Rust to Green is an organization that utilizes Participatory Action Research and local partnerships to facilitate the transition of devitalized cities of New York State’s Rust Belt into sustainable and resilient communities.
Rust to Green New York State is a community planning effort that was put forth by Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2010. Supported by a USDA Hatch Grand, the project aims to guide the transition of seven vulnerable cities in New York State from devitalized products of the Industrial Era into resilient, sustainable hubs for community-oriented development. These cities, also known as the NY7, emerged out of a 2007 Brookings Institute Report identifying America's cities with the most potential to grow in the next 50 years. The Utica and Binghamton chapters are already very active in their communties, and Rust to Green is currently looking to expand into Albany, Schenectady, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.
Based on the philosophy of Participatory Action Research, student researchers at Cornell partner with local groups in the NY7 to raise awareness of the issues that threaten these cities and to collaborate on local projects. In Utica, Rust to Green is working with community members to develop a Master Plan for the city, as well as develop a community-mapping project to create an inventory of local assets of energy, food, and water. Rust to Green Utica’s comprehensive food policy includes planning for urban agriculture in pockets of the city. It also established a regional college consortium with sustainable design learning opportunities and a skill-sharing network to connect activists and entrepreneurs in Utica. The organization maintains a strong presence in the city and is currently moving into a storefront on Genesee Street in the center of the downtown.
This is an organization to watch as it expands into the other five cities and engrains itself more into the local communities of the NY7.
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