The Impact of Collective Action</h1> <article> <h1>The Impact of Collective Action</h1> <p>lcurtis2 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:22:55 +0000</p> <span>The Impact of Collective Action</span> <span><span>lcurtis2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-03-25T14:22:55-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 14:22">Tue, 03/25/2025 - 14:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Nearly 20 years ago, 91ֱ�� College pledged to be carbon neutral by 2025. One way we’ve supported this goal is the Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP), which involved <a href="/node/480481">installing a geothermal heating and cooling system across buildings on campus</a>. As a result, we were able to reduce our carbon footprint by some 90 percent, rather than relying on purchasing significant carbon offsets.</p> <p>But another part of our push for carbon neutrality involved something perhaps less visible: collective action. As an institution and community, 91ֱ�� encourages, values, and expects sustainable behavior. </p> <p>Every year, <a href="/node/4326">91ֱ��’s Office of Energy and Sustainability</a> (OES) hosts <a href="/node/55006">Ecolympics</a>, a two-week competition that challenges buildings on campus and in the town of 91ֱ�� to lower their carbon footprint. During Ecolympics, people who live or work in these buildings are encouraged to put extra thought into their electricity and water consumption, and take actions such as being extra sure to shut off lights when not in use, or to turn off the faucet when brushing teeth. </p> <p>As a result, Ecolympics exemplifies how our behaviors as individuals add to our collective impact and distinctly contribute to our overall carbon neutrality. </p> <p>“Ecolympics is generally most successful when there's a sense of community building,” emphasizes sustainability manager <a href="/node/30206">Heather Adelman</a>. </p> <p>Accordingly, on the town side, participating buildings include the three public schools, the library, and the fire station. Previously, the college buildings in the competition were limited to the residence halls; however, an administrative component was added in 2024, and now Cox, Wilder, and Admissions are also part of Ecolympics </p> <p>This year, in order to raise more awareness about the event, OES worked with RAs to have each dorm make their own flag and then display them in the <a href="/node/3446">Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies</a> (AJLC), similar to the country flags displayed at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Sustainability is a community effort at 91ֱ��, thanks to Ecolympics and other student-driven work.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-03-27T12:00:00Z">Thu, 03/27/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Lucy Curtis ’24</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/heather-adelman" hreflang="und">Heather Adelman</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The 2025 Ecolympics opening ceremony.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Isabella Moss '28</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40778" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-40661" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-40554" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--default"> <figure> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-40555" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--default"> <figure> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-40556" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--default"> <figure> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>The Ecolympics opening ceremony featured information tables, dorm flags, and more. </p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Isabella Moss ’28 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40392" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>Adelman says this awareness is key: Ecolympics makes such an impact because so many people rally behind it. </p> <p>“Ecolympics is not just a fun competition—it really does help us get to carbon neutrality,” Adelman explains. “It might not seem like a big deal to have your lights off, or not be running water when you're brushing your teeth, but all of those resources are in our greenhouse gas inventory. And the less we use, the lower that is.”</p> <p>The Office of Energy and Sustainability can see an <a href="https://www.environmentaldashboard.org/ecolympics">immediate effect</a> from these actions. After the culmination of this year’s competition, the winning residential halls, Firelands Apartment Building and Keep Cottage, saw (respectively) a 31 percent decrease in electricity usage as well as a 31 percent decrease in water usage. Between all participants, we saw an overall reduction of 31,948 kWh of electricity and 26,240 gallons of water.</p> <p>Adelman also sees that Ecolympics causes participants to reflect on their behavior patterns, and consider making more permanent, long-term changes.