New Sustainability Coordinator Looks to a Greener Future at York College

In November 2022, the College brought Daniel Kreiman on board to develop a climate action plan and work toward making the school a carbon-neutral institution.

Daniel Kreiman joined the York College of Pennsylvania staff in November 2022 as the first Sustainability Coordinator. He came with a vision to move the College toward carbon neutrality.

For Kreiman, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Allegheny College and a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Miami University (Ohio), the desire to pursue a career in sustainability was sparked in high school.

Kreiman recalls his environmental science teacher's emotional account about a place he loved, Prince William Sound in Alaska. The teacher shed tears as he shared his experience of revisiting the sound after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in March 1989, when 11 million gallons of crude oil contaminated the pristine waters. Hearing of the devastation to his teacher’s favorite place deeply affected Kreiman and made him realize the importance of environmental conservation.

“It really hit me. This really matters,” he says.

His passion for sustainability was further fueled during his senior year of high school when he attended an environmental science summit in Costa Rica. He had the opportunity to hear a talk by ethologist and conservationist Jane Goodall. This experience solidified his desire to dedicate his life to helping create a more environmentally sustainable world.

Sustainability on and off campus

Before coming to York College, Kreiman worked with Miami University to compare climate action plans and help the university develop its own plan.

He brought his passion and insight to York College. During his first full semester, he has been busy with an array of sustainability focused activities. He has developed connections with students and student organizations, including the Student Senate, and is a stakeholder for two groups of students working on environmental psychology projects.

Kreiman created a catalog of environmental courses for the College and has been fostering relationships with professors to learn about their research, courses, and opinions on sustainability. 

Kreiman also has reached out to local farms, conservation organizations, and nonprofits to create partnerships. He is honing the campus sustainability website. He helped York College join the 2023 Campus Eco Challenge sponsored by Dickinson College and assisted with the installation of two electric vehicle chargers on campus.

In partnership with organizations, the York community, students, and staff, he is developing a Green Volunteer program for April.

“Everything has been going well,” he says.

Kreiman is conducting carbon, emissions, and energy audits as he works to develop a climate action plan for the College. He acknowledges that the process could take a couple of years, but he aims to have the College achieve carbon neutrality.

A position in the making

Bringing a Sustainability Coordinator to York College resulted from President Pamela Gunter-Smith’s creation of the President’s Task Force for Campus Sustainability (PTFCS) in December 2019. She assigned the PTFCS the mission of moving the College toward sustainability.

Led by Associate Professor of Geography Dr. Jennifer Pomeroy, the PTFCS ultimately recommended that the College hire a full-time Sustainability Coordinator to conduct an energy audit and move the College forward in this arena.

Kreiman looks forward to making that vision a reality one step at a time, creating a more sustainable future not only for York College but for the entire York community.