Sustainability

Sustainability is a core value at Bowdoin that is seen in operational decision-making all across campus.

Student standing with polar bear mascot in front of a solar panel at Earth Day

Sustainable Bowdoin student employees at the Bowdoin Organic Garden

Sustainable Bowdoin student employees holding carrots they harvested at the Bowdoin Organic Garden

Students in hard hats on a tour of the new mass timber building under construction

Sustainable Bowdoin student employees posing in front of the trash and recycling dumpsters

The Bowdoin Sustainability Office originated in 2001 as an office within Facilities Management focused on reducing the college's environmental impact. The office continues to focus on integrating sustainable practices and policies in operations across campus as well as engaging faculty, staff, and students in Bowdoin’s sustainability efforts.

The office has implemented or overseen many projects over the years including significant waste reduction efforts during student move-out, food waste diversion programs, Bowdoin’s transition to single stream recycling, alternative transportation programming, developing one of the first EcoRep programs in the country, and focusing on efforts to become a carbon neutral campus. We hope you enjoy the website and find what you are looking for. If not, please contact us for more information!

Bowdoin's Climate Action Plan

Student Engagement

In Progress: Bowdoin Campus Evolution

Visit an interactive experience (or the accessible text–only version) that highlights the evolution and direction of the Bowdoin College campus from 2018 to 2025 in key areas including sustainability, academic and administrative office realignment, teaching and learning initiatives, student initiatives, renovation and adaptive reuse, and accessibility and inclusion.