</p> <p>“We can track resource use before and after Ecolympics, and it doesn't stay as low as during the competition, but it stays low,” she says. </p> <p>To keep the spirit of sustainability alive year-round beyond Ecolympics, Adelman implemented the position of EcoRepresentatives, or EcoReps, in the 2023–24 academic year. </p> <p>“[An EcoRep is] like a green RA, or a green ambassador,” she explains. “They’re meant to provide peer-to-peer support and interactions between students on sustainability topics.”</p> <p>EcoReps host sustainability awareness events, such as a recent trivia night at Slow Train Cafe, or an “Eco Jeopardy” last semester. They also monitor buildings to make sure recycling and composting is being done correctly. </p> <p>“If it's not, we do targeted outreach to those buildings with tabling events, emails, or fun recycling games,” Adelman notes.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40689" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-color-red data-add-quotes> <p>[An EcoRep is] like a green RA, or a green ambassador. They’re meant to provide peer-to-peer support and interactions between students on sustainability topics. </p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Heather Adelman, sustainability manager </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40388" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>One project that the EcoReps have been involved with recently is analyzing the water usage per person in each dorm. They found that some buildings used significantly more water than others. They researched infrastructure, such as checking to see if buildings had different toilets or shower heads. They also took into account that certain buildings had hoses to water gardens, and thus didn’t include them in their statistics. </p> <p>Even after considering those factors, the EcoReps discovered that Barrows Hall was using up to three times as much water as those on the lowest end of the spectrum. In response, Adelman and her student employees worked with a psychology class to create targeted posters explaining that their water usage was among the highest of their peers. </p> <p>“It made a huge difference,” Adelman says. “Now [Barrows] is one of the lowest users.”</p> <p>Since the program has gained momentum, the results have been encouraging, with EcoReps also working with Residence Life area coordinators—<a href="/node/480164">Meredith Bischoff</a> and <a href="/node/478441">Robbie Maggard</a>—and RAs to ensure year-round sustainable habits.</p> <p>“This year we worked with the area coordinators and it's going great. They've been fantastic, the RAs are really engaged, they're having a lot more events together. All of these Ecolympics events were a collaboration between the EcoReps and RAs.”</p> <p>Adelman and OES work with students in many ways in addition to EcoReps and Ecolympics. For example, Adelman says she’s crossed paths with hundreds of students in the last three years, either as her employees or through class projects. She is happy to have served as a reference for graduates who have gone on to pursue sustainability-focused careers.</p> <p>“It's really cool to see the impact of the work students can experience or the projects they can experience on campus, and how that translates into what they want to do with their life,” Adelman says. “I feel like in a lot of schools, they might not necessarily have that level of exposure [to this kind of work]. We’re not just impacting 91ֱ��, but impacting the rest of the world.”</p> <p><em>Want to get more involved with sustainability at 91ֱ��? Reach out to </em><em><a href="mailto:%20sustainability@oberlin.edu">sustainability@oberlin.edu</a> or visit the <a href="/node/4326">OES webpage</a> to learn more. </em></p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program Reaches Major Milestone</h1> <p>azaleski — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 15:29:27 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program Reaches Major Milestone</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-12-04T10:29:27-05:00" title="Wednesday, December 4, 2024 - 10:29">Wed, 12/04/2024 - 10:29</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Just in time for winter, 91ֱ��’s geothermal heating and cooling system is cranking up the heat. A four-year project to convert the campus’ fossil fuel-based system into an eco-friendly one is now online, supporting 91ֱ��’s goal of becoming 100 percent carbon neutral by 2025. </p> <p>“It’s a major milestone for this infrastructure,” said Chris Norman, senior director of energy and sustainability. </p> <p>The project, dubbed the <a href="https://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu" target="_blank">Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP)</a>, involved replacing aging infrastructure with a stable system powered by 850 geothermal wells on the practice fields north of campus, water-source heat pumps, and an underground network of pipes. 91ֱ�� retrofitted nearly 60 campus buildings to accommodate the new system and equipped 11 more buildings with air conditioning.