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

How the Rise in Online Shopping Affects the Planet

Beth DeSombre, Camilla Chandler Frost Professor of Environmental Studies at Wellesley, discusses the environmental repercussions of the rise in online shopping, why consumers make choices that harm the environment, and what a green shipping industry might look like.

From the Impossible Whopper to Tofurkey: What’s the Environmental Impact of Plant-Based Meat?

Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Wellesley professors Jaclyn and Erich Hatala Matthes talk about the rise of plant-based meat, its environmental impact, and the role of moral thinking in what we decide to eat.

A Living Cathedral: New Global Flora Collection Celebrates Plant Diversity

Take a glimpse inside Wellesley’s new award-winning Global Flora Conservatory, where recently acquired plants thrive alongside historical trees in both wet and dry biomes.

T Is for Tanner: What Happens When Liberal Arts and Experiential Learning Collide

At Wellesley’s annual Tanner Conference, a touchstone of the College’s commitment to the liberal arts, students put it all on display.

A Digital Map Celebrates a Wellesley Tradition: Class Trees

Kristine Meader ’21 created an interactive map of Wellesley’s class trees.

Students and Faculty Paint Mural in New Global Flora Conservatory

The mural in the new Global Flora Conservatory was inspired by professional artists and painted by Wellesley students and faculty—and definitely warrants a trip to Science Hill. 

Sustainability Committee Sustainability Office Paulson Initiative Botanic Gardens