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"To count Nature a familiar acquaintance..."

- Excerpt from the "Offer of the College"

Sustainability is more than an intellectual concept at Bowdoin. It is at the heart of our enduring commitment to “the common good.” Bowdoin is a place where students can make real inroads on the issues and problems facing our world through personal involvement that begins in classes and on campus, and spreads to the community and larger world.

Education and Research
Our interdisciplinary curriculum challenges students to approach sustainability as scientists, artists, and scholars – and to make a positive impact with their own research and projects. Bowdoin’s unique location on the Maine coast offers a living laboratory for environmental exploration, and our centers for learning and research provide a connection among coastal, arctic, and environmental studies that is singular among undergraduate institutions.


The Campus
The campus-wide commitment to sustainability is part of our bricks and mortar, from the award-winning energy efficiencies in our new and renovated buildings, to organic, local foods in our dining service.

Highlights of campus efficiencies:

  • A 40 percent reduction in CO2 emissions
  • Commitment to buy 100 percent Green Energy
  • Student-run organic garden
  • Sustainably designed building renovations
  • Purchasing wind-generated power
  • Single-stream recycling campuswide
  • LEED-certified residence halls with geothermal heating and recycled materials


Students and the Community
Being a citizen of the 21st century means developing a practical, as well as principled, approach to sustainability. Therefore, students drive much of the day-to-day activities on campus. Our Sustainable Bowdoin office is staffed with 16 students and 30 volunteers, who help coordinate a wide variety of campus initiatives.

Activities:

  • Bowdoin organic garden
  • Eco-Service Day
  • Composting and waste reduction programs
  • Annual residence hall energy-conservation competition
  • Give-and-Go, an annual sale of student belongings that raises thousands of dollars for local charities


Students also delve deeply into real-world challenges through service learning courses, which channel learning into projects benefiting specific organizations in Maine. More than 800 students have taken part in service learning since 2000, helping community partners including The Nature Conservancy, Maine Green Power Connection, Morris Farm, Maine State Planning Office, and Maine Rivers.

“I’m so much more conscious of the environment now than I ever was. I have become a recycling fanatic. It’s personally offensive when someone keeps the lights on for no reason. I don’t know why that changed for me here, but I think it’s important for pretty much everyone.”
-Carolyn Trotman ‘11