</p> <p>Through these infrastructure changes, the college is an estimated 90 percent of the way to its carbon neutral goal and will buy carbon offsets to reach 100 percent carbon neutrality. 91ֱ�� will spend the next year testing the geothermal system to measure how efficient it is. At the end of this process, the college will share this data with Second Nature, a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating action on climate change through higher education, to certify that 91ֱ��'s carbon footprint is zero. </p> <p>“91ֱ��’s approach is unique because we committed to reducing the college carbon footprint at the source, by using infrastructure improvements, instead of depending solely on carbon offsets,” Norman says. “It’s real climate action. It's meaningful. We're actually doing the work.”</p> <p>91ֱ�� already has been a leader in higher education’s push to be more environmentally conscious. The college was the first of its peer institutions to sign the <a href="https://secondnature.org/climate-leadership-network/signatories/commitments-implementation-handbook/" target="_blank">American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment</a> back in 2006, encouraging leadership at hundreds of other institutions to agree to bring their net greenhouse gas emissions to zero.</p> <p>“91ֱ�� has been proactive about meeting the challenge of carbon neutrality,” says 91ֱ�� President Carmen Twillie Ambar. “We’re not avoiding our responsibility to future generations. We are acting now to address our aging energy system and thereby creating a more sustainable campus—and planet.”</p> <p>The campus minimized the impact on operations by completing the bulk of the conversion work during the summer months. And, now that construction is complete, students will be able to play rugby on the practice field above the geowell field just like before. </p> <p>“It’s pretty exciting, because what we’re doing is transferable,” Norman says. “Other schools and institutions will be able to use it as a model. Geothermal is something you can do just about anywhere.” Already, the college is hosting tours for interested higher education institutions and government entities. </p> <p>From the start, the SIP project has also served as an educational resource for 91ֱ�� <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" target="_blank">students</a> and faculty. Students have been out in the field taking samples, talking to practitioners, and creating educational materials. </p> <p>“Every step of the way, students have been on the front lines of climate action,” Norman says. “They're directly involved with how we are implementing the new system, and charting the next steps forward.”</p> <p><strong>How 91ֱ��’s Geothermal System Works</strong></p> <p>In 91ֱ��’s geothermal system, hot water and chilled water are circulated through the underground pipe system to heat and cool buildings and to supply hot water. The closed-loop system is entirely self-contained and doesn’t extract or inject water into the ground, instead circulating it continuously through pipes 600 feet below campus. </p> <p>“We’re treating the earth like a battery,” Norman said. </p> <p>All told, the system will save the college an estimated $1 million per year in operations and maintenance, cut its water use by more than 5 million gallons per year, reduce sewer discharge by more than 4 million gallons per year and improve campus energy efficiency by more than 30%.</p> <hr> <p><em>Learn more about <a href="https://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu" target="_blank">91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program</a> and how students are learning about sustainability via 91ֱ��'s <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" target="_blank">Environmental Studies and Sciences Program</a>.</em></p> <p><br> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Geothermal heating and cooling system comes online, supports 91ֱ�� reaching 100 percent carbon neutrality by 2025.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-12-04T12:00:00Z">Wed, 12/04/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Ginger Christ</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">A four-year project to convert the campus’ fossil fuel-based system into an eco-friendly one is now online.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Mike Crupi</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program Enters Key Phase</h1> <p>eburnett — Wed, 31 May 2023 01:39:54 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program Enters Key Phase</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-30T21:39:54-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 30, 2023 - 21:39">Tue, 05/30/2023 - 21:39</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This summer, 91ֱ�� will tap into the core of a four-year project to convert its century-old fossil-fuel-based heating system to one using eco-friendly geothermal technology. During the week of May 29, drilling will begin on the first of approximately 850 wells on the practice fields north of campus, which will become the cornerstone of the new system.