Student-Driven History

Many environmental projects at this school would not have been possible without countless motivated students behind them. Through classes, internships, and Capstones, Colby-Sawyer students have played a key role in catalyzing the college’s initial sustainability commitment and continuing to move its initiatives forward.

Colby-Sawyer College’s commitment to sustainability and climate action has evolved. Student interest sparked the first foray into sustainability. This early momentum led to formal institutional action in 2007, when the college became a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, establishing a trajectory toward carbon neutrality by 2050.

The Board of Trustees reinforced this direction in 2010 by ratifying participation in the GreenROUTES Campus Compact EnviroCorps initiative. This step marked a continuation — rather than a conclusion — of the college’s engagement with related sustainability efforts.

By 2015, these combined initiatives had contributed to a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Building on this progress, Colby-Sawyer deepened its institutional commitment in 2017 by becoming the 100th institution to sign Second Nature’s expanded Climate Commitment. 

This evolving work culminated in the 2019 publication of the Blueprint for Resilience and Innovation: Laying the Foundation for Personal Well-Being, Social Justice, Financial Stability, and Ecological Balance at Colby-Sawyer College. Developed collaboratively with input from administrators, faculty, staff, students, regional experts, and community partners, the blueprint expanded the college’s focus beyond emissions reduction. It incorporated community resilience, regional capacity building and adaptive responses to climate-related challenges. Several factors informed this expansion, including preliminary resilience assessments and growing recognition of interconnected social and environmental systems.

The sustainability initiatives and resilience strategies outlined in the blueprint align closely with the college’s 2026 strategic plan. Together, these efforts reflect an integrated approach to fulfilling the college’s mission: to prepare the next generation of engaged citizens and leaders who will shape the future of our region and beyond.