FAQ's

The STARS (“Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System”) assessment framework was established by the American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The framework measures the sustainability performance of higher education institutions and is how Wellesley measures our sustainability progress. More than 800 institutions participate in the STARS rating system. The Princeton Review and Sierra Club utilize the STARS results for “green-ranking” schools in the US. Princeton Review Guide to Green Schools and Sierra Club’s Cool School List ranks colleges and university by their overall sustainability performance.

The STARS framework rates achievements in four areas: 1) Academics, 2) Engagement, 3) Operations, 4) Planning & Administration. An institution’s STARS score is based on the points it earns across these four main categories of credits, plus additional Innovation & Leadership credits. There are five levels of scores: basic Reporter Level followed by Bronze (25-45 points), Silver (45-65 points), Gold (65-85 points) and Platinum (85-100 points). All of the sectors listed in the College’s Sustainability Plan are covered by the STARS framework. In 2015, Wellesley College scored 53.2 points (mid-range silver). Unfortunately, we ranked second to last amongst the schools in New England and SLAC group. Our Princeton Review rank was 75. Over the three years to 2018, the Office of Sustainability took specific aim towards improving the score, and picked up “low-hanging fruits” at no- and low-cost. These steps have resulted the College scoring 66.38 points (low Gold). This score moved us to the middle of the peer college ranking. Although we have improved, Wellesley is consistently looking for ways we can improve our scoring and implement more and more sustianable practices. Outside of STARS the College has committed to our 2016-2026 carbon neutrality plan, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in particular). The E2040 Board of Trustees working group was also created in 2019 to help the College move towards its sustainability goals. E2040 is responsible for the work to explore and recommend specific paths for the College to meet its energy needs and achieve its broader sustainability goals while maintaining its educational mission, financial commitments, and other campus priorities among other responsibilities. For more information on E2040, please see their page under Sustainability.

As of 2023, Facilities has spent $42 million on transitioning to cleaner energy and energy efficiency.

The report can be found on this page.

In 2014, the Board of Trustees approved the Green Buildings Standards proposed by the Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability. Since its founding, Wellesley College has celebrated the design of its buildings and their place in the campus landscape. This document builds on that tradition by adopting a process and establishing building standards that reflect both Wellesley’s history and demonstrate its commitment to sustainability. These building standards respond to the College’s commitment to integrating environmental sustainability considerations into major institutional decisions.

As a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Wellesley College tracks our sustainability efforts through AASHE's Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System, or STARS. The program uses self-reported information to measure how well colleges and universities perform in five areas of sustainability: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.

In 2019, Wellesley earned a gold rating, improving upon our 2015 silver rating. This was a cross-campus effort, made possible through the launch of a comprehensive sustainability plan, the Year of Sustainability, and a multipart energy initiative as well as numerous academic and campus engagement programs, such as the Paulson Ecology of Place Initative and the Green Office Certification. You can read more about our most recent gold rating here.

Wells on Wheels 

In order to reduce the amount of bottled water that is purchased for events, the Office of Sustainability built 3 water stations known as Wells on Wheels that connect directly to our own municipal water supply. The stations are reservable on 25Live for outdoor events. This not only reduces waste from plastic bottles, but it also reduces excess water consumption and allows people to get just the right amount that they need. Furthermore, it reduces the transportation emissions that would otherwise be due to bottled water distributors.

Water Bottle Filling Stations

Since 2011, Facilities has been installing water bottle filling stations across campus. These stations not only make it easier to fill resuable water bottles, they also keep track of how many plastic water bottles have been saved from the landfill. So far we have saved over 40,000 bottles from being consumered and thrown away.

For information on Wellesley's drinking water, please see our consumer confidence reports.

Surplus food from Wellesley College cafeterias is used to provide nutritious meals for individuals and families who struggle to buy food for themselves. In 2018, Wellesley joined with other colleges and organizations, including Babson and Olin, that donate food to the nonprofit Food For Free, based in Cambridge, Mass. This is the first time Wellesley has participated in the program.

