Carleton College

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

President Oden has signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and has adopted an Environmental Statement of Principles. The Environmental and Technologies Studies program, supported by faculty members and student interns, assists the college in its sustainability efforts. The Environmental Advisory Committee includes a director of energy.

The college completed two large building-control upgrade projects in 2007 that will reduce energy use and is also implementing a campus-wide utilities metering initiative to better track where energy is used on campus. Carleton continues to operate its 1.65-megawatt wind turbine and is determining a location for the installation of photovoltaic shingles that were gifted to the college.

The college has a partnership with Food Alliance Midwest and purchases from 15 to 20 local farmers and producers. Dining services buys grass-fed meat and 100 percent organic flour is used in all baking. Carleton has adopted a single-stream recycling program that is expected to increase recovery rates and overall efficiency. The college has also begun composting food waste and other products made out of biodegradable material.

The college has developed its own guidelines based on Minnesota Sustainable Design Guidelines, but is looking to adopt LEED guidelines as its minimum standard for new construction and renovations. Two new buildings currently under design are being planned at the LEED Silver level with options being developed to achieve LEED Gold where possible.

Students must obtain special permission to use a car on campus and the college encourages employee carpooling. Tractors run on biodiesel and the college is considering biodiesel or hybrid vehicles for their fleet.

The college makes a list of endowment holdings available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. A list of holdings or managers is provided upon request to college stakeholders. Its proxy voting record is available to the public and is accessible via the web.

The college aims to optimize investment return and is currently invested in renewable energy investment funds or similar investment vehicles, as well as community development loan funds or similar financial institutions.

The Carleton Responsible Investment Committee (CRIC), formed in 2005, makes recommendations on proxy issues. The CRIC is comprised of four students, two faculty, and two staff representatives, and the treasurer serves as ex officio and liaison to the trustees’ Investment Committee.