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

Community Forum Highlights E2040 Energy Plan and Sustainability Efforts at Wellesley

Lessons From Whitney Xu ’20 on Farm Life Off the Grid in Rural North Carolina

Camilla Chandler Frost ’47 Center for the Environment Encourages Student Environmental Leadership in the Wellesley Community and Beyond

Dawn Chorus Diminuendo: Confronting the Decline of North American Birds

From Gardening to Climate Activism: How Wellesley Students Are Bringing Sustainability Home

Students and Faculty to Deliver Recommendations to Board Subcommittee on Fossil Fuel Investments

Sustainability Committee Sustainability Office Paulson Initiative Botanic Gardens