Food For Free trucks pick up prepared foods and fresh fruits and vegetables from Wellesley’s dining halls (which are run by vendor AVI Foodsystems) and deliver them to its operations center in Cambridge, where they are repackaged into single-serve meals. In 2017, Food For Free distributed 2 million pounds of food; the food they collect helps feed 30,000 people in the Greater Boston area.

Alison Cross, who works for Food Rescue Initiatives in the town of Wellesley, which coordinates local food collection for Food For Free, said that food recovery addresses two important issues. The first is food waste. Forty percent of food produced in the United States is thrown away even though it is perfectly edible. As refuse, it ends up in compost or dumped in a landfill, where it takes up space, decomposes, and generates toxic gases like methane, said Cross.

Second, the meals serve people who are “food insecure”—that is, they don’t have access to nutritious food on a regular basis, said Cross. They might live in homeless shelters, temporary housing such as motels, or homes without adequate kitchens, or they might be elderly people who rely on Meals on Wheels.

For more on Food For Free, please visit their website. 

Wellesley's Public Transportation, Shuttles & Zipcars

Wellesley students, faculty, and staff have access to numerous shuttles, public transportation options, and Zipcars that can help them lower the carbon footprint getting to and from campus. Visit the Getting Around and Public Transportation pages for updates. 

• Visit our Bike Share page to learn more about the biking program for students 
• Get credit for traveling sustainably with NuRide
• Offset the greenhouse gas emissions from your travel with TerraPass

Interns are currently in charge of the work associated with the Bike Share program, please email sustainability@wellesley.edu with any questions you might have and someone will email back shortly.

We are excited to announce that, after a brief hiatus due to COVID and other extenuating circumstances, that Bike Share will be reinstated starting Fall 2023!

24hrs

The Office of Sustainability oversees the Bike Share program.

Currently there is no way to guarantee sustainable measures voted on by the student body will be put into effect. When students vote on ballot measures at Senate this indicates the position of the student body on policies it would like to see put into place. If these ballot measures are passed they are then sent to the Board of Trustees where they are voted on again. If the measure is passed by the Board of Trustees, then the College will take steps to implement changes orignially voted on by students. This does not mean chnages cannot or will not be made without going through the Board. If you would like to bring a concern to the Office of Sustainability, please email sustainability@wellesley.edu and someone should be in contact or put you in contact with someone shortly!

Information can be found here.

Information can be found here.

More information can be found here. 

More information can be found here.

• Fridges 

  • Empty, clean, and unplugged

  • Place next to bins with a ‘Donate’ label if it is working condition

  • Put a ‘Broken’ label on broken fridges so they can be recycled

• Lamps, fans, and other electronics 

  • Works when plugged in and clean

  • Place inside sust bins

• Mirrors, rugs, and hard plastics (bins and drawers) 

  • Not broken and unstained

  • Place inside sust bins

• Miscellaneous dorm items

  • Clean kitchenware, unused notebooks, binders, folders, staplers etc… 

  • Place inside sust bins

• Clothing and shoes

  • Gently used and unstained

  • Pairs of shoes only and clothing must be bagged to be accepted by Big Brothers Big Sisters in Natick

  • Place in bags and in/next to bins

Sustainability bins, also known as sust bins, will usually be orange or yellow. In some spaces they may be black, blue or canvas, but most importantly, they will be labeled. Unlabeled black bins are used for individual students to move out.

Currently these items can’t be donated because they can’t be cleaned for resale or donation, so they must be placed in the trash.

Trash:

• Pillows & mattress pads

• Broken, stained, or soiled donation items (ex. clothing, bedding)

• Food and toiletries

• String lights (do not put in recycling!! Tanglers like string lights cause significant damage to recycling facilities)

• Dirty or broken kitchenware

Paper and cardboard recycling:

• Used notebooks (metal spirals okay), softcover/paperback books

• Cardboard/chipboard(boxes broken down) and paper (staples okay)

Commingled recycling:

• Empty toiletry bottles that are plastic containers #1-5 or glass containers

• Empty metal cans and clean aluminum foil + trays

In general we try to stick to the donate list because these are the items we know will sell but sometimes we miss things! You can email sustainability@wellesley.edu or DM us on Instagram to ask us about your item. Some good questions to ask yourself include: Can it be cleaned relatively easily? Is it not broken? Would you give it to your roommate? If you answered yes to these questions your item may be a good fit for the sale.

