Carbon Neutrality

2016 Make Neutrality a Reality

The opening of our new biomass gasification facility is a key component in our goal to become carbon neutral by 2016. Given the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, addressing climate change has become a defining issue of our time. As a leader in developing innovative approaches to sustainability for the past four decades, Middlebury exemplifies how people can work together to address important world issues.

While Middlebury started carbon reduction initiatives nearly 10 years ago, the push for carbon neutrality began in 2007 when students, faculty, and staff organized MiddShift. Through detailed presentations to the Board of Trustees about the role of human carbon emissions in causing disruptive climate change, the MiddShift group convinced the Trustees to increase their commitment for carbon reduction and pass a resolution to achieve carbon neutrality by 2016.

Success in reducing carbon emissions on campus will require collaboration and energy from the administration, departments, and individuals. To coordinate these efforts three implementation teams, each chaired by a member of the President’s staff, began meeting this past spring.

Climate change poses a great threat to our planet. By reducing carbon dioxide emissions on campus, we will limit our own contributions to this problem, and we hope to inspire others to do the same.

Timeline of Carbon Reduction Initiatives