Sustainability

Responsible stewardship of our planet starts at home, and at Wellesley College, situated on one of the most beautiful campuses in North America, we feel a sense of urgency to protect all that surrounds us—and the world beyond. Trustees, student activists, expert faculty, and incredibly dedicated staff have joined together to shepherd Wellesley towards a more sustainable future.

Wellesley’s comprehensive and forward-looking Sustainability Plan and a set of five guiding principles serve as our compass as we seek to advance environmental sustainability and achieve carbon neutrality. E2040 is the working group of the Board of Trustees charged with mapping our route and has begun its work on an Energy Master Plan.

• 2016

  Wellesley’s Sustainability Plan approved by the Wellesley College Board of Trustees

• 2018

  Wellesley’s Multipart Energy Initiative approved by Wellesley College Board of Trustees

• 2019

  Launch of E2040 Working Group

• 2026

  Goal: 37% reduction of campus greenhouse gas emissions (from 2010 baseline)

• 2036

  Goal: 44% reduction of campus greenhouse gas emissions (from 2010 baseline)

Wellesley’s Multipart Energy Initiative: Updates E2040 Working Group

Sustainability News

Wellesley Students Learn to Make Paper the Hard Way—from Plants

The invasive plant species called phragmites are a nuisance, but students, with help from the Paulson Ecology of Place Initiative and the Wellesley Book Arts Lab, use it to make handmade paper. 

Wellesley Earns Gold Rating for Sustainability Efforts

The College earned a gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Wellesley Ecologist Discusses UN Report on Animal and Plant Extinction

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services finds that individual and collective actions are necessary to preserve the planet’s biodiversity.

Old Trees Have New Home in Wellesley’s Global Flora Greenhouse

The storied Durant Camellia and three other trees now make their home in the new greenhouse.

Interdisciplinary Research Team Explores Water System on Science Hill

Amid the ongoing construction of the Science Center, Wellesley faculty, students, and staff use Paramecium Pond and Silver Thread Brook in a new academic collaboration—Wellesley’s Water Challenge—that spans five science disciplines.

 

Wellesley Announces New Multiconstituency Working Group to Create Energy Plan, Pursue Carbon Neutrality

Wellesley announces a $24 million energy initiative that will reduce the College’s greenhouse gas emissions, a significant step towards Wellesley’s ultimate goal of carbon neutrality.

Sustainability Committee Sustainability Office Paulson Initiative Botanic Gardens