Lamps, fans, rugs, mini fridges, storage bins and drawers, shelves, shoe racks, misc furniture, and dorm school supplies (notebooks, folders, etc) are typically sold during the sale. Textiles, mattresses, and pillows are not sold at the sale because they can not be properly cleaned and stored for the sale. 

There is delivery available to the first floor entrances of residence halls for larger items.

All prices depend on size and quality of item. Common items are usually priced as follows: Mini fridges $25-45, rugs $15-30, lamps $10-$15, fans $5-$15, furniture $10-$40.

The sale is cash-only. All funds go directly to helping fund the sale.

The Sustainability Sale is typically held toward the end of Orientation week, usually the Friday before classes start. For up to date event information, follow us on Instagram @wellesleysustainability or email us sustainability@wellesley.edu to learn more.

All food waste is compostable through Wellesley. Food scraps, (including meat, bones and dairy); food soiled paper, teabags (staples are okay!), ground coffee and filters; napkins and paper towels; BPI-certified compostable cups, plates, utensils etc., Keep these items out: No liquids (please do not dump liquids on any conveyor belts, there should be a dump bucket at each dish return for liquids) no styrofoam, no non-compostable plates or dishware, no plastic, no disposable coffee cups, and no glass or metal.

Composting bins can currently be found in all dining halls and throughout Lulu.

As of 2019, single use plastic water bottles cannot be purchased with the college's money. Although this does not apply to students, we highly encourage students not to buy bottled water as it is extremely unsustainable. Here are some ways you can avoid using plastic bottles.The college has installed water bottle filling stations in all major residence halls, academic buildings, as well as the Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center, as well as other high-use buildings. These filters are responsible for removing any heavy metals and PFAS from the water and maintain a healthy water quality for everyone one campus. The Office of Sustainability is currently looking into expanding the OZZI box program to include travel cups and possibly other reusable containers. These have the potential to be great alternatives for personal reusable water bottles. The Office of Sustainability also encourages students to use fewer disposable coffee cups and disposable plastic cups. There are water dispensers at all soda machines and whenever possible please consider using the reusable cups whenever possible. For any questions related to the operation of Wellesley’s drinking water program, please contact Dave Chakraborty, assistant vice president of facilities management and planning. For any health-related concerns, contact Suzanne Howard, director of environmental health and safety.

If you are unsure of how to recycle, please refer to this guide put together by EH&S on recycling hazardous or non-typical waste. You can also reach out to sustainability@wellesley.edu if you would like help or more information on recycling and the proper method of disposal.

No, there is no site on campus that collects empty printer cartidges. However, used toner and ink cartridges may be sent back to the manufacturer. Most manufacturers are including return boxes for shipment with orders. If your cartridge did not come with a return shipping label, it may be packaged securely and sent by campus mail to the Distribution Center where it will be recycled by the office supply vendor. Questions on disposal may be directed either to the distributor or manufacturer.

The three main external actors involved in waste transport and processing are Wellesley RDF, Wellesley Trucking, and AVI Composting.

Wellesley RDF transports fiber products from Wellesley, including paper and cardboard. Wellesley RDF picks up fiber products from Wellesley College then transports them to a variety of international recycling locations. The specific recycling location chosen depends on international markets at the time of recycling.

Wellesley Trucking transports Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and commingled recycling. MSW collected by Wellesley Trucking is transferred to a waste-to-energy called Seamass in Rochester, MA. At Seamass, the MSW undergoes inspection, where recyclable materials and universal waste are removed for proper recycling or disposal. The MSW is then combusted, a process which creates a supply stream of general energy to the Cape Cod Area and provides power to the houses of over 300,000 residents. Steam from the process is condensed back into water and brought back to the boiler tubes in a closed-loop system. The volume of MSW is reduced by 90% after combustion, leaving an inert ash and metal. The ash is reused or landfilled. Ferrous metals are recovered using a rotating drum magnet, and non-ferrous metals are separated by an eddy current system.