</p> <p>The project, known as the <a href="https://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu/">Sustainable Infrastructure Program</a>, is a foundational part of 91ֱ��’s delivery on its 2006 pledge to become carbon neutral by 2025. Once operational, the new system will reduce campus energy consumption by 30 percent, cutting annual water use by 5 million gallons and sewer discharge by 4 million gallons while significantly cutting overall campus energy costs.</p> <p>Progress on the project can be <a href="https://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu/webcam/">viewed via a still-image webcam</a> installed at the construction site.</p> <p>The new energy system will circulate hot water and chilled water through a network of underground pipes to distribute energy to buildings for heating and cooling spaces and for domestic hot water. The closed-loop geothermal system is self-contained and will not extract or inject water into the ground. Instead, the same water is continuously circulated through pipes 600 feet underground—roughly the height of a 50-story building—through distribution pipes and into heat pumps powered by renewable electricity. The system will pull heat from the ground in winter and reject heat back underground in the summer.</p> <p>“This work integrates the earth as an energy-storage device,” says <a href="/node/189506">Joel Baetens</a>, 91ֱ��’s campus energy and resource manager. “When completed, the system will enable us to lean on clean energy for our heating needs—a pivotal step in our commitment to carbon neutrality.”</p> <p>91ֱ�� has been at the forefront of a push across higher education to minimize environmental footprints. In 2006, it became the first of its peers to sign the <a href="https://secondnature.org/signatory-handbook/the-commitments/">American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment</a>, inspiring leaders at hundreds of other institutions to similarly pledge to bring their net greenhouse gas emissions to zero.</p> <p>As part of its efforts, 91ֱ�� has upped its purchase of green electricity, installed a 2.27 megawatt solar array on a 10-acre field north of campus, moved away from coal as a heat source, and completed energy-efficiency projects. Completion of the project will bring the college within reach of carbon neutrality, with final reductions or offsets aimed at waste and transportation emissions. </p> <p>In addition to playing a fundamental role in 91ֱ��’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality, the project will position the institution for additional steps to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p>The new system will be flexible enough to implement new technologies as they are developed even decades from now, according to <a href="/node/113336">Rebecca Vazquez-Skillings</a>, 91ֱ��’s vice president of finance and administration. The project is expected to be completed by 2025.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Four-year project to convert campus heating and cooling system set for drilling of 850 geothermal wells.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-30T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/30/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Ginger Christ</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Workers prepares the field for installation of 91ֱ��'s geothermal well system in late May.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Sheep May Safely Mow</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 25 May 2023 19:07:03 +0000</p> <span>Sheep May Safely Mow</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-25T15:07:03-04:00" title="Thursday, May 25, 2023 - 15:07">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 15:07</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� students just left campus for summer, and already a new flock has arrived.</p><p>On May 24, some 70 sheep from Old Slate Farm in Knox County were delivered to the fenced land north of campus that contains the institution’s 2.27 megawatt solar array. There they will graze through mid-June, munching and stomping grass in a move aimed at alleviating the need for costly and painstaking mowing of the site. Additional sheep drops will bring the total number of grazers to between 150 and 200.</p><figure class="captioned-image obj-right"><p></p><figcaption>photo by Jacob Strauss</figcaption></figure><p>The sheep will be delivered to the 10-acre field three times—in spring, summer, and fall. A form of agrivoltaics, in which land is used for both agriculture and energy generation, the sheep’s handiwork will reduce 91ֱ��’s emissions and its reliance on fossil fuel, as well as regular damage to equipment that results from mowing the rough terrain.</p><p>While exact figures as to how much the sheep will help reduce emissions—and ultimately help the college achieve its goal of becoming <a href="/node/75236">carbon neutral by 2025</a>—are unknown, Campus Energy and Resource Manager <a href="/node/189506">Joel Baetens</a> has no doubt the sheep will help offset the carbon impact of maintaining the solar fields. Plus, they come with an annual price tag that represents a fraction of the $30,000 tab for mowing the fields by conventional means.