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 Sustainability
At St. Lawrence University, sustainability is built into the University’s
core
values and guides its curriculum and learning outside the classroom as well
as
its operations, including purchasing, physical plant development and many other
University systems. St. Lawrence’s Board
of Trustees approved a studentinitiated
resolution making sustainability a core University value in 2006, a year
before President Daniel Sullivan joined 280 college presidents in signing the
American College and
University Presidents Climate Commitments targeting
carbon neutrality for St. Lawrence.
The University’s green practices have earned it a B- on the College
Sustainability Report Card, placing it in the top third of public and private
schools with the largest endowments. The Report Card, produced by the
Endowment Sustainability Institute, is the only independent sustainability
evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments. St. Lawrence is
a
leader in the campus sustainability movement because of top-level commitment,
but also because its students, faculty and staff have acted on that commitment
in
creative and meaningful ways. Among many programs:
- Green Building - The Johnson Hall of Science, opened
in fall of 2007 and the
university’s largest construction project ever, features the latest
sustainable design. It
has received a Gold LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Design
Commission.
- The Adirondack Semester, in which students immerse themselves
full-time in the
natural world, taking courses while living an entire semester in yurts
in a remote region
of the Adirondack Mountains.
- Environmental Action Plan - a collaborative effort of
over 100 students, faculty, staff
and community members, the Environmental Action Plan is designed to
show ecological challenges on campus and provide actions the University
can take to address these issues.
- Green Bikes - the library is the only one in the nation
that not only loans books, but
also bikes to students, faculty and staff for campus and local travel.
- Outdoor Studies Program - students develop an appreciation
for nature and their place
in it through courses and an outdoor studies minor.
- Environmental Studies Program - one of the oldest
programs in the nation (1974).
- Conservation Biology - a new interdisciplinary
program that deals with protecting the
world’s biodiversity.
- The Green House - students live in a low-impact
theme cottage, live sustainable lifestyles and develop campus educational
programming for other students.
- Sustainable Food Systems - campus
dining services consults with local farmers and
purchases a variety of locally grown food and has its own campus
herb garden.
- Green Guide - student-written guide that offers students
energy conservation, water
conservation and recycling tips.
- Greening Your Dorm Room - students can request
a mini-energy/sustainability audit that will rate their living
space and help them to live green.
- Conservation Council - composed
of faculty, students and community members working on conservation
through both short- and long-term goals.
- Environmental Action
Organization - student-run organization working toward the creation
of an environmentally aware and active student body.
- Coalition
on Climate Change - focused on raising awareness, cutting greenhouse
emissions, and coordinating events surrounding climate change.
- Lettuce Turnip the Beet - a group researching
and striving for sustainable dining on campus as well as a campus
of mindful eaters.
- Gardening Club - working to create a campus
and community relationship through gardening projects as well
as to provide means for student gardeners to learn and play
in the dirt.
- The Green Pages and the Green Press kit are two
on-line resources that tell the
story of University programs for sustainability.
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