SUNY Oneonta's president has taken a conservative, green approach to holiday greetings.
Instead of sending holiday cards, Nancy Kleniewski has sent electronic greetings and postcards to spread her ``Season's Greetings from SUNY Oneonta!''
And in lieu of cards, and in the interest of campus beautification and historical observance, she said, the students, faculty and staff will plant 120 trees on property of the State University College at Oneonta to mark the college's 120th anniversary _ 1889 to 2009.
Kleniewski's message on the postcard said, ``We appreciate your support of the College, and we believe that planting the trees will demonstrate our appreciation of you, our beautiful campus, and our global environment. We wish you peace and joy for the holidays and for the future.''
The ``warmest wishes'' closing is from Kleniewski and Bill Davis, her husband.
Last year, Kleniewski mailed 4,920 cards, SUNY Oneonta spokeswoman Carol Blazina said. This year, however, the president sent about 3,000 oversized postcards that were printed on campus. She also sent electronic messages to 5,800 students and to 1,500 employees.
Blazina said the idea originated with Kleniewski.
``She's very sustainability conscientious,'' Blazina said.
Twenty large trees will be planted on SUNY Oneonta's main campus in prominent positions, according to a tentative plan, Blazina said. One hundred smaller trees will be planted, with 50 at College
Camp and main campus and 50 at the campuses in Cooperstown, she said.
The varieties of trees, estimated to cost a total of about $5,000, haven't yet been determined, college officials said.
With winter weather already upon the area, planting won't happen until next year, Don Ackerman, director of facilities operations, said.
``This is a wonderful idea. Rather than cutting down trees to send out Christmas cards, we're planting trees,'' Ackerman said.
``We're trying to keep our landscape up,'' he said. ``It's a great idea.''
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