</p><p>“So we’re paying them just like we’d pay a lawnmowing service,” he told <a href="https://chroniclet.com/news/353256/oberlin-college-contracts-with-farm-to-mow-solar-array-field-with-sheep/"><em>The Chronicle-Telegram</em></a><em> </em>newspaper. “The deal is they’ve got to get the grass down to a certain amount and keep it there.</p><p>“It’s just a beautiful synergy that happens when you bring the grazers back to the pasture.”</p><hr><p><em>91ֱ��’s solar array is located in a construction zone dedicated to the institution’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program. Access to the array is prohibited without prior authorization from the Office of Communications and the Office of Environmental Sustainability. Contact Andrea Simakis, director of media relations, at </em>440-935-0154 or <a href="mailto:asimakis@oberlin.edu?subject=91ֱ��%20sheep%20inquiry"><em>asimakis@oberlin.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Campus solar fields maintained by truckloads of hungry livestock.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-25T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Ginger Christ</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Dozens of sheep will tend to the grass throughout 91ֱ��'s 10-acre solar array.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id class="o-flex--video-embed"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Phase One of SIP Project Ends with a Campus and City Tree Planting</h1> <p>ygay — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 20:56:57 +0000</p> <span>Phase One of SIP Project Ends with a Campus and City Tree Planting</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-12-09T15:56:57-05:00" title="Thursday, December 9, 2021 - 15:56">Thu, 12/09/2021 - 15:56</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>After a worker guided the burlap covered bundles into the bucket of a skid steer, the young trees were eased onto a patch of lawn on the back corner of King Building. The next day, planting began. </p> <p>The arrival of trees marked the end of the first of five phases involved in the <a href="https://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu" target="_blank">Sustainable Infrastructure Program</a> (SIP), a major step toward achieving a carbon-neutral campus by 2025. The goal of SIP is to upgrade the century-old heating infrastructure serving the campus to a hot water system. This work will enable a large-scale geothermal system, add cooling to buildings, and implement other structural improvements that will increase student and faculty comfort year round. </p> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Rebecca Devereaux</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>This modernization to 91ֱ��’s sustainable campus infrastructure will impact, and ultimately improve the energy system, buildings, and this important third piece of the physical campus make-up: the campus landscape. The construction sites that students, faculty, and staff navigated through the summer session have been restored and sidewalks and parking lots have been reformed.</p> <p>During the next few weeks, trees that were removed for the installation of underground distribution pipes will be replanted on campus and on city curb lawns. Minimally, every tree that was removed will be replaced; and in some cases, will be replaced with two trees. By the end of this first phase reinstall, 65 trees will be planted on campus and 61 in the city. </p> <p>A wide range of considerations—such as the city’s tree replacement guide, Ohio native species, interplay of diverse species, structural integrity of a species, and aesthetics—went into the criteria used for replacement tree selection and planting locations. The goal is to not only have a robust diversity of species that will continue 91ֱ��’s long tradition of a beautiful and unique campus landscape, but one that is beneficial to minimize potential future impacts of pests, disease, and climate change that can harm the tree canopy. </p> <p>“Our goal is to make choices today that will stand the test of time,” says Grounds Service Manager <a href="/becky-bode">Becky Bode</a> who is spearheading the reinstall alongside Arborist Al Shauck. “We selected trees that will thrive on campus and enhance the [landscape] experience for those attending 91ֱ�� 100 years from now.”</p> <p>The tree replacement phase in SIP is also an opportunity to introduce woody perennial plants that will complement the college’s landscape and buildings, while working to avoid the complex network of underground utilities. </p> <p>Included in the types of trees being planted is the American larch, a specimen, according to Bode, that can now only be found in 91ֱ��’s nearby Arboretum. Bigleaf magnolia was selected for its rarity and beauty. Other trees being planted also carry an added historical reference, such as the hackberry tree, which was once used for flooring and barrel hoops in pioneer days. (Read the sidebar for additional information on some of the trees being planted.)