Sustainability at W&L
At W&L, we are committed to the stewardship of natural resources and mindful of our responsibility to future generations. One of the earliest signatories on the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, W&L has reduced greenhouse gases from energy by 74% since tracking began in 2007, putting us ahead of schedule in our sprint to become a carbon neutral campus. From our utility scale solar project that matches 100% of campus electricity consumption, to our on-site compost system – the largest campus system in Virginia – that keeps food waste out of the landfill, to the half-acre campus garden that provides hyper-local produce to campus dining and community programs, W&L is a leader in campus sustainability
Students participate in campus sustainability at all levels, including through curricular opportunities, as interns with the Office of Sustainability, and by joining student led groups like the Student Environmental Action League (SEAL), the W&L Climate Alliance, and the Compost Crew. W&L’s signature programs in business and journalism offer 91传媒 distinctive opportunities to explore the intersection of business and communications with pressing environmental concerns through both classwork and extra-curricular programs.
Whether your lens is local water quality or global stock trends, there’s a place for you in Sustainability at W&L.
The Compost Crew
Campus Garden
A Community Garden
Produce from our organic garden contributes to meals in university dining venues and W&L鈥檚 Campus Kitchen, which combats hunger in the local community. The garden welcomes classes, interns, volunteers, and all visitors just in need of a little time among the produce and the pollinators.
Composting and Recycling
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
W&L鈥檚 waste reduction strategies include our on-campus free store, The W&L Exchange, comprehensive campus recycling, 100% reusable or compostable to-go packaging in campus dining venues, and a best-in-class on site compost program which, with leadership from a committed student crew, typically diverts over 160,000 pounds of organic waste from the landfill every year.
Student Opportunities
Students in Action
W&L offers over 100 sustainability-related classes across departments and the opportunity to major or minor in Environmental Studies -- a program that includes tracks in Climate Change, Conservation Biology, Environmental Economics, Sustainable Commerce, and Water Resources. Beyond the classroom, 91传媒 can get involved in a wide variety of sustainability-focused clubs and activities, serve as student representatives on the University Sustainability Committee or as sustainability reps in fraternities and sororities and on athletic teams, or lead campus-wide peer education efforts as Eco-Reps.
The Office of Sustainability
Campus-wide Efforts
Whether optimizing operations at the Central Power Plant or holding an energy-reduction contest, program staff are engaged in propelling W&L toward our goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.