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Leading the way with biomass gasification and biomethane, as well as growing solar fields and wind power, Middlebury is on the path to a more sustainable future.

Environmental Luminaries Help Mark 50th Anniversary of ES Program

Posted on October 13, 2015

Van Jones and Bill McKibben were among the distinguished speakers honoring Middlebury's 50 years of environmental education and leadership.

Life after Middlebury: An Entrepreneur's Quest

Thursday, October 29, 2015 - 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest: The Orchard (Room 103)

Howard E. Woodin ES Colloquium Series

World Cafe: Our Environment, Our Future

Friday, October 9, 2015 - 2:15pm to 4:30pm

Wilson Hall, McCullough Student Center

An Inclusive Group Dialogue for Students, Staff, Faculty and Guests

In a café setting, we will build upon the ideas expressed in the keynote address and panel to explore questions that matter to our community ...

Keynote Conversation - Environmental Studies at 50: What’s Next?

Friday, October 9, 2015 - 12:30pm to 2:00pm

Mead Memorial Chapel

Moderated by Bill McKibben, Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury with guests ...

McCardell Bicentennial Hall

Completed in 2000, McCardell Bicentennial Hall uses a flexible and modular design to minimize future construction, waste, and environmental impact.

Sustainable Design in the Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest

Completed in June 2007, the Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest serves as the center of environmental leadership and learning at Middlebury.

Sustainable Design in the Davis Family Library

When the College needed a new library, the trustees selected the front quadrangle as the best site and decided to remove the existing former Science Center as it was deemed structurally impractical.

Sustainable Design in the Axinn Center

The Donald E. Axinn ‘51, Litt. D. ‘89 Center for Literary and Cultural Studies at Starr Library shows how a historic building can be updated and reintegrated into a modern campus in a sustainable way.

Sustainable Design in Atwater Commons

Atwater Commons is a prime example of sustainable design on Middlebury’s campus. Both the dining hall and the newest residence halls were designed with sustainability as a high priority without sacrificing functionality or comfort.

Campuswide Committees

Several committees tackle sustainability and environmental impact issues by bringing together faculty, staff, students, and administrators.

Resources and Reports

There are countless ways to get involved in sustainability initiatives at Middlebury. Whether you want to join an established group, learn tips for living more sustainably, or have an idea for a project, the tools and resources below can help you out.

Get Involved

Sustainability is an everyday part of life at Middlebury and we are always developing ways to get involved, from student-led initiatives to all-campus groups who help the College administration make top-level decisions about the future.

Academics and Research

With innovative ideas from the campus community, a supportive administration, and the oldest undergraduate environmental studies program in the country, Middlebury provides an inspired and energetic atmosphere in which to explore real-world problems.

Talloires Declaration

Middlebury College is a signatory of the Talloires Declaration (TD), a 10-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations, and outreach at colleges and universities.

Supporting Local and Sustainable Partners

Middlebury supports local, environmentally committed, and minority- and women-owned vendors whenever possible. This purchasing policy outlines the rationale and benefits for awarding business and contracts to vendors that share a similar mindset to Middlebury’s environmental and stewardship commitments.

Faculty Stories: Steve Trombulak [video]

Posted on July 15, 2015

In a series of short videos, faculty members describe the winding paths that led them to Middlebury.

Power to the Students

Posted on May 14, 2015

A student-led winter-term course explored a redesign of the campus using microgrids, adaptive ways of wiring and powering communities.

Interview with Mez Baker-Médard

Posted on May 14, 2015

Meet Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Merrill “Mez” Baker-Médard and hear about her research and thoughts on the future of the Environmental Studies program.

Student Designed App Wins 3rd Place in National Energy Challenge

Posted on February 5, 2015

A group of twelve Middlebury College students won third place in the national Spark Clean Energy Challenge, a competition focused on improving energy grid resiliency.

New edition of The Story of Vermont: A Natural and Cultural History

Posted on January 8, 2015

Middlebury College Professors Christopher McGrory Klyza and Steven C. Trombulak recently announced a second edition of their classic text on Vermont.

Irene impact researched three years later

Posted on December 16, 2014

Five Environmental Studies students at Middlebury College recently researched the effects of global climate shifts on public mental health for Vermont's Department of Health.

Greetings from the Dean and Director

Posted on July 9, 2014

News and notes from Dean of Environmental Affairs Nan Jenks-Jay and Director of Environmental Studies Jon Isham.

Is it working? Research Says “Yes!”

Posted on July 1, 2014

More and more faculty are learning new ways to integrate sustainability into the curriculum, and Psychology Professor Michelle McCauley tells us whether it’s working.

You’ve gotta love ‘em

Posted on July 7, 2014

Elizabeth Courtney, co-author of Greening Vermont: The Search for a Sustainable State, reflects on her work with Middlebury students in last spring's Environmental Studies Senior Seminar.

Middlebury was host to U.S. Energy Summit in early May

Posted on May 17, 2014

On May 16, Middlebury hosted U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Rep. Peter Welch, and Gov. Peter Shumlin at the “Vermont Sustainable Energy Summit."

Students in senior seminar explore the future of a sustainable Vermont

Posted on July 1, 2014

This year’s environmental studies senior seminar focused on the history of environmental action in Vermont and how the state can thrive in a climate-altered future.

Bumblebees, climate change, and how we see the sea: ES Faculty Research roundup

Posted on July 1, 2014

Catch up with the latest environmental studies research by Middlebury faculty and students, from pollination and place-based dance to the psychology of environmental action.