Middlebury College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

After achieving carbon neutrality in 2016, Middlebury formulated and adopted its most recent response to the climate crisis. Adopted in January 2019 by the Board of Trustees, Energy2028 sets four goals for the College:

- Achieve 100% renewable energy sources by 2028
- Reduce energy consumption by 25% by 2028
- Divest the endowment from fossil fuel related investment by 2032
- Integrate the pursuit of these goals into the curricula, teaching and research of the College

Energy2028's educational objective includes the integration of all of the activities related to the initiative with academic departments and curriculum development. For more on specific measures that have been taken see our 2022 update here: https://www.middlebury.edu/office/energy2028/news-and-highlights/energy2028-update

Middlebury's Climate Action Plan provides recommendations and objectives for achieving and maintaining carbon neutrality by 2016 and beyond. It includes these goals and objectives, many of which have been implemented and /or revised and in progress:
• Work with president’s staff to instill message and goals
• President’s staff work with department managers
• President articulate importance of goals and need for community participation at all appropriate forums (i.e. trustee meetings, faculty meetings, staff association, and campus governance committees)
• Ongoing news releases to external media
• Issuing regular stories to campus media (The Campus, MiddPoints)
• Create a web-based video series profiling significant events or projects (biomass plant, willow project etc.)
• Web site
• Web video series
• Annual progress report
• Printed and electronic guide to carbon neutrality at Middlebury
• Implement a strategic signage program throughout campus that demonstrates and celebrates Middlebury's commitment to CO2 reduction. Program could include basic awareness-raising signage, possibly in building entries common areas, dining areas and light switches, as well as at special events to positively promote composting and recycling as the Middlebury way. Encourage people to do their part in ways they may not have considered before -- busing their dishes to the composting area, for example.
• Create and identify ways to engage students through curricular, cocurricular, and extracurricular activities
• Create central interpretive display that includes a visual representation of progress
• Create interactive video display that could appear in multiple locations on campus
• Seek out all relevant campus committees for information and training
• Create a Midd Dialogue group for carbon neutrality around specific issues related to how institutional practices could change and evolve to reach carbon neutrality goal
• In MiddPoints, recognize employee achievements in carbon reduction
• Reminder magnets for light switches
• Events – staging some, being present at others
• Merchandising (t-shirts, mugs etc.)
• Employee pedometer contest
• Departmental carbon reduction contest
• Student contests related to energy, conservation and recycling (Do it in the Dark, Recyclemania etc.)
• Incorporate carbon neutrality goals into curriculum
• Create a “sustainable energy tour” that could be guided or self-guided
to incorporate bio-mass plant, composting, recycling, wind turbine,
garden, and a building with cutting edge energy design (Atwater Commons?)
• Integrate sustainability and carbon neutrality goals into orientation for new students, parents, new faculty, trustees, staff
• Discuss carbon neutrality initiative at annual Bread Loaf faculty meeting
• Build message into Admissions tours
• Incorporate carbon neutrality message and information into employee training sessions
• Conduct periodic assessments of campus awareness of the carbon neutrality goal (focus groups, person-on-the sidewalk interviews etc. no complex surveys)
https://www.middlebury.edu/office/document/middlebury-climate-action-plan

