GreenROUTES is a campus-wide initiative to eliminate our greenhouse gas emissions, integrate sustainability into our curriculum and overall educational experience, and achieve our shared vision of personal well-being, social justice, financial security, and environmental stability for ourselves and our larger global community.
GreenROUTES Climate Action Plan for Colby-Sawyer College
Our Climate Action Plan is a living document designed to lead us on the pathway toward two related visions: the quantitative achievement of climate neutrality and the qualitative embodiment of whole systems sustainability. We are working towards our vision by taking collaborative action in six interconnected areas: Energy; Transportation; Water & Biodiversity; Food; Waste & Consumption; and Culture, Curriculum & Investment. Read our GreenROUTES Climate Action Plan for Colby-Sawyer College, which will be reviewed and hopefully approved by our Board of Trustees in May 2010.
Colby-Sawyer has set specific goals for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, including a 50% reduction from our 2008 baseline greenhouse gas emissions by 2015, a 70% reduction in those emissions by 2020, and a 100% reduction, or “carbon neutrality,” by 2050. We hope that everyone in our extended college community will feel inspired to join our efforts by taking steps to reduce their own environmental impact wherever they can. Whether you are a student, employee, alumni, or local resident we encourage you to get involved and bring your creativity and commitment to this emerging global imperative.
Colleges Nationwide Commit to Climate Neutrality
In September of 2007 President Galligan signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), making us one of 152 charter signatories of this historic document. The number of colleges and universities that have committed to carbon neutrality and sustainability has now grown to 650 nationwide. Read the text of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment.
Student Involvement and History of GreenROUTES
During the 2006-2007 academic year, students in the Third-Year Project worked to complete the first campus sustainability assessment for Colby-Sawyer College. The project involved working with several programs and departments at the college to determine an action plan for reducing the environmental impact of campus activities. Read more about the 2007 Student GreenROUTES Project.
In 2008-2009 the students revisited the GreenROUTES project with specific focus on the American College and University Presidents' Climate Change Commitment. The students completed a greenhouse gas inventory, a comprehensive sustainability analysis using the STARS assessment tool (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) and developed a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to reduce the college's carbon footprint. Their report served as a foundation for our Climate Action Plan. Read the 2009 Student GreenROUTES Report.