</p> <p>Trees for the project were reared in Split Rail Nursery in Circleville, Ohio; Klyn Nursery in Perry, Ohio; and Davis Tree Farm in Valley City, Ohio. </p> <p>“The tree replacement plantings for the first phase of work mark a milestone on our 91ֱ�� College journey to meet our ambitious carbon neutrality commitment,” says <a href="/meghan-riesterer">Meghan Riesterer</a>, assistant vice president of campus energy and sustainability. “The first of four phases of the Sustainable Infrastructure Program wraps up in December with this final piece of getting our campus back to its beautiful state with the trees planted to complete the restoration of construction sites.”</p> <p>Removal and replacement of trees will continue this summer with phase two of SIP.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-12-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 12/09/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A large flatbed truck parked on North Professor Street late last month brought the first of 126 trees to be planted in 91ֱ�� this semester.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Workers plant one of more than 100 trees to be replanted on campus and in the city of 91ֱ�� this month.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Rebecca Devereaux</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� College Recognized for Sustainability Initiatives that go Above and Beyond</h1> <p>swargo — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 19:16:16 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� College Recognized for Sustainability Initiatives that go Above and Beyond</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-11-23T14:16:16-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 14:16">Tue, 11/23/2021 - 14:16</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>91ֱ�� College has been named a 2021 Excellence in Energy Award winner by NRG Energy, Inc. for the significant impact of its sustainability initiatives that achieve notable environmental and social benefits.</em></p> <hr> <p> </p> <p>OBERLIN, OHIO -- 91ֱ�� College has been named a <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrg.com%2Finsights%2Fpeople-and-community%2Fwinners-embrace-energy-possibilities-.html&esheet=52533452&newsitemid=20211117006271&lan=en-US&anchor=2021+Excellence+in+Energy+Award+winners&index=1&md5=53a5073543a659ffe7a4b8b0fdc60708">2021 Excellence in Energy Award</a> winner by NRG Energy, Inc. 91ֱ�� was recognized for the significant impact of its sustainability initiatives that go above and beyond standard sustainability practices to achieve notable environmental and social benefits.</p> <p>“Sustainability is embedded throughout our entire culture at 91ֱ�� College,” said Meghan Riesterer, assistant vice president for <a href="http://www.oberlin.edu/environmental-sustainability">campus energy and sustainability</a>. “91ֱ�� College signed the Carbon Commitment and set a deadline to get to carbon neutrality by 2025. This past summer we took a really important step towards getting to carbon neutrality when we launched a $140 million, four-year campus-wide conversion to geothermal heating and cooling that will position the institution as a national leader in the clean energy space.”</p> <p>The Excellence in Energy Awards recognize NRG customers who demonstrate a strong commitment to the planning and achievement of their environmental and community goals. Through the annual celebration of these awards, NRG is shining a spotlight on successes and milestones that are shaping a better future through energy.</p> <p>“Our customers motivate us every day at NRG,” said Robert Gaudette, senior vice president of NRG Energy, Inc. “We want to honor them for their passion to drive positive change by optimizing their energy solutions and giving back to the community. These awards are about celebrating how organizations can lead the way by taking responsibility for their energy future to benefit their operations and their communities.”</p> <p>About NRG</p> <p>At NRG, we’re bringing the power of energy to people and organizations by putting customers at the center of everything we do. We generate electricity and provide energy solutions and natural gas to millions of customers through our diverse portfolio of retail brands. A Fortune 500 company, operating in the United States and Canada, NRG delivers innovative solutions while advocating for competitive energy markets and customer choice, working towards a sustainable energy future. More information is available at <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrg.com&esheet=52533452&newsitemid=20211117006271&lan=en-US&anchor=www.nrg.com&index=2&md5=b024152e1ab94dd1a65969c6e6597d20">www.nrg.com</a>.