CSMM Recognized with Rheaply Innovator Award for Advancing Reuse on Campus
The Center for Sustainable Materials Management, housed at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) has been honored with the 2024 Rheaply Innovator Award. This recognition highlights CSMM’s creative use of the Rheaply platform to reduce waste and extend the life cycle of valuable materials at SUNY ESF.
Since partnering with Rheaply in 2024, CSMM has supported the successful launch of the ESF Resource Exchange, an online platform that allows faculty, staff, and graduate students to list and claim surplus property for campus use. Items such as furniture, lab supplies, and other materials are kept in circulation longer, reducing the need for new purchases and minimizing waste.
“Sustainability requires more than policies—it demands action,” said Sue Fassler, ESF’s director of sustainability. “The ESF Resource Exchange has solved a long-standing challenge: getting unused materials back into circulation. This program not only prevents waste but also supports the financial and environmental well-being of our campus.”
In just six months, the ESF Resource Exchange has:
Facilitated 280 exchanges
Diverted nearly 9,000 pounds of material from landfills
Saved the campus $55,000
"This award is a testament to our team's dedication to reimagining waste as a resource," said Kathryn Walker, executive director of CSMM. The success of the ESF Resource Exchange demonstrates that when innovation and collaboration come together, we can create lasting, positive change—for our campus, our communities, and the environment.”
CSMM’s work continues to set a powerful example for how institutions can embrace circular economy principles and rethink waste as an opportunity. With the success of the ESF Resource Exchange, CSMM is paving the way for a more sustainable future, one reuse action at a time.
