Sustainable Sugaring

by Elizabeth Moore
Contributing Writer

“Maple is sexy” biology professor Kristyn Achilich said. In January, the sustainability committee voted in favor of investing in a multi-year maple sugaring production. Their goal is to raise awareness about environmental concerns “of less sexy things like reducing plastics, food choice and food waste,” Achilich said.

The maple syrup will be bottled in small glass jars, rather than alternative plastic options, further decreasing the carbon footprint of the program. The program is putting tree health at the top of their list by only tapping trees that are at least 10” in diameter. Each tap will remove around 7 percent of the tree’s nutrients, so they plan not to over-collect.

Their hope is that the maple sugaring program will serve as a model for sustainable actions on-campus in the future.