The commingled recycling waste collected by Wellesley Trucking is typically transported to E. L. Harvey Waste and Recycling Services in Westborough, MA. There, the commingled waste is sorted in a single-stream recycling facility through both automated and manual processes. The glass waste is broken into small pieces and transported to a specialized glass recycling facility. Other commingled materials are baled and transported to recycling mills, including plastic, which is sent to facilities in North Carolina.

AVI Composting works in conjunction with Agri-Cycle to transport and process compostable waste from Wellesley College. After AVI collects compostable waste from Wellesley College, they consolidate the waste at their partner transfer facility in Leominster MA. That waste is combined with other compostable waste and is then loaded into a tractor trailer, which takes the waste to Exeter, Maine. AVI’s sister anaerobic digestion facility is in Exeter, Maine, and it is called Exeter Agri-Energy. This is a 3 MW AD system that is co-located on a fifth generation farm. The compostable waste is converted into renewable electricity by means of the microbial activity in the digesters, and the site also captures heat for the farm buildings, as well as organic fertilizer and animal bedding. Nothing collected by AVI gets landfilled. Any non-organic contamination is processed at the municipally owned Ecomaine in Portland, which is a waste to energy and recycling facility.

Paper items can be recycled at locations throughout campus. All major residential buildings have trash rooms which also contain recycling bins for paper waste. REcycling bins are also located throughout academic buildings, libraries, and administrative buildings.

What’s Included: Empty #1- #5 plastic containers such as water bottles, milk jugs, yogurt cups, laundry detergent bottles; metal cans, clean aluminum foil; glass bottles and jars. No liquids or food! Still in doubt? Throw it out! It’s better to put unknown containers in the trash stream to avoid contaminating the entire commingled bin.

Bin Locations: Look for blue, labelled, commingled bins at recycling stations typically located near stairwells and communal kitchens in most buildings on campus.

In some residence halls (Pomeroy, Beebe, Munger, and Severance), take commingled items to trash and recycling rooms located in the basement.

Destination: Covanta Recycling Facility, MA

Yes, we do have composting on campus. AVI Composting works in conjunction with Agri-Cycle to transport and process compostable waste from Wellesley College. After AVI collects compostable waste from Wellesley College, they consolidate the waste at their partner transfer facility in Leominster MA. That waste is combined with other compostable waste and is then loaded into a tractor trailer, which takes the waste to Exeter, Maine. AVI’s sister anaerobic digestion facility is in Exeter, Maine, and it is called Exeter Agri-Energy. This is a 3 MW AD system that is co-located on a fifth generation farm. The compostable waste is converted into renewable electricity by means of the microbial activity in the digesters, and the site also captures heat for the farm buildings, as well as organic fertilizer and animal bedding. Nothing collected by AVI gets landfilled. Any non-organic contamination is processed at the municipally owned Ecomaine in Portland, which is a waste to energy and recycling facility.

The Office of Sustainability is working with the rest of Facilities Management to see what can be done about adding more compost bins around campus. We hope to increase compost accessibility over time to most efficiently divert waste. If you are holding a zero-waste event please see this page about how to bring compost bins in and make your event as sustainable as possible!

E-waste can be recycled at Wellesley. EH&S encourages everyone on campus to recycle their hand held electronics such as cell phones, cables, digital cameras, gaming devices, watches, and the like. These items are sent to an off-site recycling facility and can be specifically be dropped off at the following locations: Residence Hall - Bell Desks, Physical Plant – First Floor, Knapp Media Center, Trades Building - Various. Please reach out to EHS for a complete list of locations. Please note that some e-waste may include certain items considered universal waste. Different universal waste materials have different procedures for how they should be disposed of; it is extremely important that these do not go in with the rest of the College's waste. If it is universal waste (ie. batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, lamps, and aerosol cans), please see this helpful page put together by EH&S (insert link to EHS site). This will tell you more about how to dispose of this waste group.

Visit the waste page.