The ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ Sustainability Office originated in 2001 as an office within Facilities Management focused on reducing the college's environmental impact. The Sustainability Office has implemented or overseen many projects over the years including significant waste reduction efforts during student move-out, food waste diversion programs, ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿’s transition to single stream recycling, alternative transportation programming, developing one of the first EcoRep programs in the country, and focusing on efforts to become a carbon neutral campus.
³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ Achieved Carbon Neutrality in 2018 two years ahead of schedule, making ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ among the first few colleges in the country to have achieved its commitment. When ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ achieved carbon neutrality in 2018 the College promised it wouldn’t stop there—the ultimate goal is to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and advance a resilient campus that models climate solutions, creating educational opportunities for our students throughout the process.
In May 2022, ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ College launched “Sustainable ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ 2042”, a landmark campus clean-energy plan investing more than $100 million to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2042.
STARS GOLD Rating
³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ has earned a in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System is a comprehensive sustainability rating system for colleges and universities that addresses the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: 1) academics 2) engagement, 3) operations, 4) planning and administration, and 5) innovation and leadership.
Tree Campus USA
³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ College has earned distinction through the Tree Campus Higher Education Program! ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ achieved the distinction by meeting Tree Campus Higher Education's five standards, including maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and student service-learning project.
Bicycle Friendly University
³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ College is recognized as a Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists, joining an elite group of 221 colleges and universities in 47 states and the District of Columbia that are taking action for our efforts to make it easier and safer for students, faculty, and staff to choose to get around by bike.