The Campus Master Plan (2008, revised in 2017)) makes the following recommendations regarding energy:
1. Conduct an alternative energy assessment of the campus to better understand what forms of alternate energy are feasible and how best to employ them
2. Pursue the procurement of responsibly planted and harvested woodchips for the biomass gasification boiler by partnering with woodchip suppliers, the State of Vermont Department of Forests, Parks,
and Recreation, professional logging and forestry associations, and others
3. Pursue the feasibility of using local agricultural land for the purpose of growing biomass for the biomass gasification boiler coming on-line in 2008
4. Develop a portion of Middlebury College’s own agricultural land for the purpose of self-sufficient generation of biomass for the biomass gasification boiler
5. Reforest a portion of Middlebury’s agricultural land with Clayplain forest to sequester carbon
6. Continue to participate in Central Vermont Public Service’s “Cow Power” program, which uses methane produced by cow manure to generate electricity, and partner with local farms engaged with manure to methane projects
7. Increase Middlebury’s on-campus generation of electricity from alternative renewable sources: wind power, photovoltaic panels, exercise machines
8. Participate in the development of a hydroelectric plant at Otter Creek. This could generate a significant portion of the electricity that Middlebury College uses
9. Consider participating in the Landfill Gas to Energy program at the Moretown Landfill
10. Collaborate with Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS) to install alternative energy generators under the Regional Global Gas Initiative
11. Carbon offsets will be a part of the effort to achieve carbon neutrality. Middlebury will look for opportunities to purchase or establish bona fide offsets with a preference for those that are local and regional.

As part of our Energy2028 initiative, we have a timeline for divestment from fossil fuels and reinvestment in sustainable enterprises. See Energy2028 update for latest report on divestment and sustainability investment here: https://www.middlebury.edu/office/energy2028/news-and-highlights/energy2028-update

The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is in the process of creating a five-year strategic plan. Our plan is to map out goals, strategies, and timelines and to maintain transparency moving forward in terms of our progress toward achieving those goals. Under The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a list of Inclusivity Programs and Initiatives: https://www.middlebury.edu/office/diversity-equity-inclusion/inclusivity-programs-and-initiatives

OIDEI provides programming and resources that celebrate and affirm diverse identities and lived experiences. OIDEI offers development opportunities designed to help members of the campus community better understand and address barriers related to access, opportunity and full participation. OIDEI coordinates reporting processes and ensure there is a fair and equitable response to campus climate concerns and violations of related campus policies. They identify institutional goals, advocate for change, and provide both transparency and accountability about our progress in working toward those goals. The office includes 16 people. https://www.middlebury.edu/office/diversity-equity-inclusion/about

A.4. Environmental and Sustainability Policy

Statement of Commitment to the Environment
Prepared by Environmental Council, endorsed by the Middlebury College Board of Trustees in May 1995:

"Middlebury is committed to environmental mindfulness and stewardship in all its activities. This commitment arises from a sense of concerned citizenship and moral duty and from a desire to teach and lead by example. Middlebury gives a high priority to integrating environmental awareness and responsibility into the daily life of the institution. Respect and care for the environment, sustainable living, and intergenerational responsibility are among the fundamental values that guide planning, decision-making, and procedures. All individuals in this academic community have personal responsibility for the way their actions affect the local and global environment."

Guiding Principles in Sustainability

The values laid out above are systemic to the vision and operation of Middlebury and it continues to be a leader in the area of sustainability. As architect and designer William McDonough describes, a sustainable world is one that is “delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just - with clean air, soil, water and power - economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed” and this is the type of future we hope to create and encourage at Middlebury. Striving for sustainability challenges us to address complex problems, both in the curriculum and in our life as citizens in a globalized world. In order to move toward sustainability we must consider:

Teaching ourselves—and learning from each other—how to move towards sustainable lifestyles;
Making ethical and just decisions about production, exchange and consumption
Reaching decisions, in a democratic spirit, that help us advance sustainability in a complex and globalized world;
Meeting present and future human needs while protecting and restoring ecological resilience and integrity;
Caring for the community of life on earth; and
Actively promoting sustainability goals and sharing the successes and lessons learned at Middlebury with other institutions and individuals.

https://www.middlebury.edu/handbook/pages/i-policies-for-all/genl-principles/envl-sustain-policy

The Campus Master Plan uses Chief economist of the World Bank Herman E. Daly's three operational rules to define the the condition of sustainability:
1. Renewable resources such as fish, soil, and groundwater must be used no faster than the rate at which they regenerate.
2. Nonrenewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels must be used no faster than renewable substitutes for them can be put into place.
3. Pollution and wastes must be emitted no faster than natural systems can absorb them, recycle them, or render them harmless.

Please see above.