buffalo, New York on whether to unionize will be tallied. Cathy Creighton says the Starbucks campaign is a prime example of how U.S. labor law is designed to put business ahead of workers’ requests to organize.

Industrial and Labor Relations

New York State

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President Martha E. Pollack comments on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed launch of the nation’s first public health corps to support New York's effort to vaccinate nearly 20 million people. As part of the effort, up to 1,000 fellows will be recruited to assist with vaccination operations and will receive an intensive public health training curriculum developed by Cornell University. 

New York State

New York City

Administration

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Maria Figueroa, director of labor and policy research at Cornell University’s Worker Institute, comments on Uber's formal recognition of British trade union GMB.

Industrial and Labor Relations

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Americans should be able to pick up free, non-surgical N95 face masks at distribution sites nationwide starting Monday, January 24th.

Health, Nutrition & Medicine

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Christopher Wolf, professor of agricultural economics, says removing chocolate milk as an option in school cafeterias may limit sugar consumption, but also results in less students consuming milk.

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Lara Skinner says the Biden administration’s goal to build a large offshore wind industry demonstrates his commitment to tackling climate change and creating high-quality jobs for Americans.

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

Industrial and Labor Relations

New York State

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Amanda Rodewald and Brian Rahm comment on the rollback of the WOTUS rule that expanded protection for U.S. waterways.

Law and Policy

Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

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