That’s how we’d describe our commitment to sustainability. Nestled in the shadows of the Adirondack hills, we owe so much of our adventurous spirit to our natural surroundings. We take our responsibility to preserve and protect our home seriously and it resonates in every aspect of campus life—from our campus buildings to dining to academic programming.
When you venture out into the world after graduation, you’ll make decisions with the wellness of our planet in mind.
To minimize our environmental impact, we’re investing in efforts to be more efficient, preserve and protect natural habitats on campus, and support local food systems, while simultaneously fostering a passion for environmental stewardship in all Laurentians through our innovative academic offerings.
During your St. Lawrence experience, you will need to complete at least one unit that meets the learning goals of environmental literacy courses. The courses have primary learning goals that enable you to recognize the consequences of human activities on natural systems, build an awareness of the cultural, economic, and political forces that affect environmental policies, develop an understanding of natural systems as well as the impacts natural systems can have on the environment, human life, health, and welfare.
Since joining 600 other institutions of higher education in signing Second Nature’s carbon commitment, St. Lawrence has worked toward becoming climate neutral while conducting operations with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. We’ve also pursued education across our curriculum that empowers the next generation of climate advocates and problem-solvers.
To guide our efforts, our Campus Committee for Sustainability and Climate Neutrality published a Climate Action Plan. Every three to five years, we review our progress, evaluate our successes and identify improvements and new opportunities for innovation.
Our Climate Action Plan is an integral part of our facilities' operations. It informs our choices when making upgrades and repairs and guides our efforts to make our campus a safe and clean place for our community. Below is a sample of some of our efforts:
Our Dining Services team works closely with our students and departments across campus on solutions that prioritize sustainability in all eateries, including:
We know that campus buildings are some of the biggest contributors to our environmental footprint, which is why we’ve chosen to prioritize energy and resource efficiency in all recent and future construction. As part of our commitment to climate neutrality, all new builds will meet the standards of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver Certification.
We’re a pedestrian and bike-friendly campus and encourage students to choose low-impact modes of transportation through our Green Bikes rental program. Our campus was recognized as a “Bicycle Friendly University” by the League of American Bicyclists.
We also encourage ride sharing, offer shuttles to popular nearby destinations, maintain a fleet of hybrid vehicles for official University use, and host two electric vehicle charging stations.
The Green Guide empowers students to help preserve and protect our environment by making sustainable choices in their everyday lives. It includes details about recycling, water usage, our food systems, energy usage, transportation and more.
The Office of Sustainability partners with organizations and departments across campus to provide services and guidance that support sustainability efforts. It is also tasked with implementing and evaluating initiatives to meet the goals of St. Lawrence’s Climate Action Plan.
The following organizations, departments, and programs work together and in partnership with others across campus to help advance the University’s sustainability goals.
We pride ourselves on empowering students to think critically about complex problems so they're better equipped to solve them. That means doing our part to tackle some of today's most pressing issues and secure a more sustainable future for our community.
(The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges: 2021 Edition)
As part of his Senior Year Experience, Jesse Vining ’20 designed an energy-efficient greenhouse, the first of its kind in the North Country. Students began construction on the greenhouse in fall of 2020.
We’re a proud member of this New York State initiative, which means we’re committed to advancing clean energy initiatives on campus and in our community.
Kirk Douglas Hall, our newest residential building, is heated and cooled with geothermal energy.
Our environmental studies program is one of the oldest in the nation and largest among liberal arts colleges.
Launched in 2019, the cafe is an entirely student-run dining option featuring locally-sourced, sustainably-grown food.
It’s one of the oldest programs in the country. Harness your passion for the environment in research, coursework, volunteer work, and professional opportunities that emphasize stewardship and empower you to make a positive impact.
Environmental Science is a cutting-edge field where you can use science and other data-driven techniques to diagnose and solve local and global problems in environmental and public health. Combine your environmental studies major with biology, chemistry, geology, psychology, and math.
Gain the tools you’ll need to protect biological diversity as you study the effects of issues like climate change and investigate solutions.
This minor fosters a lifelong appreciation for the natural world through classes, professional opportunities on and off campus, and immersive experiences that will take you on outdoor adventures of all kinds.
Live and learn in our low-impact, renovated farmhouse, located five miles off-campus, as you grow and prepare your own food and work with community members involved in green building, homesteading, farming, and more.
Explore and deepen your relationship with nature while living off-the-grid in our remote yurt village and using the great outdoors as a classroom.
Located on 110 acres behind our main campus, classes use our solar-electric-powered living lab to grow fruits and vegetables, keep bees, observe amphibians in nearby wetlands, shear sheep for fleece, and so much more.
A community-based organization based at St. Lawrence, Nature Up North’s goal is to foster a deeper sense of appreciation for, and connection to, the North Country environment and in doing so to create a bioregionally literate community that is committed to protecting the wild things and wild places that define this place we call home.
You have a place to cultivate permaculture right on campus. The garden’s goal is to produce food while sustaining ecosystem values and provide an opportunity for learning and educating the St. Lawrence community about permaculture.
Our Green Bikes Program provides a carbon-neutral way for you to get around campus, town, and to explore the many bike-friendly trails in St. Lawrence County. Bikes are loaned out through the Launders Science Library.
Over the years, St. Lawrence has earned recognition for its commitment to its students and for fostering their unique abilities to make an impact on communities across the country and the world. See what others are saying about the programs, initiatives, and qualities that set us apart.
After learning about the Chocolate Passport Project, Priscilla (Penny) Wightman ’74 was inspired to donate three boxes of books and resources about chocolate and sustainability to the St. Lawrence University Libraries.
