Greener Athletics

Sustainability in athletics began at Middlebury with a 2005 student classroom project. Three Middlebury Lacrosse players brought to their coach the idea of becoming the country’s first carbon-neutral Lacrosse team. The team pooled money and off-set the environmental costs of travel, supplies, even then-coach Erin Quinn’s office heat. This set off a chain reaction of events that included reductions in waste, transportation, as well as better practices in purchasing and events. Middlebury is proud to support a sustainability program in the athletic department. Middlebury athletics has an administrative position dedicated to athletic sustainability and an athlete-held position on each team for work in sustainability for every sport. From a team vehicle that runs on dining hall waste to reusable cups for the hockey team, ideas on how to reduce impact are spreading. For further information on athletic sustainability, contact Andrew Gardner at agardner@middlebury.edu.

8/25/10 - Click here to read a feature story in Seven Days.

11/19/09 - Click here for a recent articile in The Campus regarding the athletic department's latest efforts.

Ashley Bairos is the sustainability liaison for women's hockey.  Each Middlebury team has a sustainability liaison, like an environmental captain, responsible to looking at the reductions and sustainable improvements that might be made to a program.

(L-R) – Cincinnati Bengal Dhani Jones, greenlaces.org founder Natalie Spilger and S.I. senior writer Alexander Wolff paneled an on-campus discussion on Greening Athletics in 2009.