Waste

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Waste

From the food we compost to the building materials we reuse, waste is minimized on a daily basis.

<p>Students practice slicing fresh, raw salmon for a soba lunch they helped prepare at a local farm in Tenryu-mura Japan.</p>

Service Learning Trip Takes Students to Urban and Rural Japan

Posted on August 10, 2017

The four-week immersion course was a joint project of the College and International Christian University, which hosts Middlebury's School in Japan.

<p>Students from Middlebury's School of the Environment spent a week in Washington, D.C. this summer, engaging with communication, policy, and leadership at the federal level.</p>

School of the Environment Visits D.C. for a ‘Policy Master Class’

Posted on August 3, 2017

Students traveled to the capital for a busy week of meetings with federal policy and communication experts.

Green Panther Challenge Perfect Sort Gameday

Friday, January 27, 2017 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Kenyon Arena

Join members of the Green Panther Challenge at the women's ice hockey game Friday night to learn how to properly sort waste into landfill, recycling and compost. Our goal is to perfectly sort everything generated at the game!

Waste

Middlebury Reaches 2016 Carbon Neutrality Goal

Posted on December 8, 2016

Biomass plant and land preservation help push Middlebury past target in an ambitious multiyear effort.

FEC 2016 Theme: Urban Innovations, Sustainable Solutions

Today's city is shaping tomorrow's world.

Our planet is urbanizing—fast. In 1950, just 30 percent of the global population lived in cities. Today, half of all humans do. By 2050, fully 70 percent will. From Detroit to Dakar, cities are quickly becoming hubs of innovation and resilience. Many Middlebury students hail from cities, and will establish careers there after graduation.

President's House Earns LEED Platinum Certification

Posted on July 26, 2016

The U.S. Green Buildings Council awarded the recently renovated building its highest ranking.

<p>Diane Munroe has won the 2016 Engaged Educator Award from Vermont Campus Compact.</p>

Diane Munroe Wins Vermont Engaged Educator Award

Posted on May 16, 2016

Munroe honored for her work connecting Middlebury students and faculty with community partners around the state.

Green Panther Challenge Perfect Sort Gameday: Ice Hockey

Friday, January 15, 2016 - 7:00pm to 9:30pm

Saturday, January 16, 2016 - 3:00pm

Chip Kenyon '85 Arena

Join the Green Panther Challenge this weekend to learn about proper waste sorting in an effort to reduce what we put in the landfill. Student athlete volunteers will educate and assist fans at Friday and Saturday's games.

Middlebury Entrepreneurship Featured on PBS NewsHour

Posted on December 18, 2015

The 8-minute feature story explores the role of entrepreneurship in a traditional liberal arts setting.

Physics Professor Rich Wolfson Reacts to Paris Climate Agreement

Posted on December 15, 2015

Wolfson, who teaches about global warming and climate change at Middlebury, says the agreement is a good start that will hopefully lead to more progress in the near future.

Students Advise Lawmakers on Implications of Carbon Tax

Posted on December 10, 2015

Ten Environmental Studies students presented their findings about the proposed tax to state officials in Montpelier.

New Middlebury Program Pairs Students Abroad with Local Organizations to Address Sustainability Challenges

Posted on December 3, 2015

Three Middlebury Schools Abroad sites will serve as the pilot locations for the new initiative – the Middlebury Global Partnerships in Sustainability.

<p>Carson Peacock, Field Hockey, demonstrates gleeful composting on the bus</p>

Green Panthers Take Perfect Sort Challenge on the Road

Posted on November 13, 2015

The Green Panther Challenge, a new effort to engage student athletes and their fans on sustainability issues, is hitting the road this weekend as Field Hockey, Cross Country and Football all head off campus.

First Green Panther Challenge Perfect Sort Gameday a Success

Posted on October 20, 2015

The Green Panther Challenge hosted its first Perfect Sort Gameday at Saturday's Homecoming football game. Student athlete volunteers helped fans properly sort waste into recycling, compost and landfill bins.

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.

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 ...

Building and Lands

Middlebury uses demolition practices that reflect our overall commitment to sustainability. Policies are in place to ensure that hazardous and non-hazardous waste are properly managed. Most of the building materials from demolished buildings are either reused in campus construction projects or recycled.

On-Campus Resources

Middlebury has long been a leader in the sustainable use of resources, from the careful stewardship of our land to the thoughtful processing and disposal of what we use on campus.

Construction and Demolition Policy

Middlebury has established best practices directives for Construction and Demolition Contractors working for the College to ensure that hazardous and non-hazardous waste generated from demolition and construction on campus are managed to reflect our commitment to environmental mindfulness.

Campus Planning

Middlebury’s campus 2008 Master Plan guides the College’s growth and development for the next 50 years, emphasizing upgrading building envelopes to improve energy efficiency and creating a more pedestrian-friendly campus.

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.

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.

Operations and Action

From the food we serve to the way we commute to how we plan for the future, Middlebury has numerous programs and activities to support our sustainability commitment.

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.

Sustainable Dining

Middlebury reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to sustainable dining by signing on to the national Real Food Challenge (RFC) and pledging that in 2016, 30 percent of food purchased for Dining Services will meet RFC criteria, including local (within 150 miles), ecologically sound, fair working conditions, and humane animal treatment.

Sustainability