Sustainability at Bates







At A Glance

  • Bates is a Carbon Neutral school – one of only a handful of schools in the nation to hit the goal of becoming carbon neutral.
  • Bates consistently ranks in the Top 10 Green Schools in the nation. We were recently ranked as the #5 Greenest School by the Princeton Review Green Honor Role. We were also ranked #1 in Energy, #4 in Air & Climate, and #8 overall by the American Association of Sustainability in Higher Education.
  • The first campus nationwide to use Renewable Fuel Oil, a wood-based, liquid fuel, Bates is heated by clean and sustainably-sourced energy.
  • The Commons dining program uses local, organic food and has a waste diversion rate of over 80%. This means that the vast majority of the waste stream avoids the landfill by being recycled or composted.
  • We have just completed construction on a local solar array that accounts for 75% of our total campus electrical load.
  • Bates has an organic, student-run garden. The Plot provides vegetables and produce for the Dining Commons, and serves as an educational space for students, faculty, and community members. Learn more here!


Our Vision

As humans continue to consume resources in constantly growing communities, environmentally responsible behavior must now be an imperative rather than an option. At Bates, sustainability is the norm. In the spring of 2019, Bates announced carbon neutrality, one year ahead of schedule! This was no small task, as Bates is equivalent to a small town in terms of energy consumption. Our path doesn’t stop here, however, and Bates will continue to push for sustainable and efficient practices and technology. It takes the cooperation and support of students, faculty, and staff alike. The team of student EcoReps work behind the scenes to organize events, spread public awareness, and coordinate with facilities and administrative staff to ensure we are doing the best we can regarding sustainability and ecologically conscious behavior. Click here to access the 2030 Sustainability Roadmap, which sets a path for Bates to become Climate Positive by 2030!


+Our Progress

Entering 2019 with campus greenhouse gas emissions down a full 95% from our baseline year of 2001, Bates announced in May that the college had become carbon neutral. This achievement was the result of energy efficiency measures, a strong sustainability culture, and switching to renewable fuels. Not willing to rest on our laurels, we recently published our 2030 Sustainability Roadmap, which outlines our sustainability goals for the next decade. This includes becoming Climate Positive by 2030, which means sequestering more greenhouse gases than we emit.

+Carbon Emissions

Bates is working tirelessly to maintain carbon neutrality, as well as striving to move towards being Climate Positive. We’ve decreased our campus carbon footprint to zero, mostly from our energy efficiency measures, as well as switching to a wood-based liquid fuel in our central steam plant. In the spring of 2019, Bates announced carbon neutrality, completing three decades of work to achieve this goal!

+Green Innovation Grants

gig-title-1-recovered-1Green Innovation Grants

If you have a great idea for advancing sustainability at Bates, we want to hear about it. We offer funding for innovative, impactful ideas for our campus. Funding ranges from roughly $200-2000 per project. All staff, students, and faculty are encouraged to apply.  More about Bates Sustainability Grants.

+Hands-On Sustainability Work

Bates students recently helped install a solar array on the roof of our Shortridge coastal research facility. The installation is large enough to power 100% of the building’s electrical loads throughout the year. Click here for real-time energy monitoring of our solar array.

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+AASHE Recognition

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Gold-Rated Sustainability

Bates has consistently received a Gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education  (AASHE) – the main international sustainability rating agency – for outstanding work in the sustainability field. In particular, we have been recognized because of our drastic reduction in our carbon emissions, and our active student body. Bates is currently ranked among the top ten greenest schools in the nation.

Our Newsletters

For More Newsletters. . .

Sustainability Stories

The Sense and Sustainability Interview Series was created to tell the untold stories of the care that Bates students, faculty, and staff have for the earth. Click the photo to read the full interviews!

Hugh Kenny, Green Bikes Coordinator and Bates College junior environmental studies major

Our Sustainability Team

 EcoReps

The Bates College EcoReps is a collaborative team of student environmental leaders who work toward promoting environmentally responsible behavior on campus through peer-to-peer outreach. This dynamic group of students is charged with designing and initiating projects that foster environmental stewardship and bring Bates closer to its sustainability goals. Some of their tasks include working on recycling and composting campaigns, analyzing energy datasets, and coordinating events such as EcoService Day. They are currently focused on 4 main objectives:

  1. Bring our sustainability narrative to life and foster environmental awareness through outreach and campus-wide events
  2. Manage waste at Bates through compost and recycling initiatives
  3. Analyze our energy use and carbon footprint data to formulate a carbon plan
  4. Expand our project budget through grants and innovative modes of funding

You can apply to become a Bates EcoRep or EcoRep Intern (first-year position) with our Bates EcoRep Application.