Sustainability

Sustainability and Wesleyan

In 2007, President Michael Roth signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), demonstrating Wesleyan’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. Over the past six years, Wesleyan has made many efforts to decrease its carbon footprint and expand sustainability initiatives across campus. These have included energy efficiency and conservation projects, use of hybrid and electric fleet vehicles, permaculture landscape design, on-campus food production, composting, and the elimination of bottled water.

Bottled Water

Wesleyan’s commitment to going bottled water-free began in 2011, reflecting the mindset that water should be a public resource, not a commodity.  Bottled water is more expensive, less regulated, and more wasteful than drinking tap water from a reusable container.  With this in mind, Wesleyan successfully eliminated the sale of bottled water from campus vending machines and Bon Appetit dining locations in 2012.

Beginning in 2013, Wesleyan expanded its bottled water elimination efforts by providing portable water bottle filling stations and reusable bottles. The Sustainability Office, Creative Campus Initiative at the Center for the Arts, College of the Environment, and Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship co-sponsored a student water station design competition to offer an alternative to bottled water at outdoor events.

Wishing Well water stations, designed by Nina Gerona ‘15, Madeleine O’Brien ‘16, Brent Packer ’15, and Tavo True-Alcala ’15 and constructed by Wesleyan’s Machine Shop, will deliver filtered and chilled water to Homecoming/Family Weekend guests throughout the weekend.

Please join your fellow students, alumni, and family members in in our bottled water-free initiative and bring a reusable bottle to Homecoming/Family Weekend. We will have the outdoor water stations, as well as many indoor water fountains and bottle filling stations available to fill your reusable bottle. Visit the sustainability website for more information on bottle filling station locations and water initiatives.

Dining

Wesleyan recognizes the health and sustainability implications of food that we eat. During Family Weekend, we will do our best to provide you with food that is fresh, in season, and minimally processed, seeking organic, local, vegetarian, and vegan options along with other healthy choices at every meal. We have committed to purchasing up to 20 percent of the foods served at Family Weekend from farmers and other artisans located within a 150-mile radius of the University.

Recycling and Composting

Single stream recycling bins will be available in all campus buildings and many outdoor locations to make it easy for you to do your part. All unused food will be donated to local organizations for distribution to those in need in the Middletown community.