</p> <p>About 91ֱ�� </p> <p>Ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts schools, 91ֱ�� College is known for its exemplary academic and musical pedagogy and its commitment to social justice, sustainability, and creative entrepreneurship. The college, founded in 1833, holds a distinguished place among American colleges and universities as the first to grant bachelor's degrees to women in a coeducational environment and was a leader in the education of African Americans. The Conservatory of Music, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, was founded in 1865, making it the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-11-23T12:00:00Z">Tue, 11/23/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Scott Wargo</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">William Bradford</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Secures $80 Million in Certified Climate Bonds for Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP)</h1> <p>anagy — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:21:20 +0000</p> <span> 91ֱ�� Secures $80 Million in Certified Climate Bonds for Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP)</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-08-03T11:21:20-04:00" title="Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - 11:21">Tue, 08/03/2021 - 11:21</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN, Ohio—Aug. 3, 2021—Investors rallied around 91ֱ��'s path-breaking geothermal infrastructure project last week, pouring $80 million into one of higher education's first Certified Climate Bond offerings. </p> <p>The certification by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) indicates that independent experts have verified the environmental benefit of 91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP), in alignment with the goals and targets of the Paris Climate Agreement. This is only the second Certified Climate Bond offering among U.S. colleges and universities, and third in the world.</p> <p>The bonds attracted bids totaling nearly three times the amount of the offering. The $80 million in proceeds enable 91ֱ�� to fully fund the first phases of its $140 million SIP, while realizing significant savings in borrowing costs, compared to both traditional financing and other green bonds on the market.</p> <p>“Both the CBI certification and the enthusiasm shown by some of the nation’s most prestigious investors serve as strong endorsements of 91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program,” said Rebecca Vazquez-Skillings, 91ֱ��’s vice president for finance and administration. “The market values our leadership in environmental sustainability and has confidence in our ability to align financial stewardship, environmental innovation, and institutional mission.”</p> <p>Vazquez-Skillings said that this issuance marks the lowest cost of long-term financing 91ֱ�� has ever achieved.</p> <p>The four-year SIP will convert buildings throughout 91ֱ��’s 440-acre campus to geothermal heating and cooling, drawing on 1,100 wells that harness the earth’s natural underground temperatures to replace traditional fuels such as coal and 91ֱ��’s current heat source, natural gas.</p> <p>The project will also replace century-old steam pipes with an efficient, low-temperature distribution network that will save 5 million gallons of water a year and reduce operating costs by more than $1 million annually. At the same time, 91ֱ��’s buildings are being upgraded to accommodate the new system, conserve energy, and modernize electrical and communication technologies. </p> <p>The project will propel 91ֱ�� toward its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2025. </p> <p>“The SIP is a once-in-a-lifetime project that positions 91ֱ�� as a global leader in clean energy,” said Meghan Riesterer, 91ֱ��’s assistant vice president for campus energy and sustainability. “It represents a bold decision by the college’s trustees and senior leaders, and reflects meaningful contributions from staff, students, and faculty across the institution. We are proud to see this campus-wide conversion to geothermal heating and cooling draw such a favorable level of support and attention from innovative leaders throughout the finance sector.”</p> <p><a href="https://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu/">Learn more about the 91ֱ�� College Sustainable Infrastructure Program</a>.</p> <p>Morgan Stanley was the underwriter and PFM served as financial advisor for the Certified Climate Bond transaction. PIMCO is the largest investor, accounting for approximately 37 percent of the allotment of Certified Climate Bonds. MacKay Shields holds approximately 25 percent, and Goldman Sachs has approximately 15 percent. </p> <p>Oregon-based Kestrel Verifiers provided the review to support certification. Kestrel Verifiers has more than 20 years of experience in helping state and local governments and educational institutions access capital for infrastructure and sustainability projects. Kestrel is an Approved Verifier accredited by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), and the only such verifier that has deep consulting experience in U.S. public finance and is a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise.</p> <p>“91ֱ��’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program is so well-organized and planned that it provides a roadmap for other colleges and universities that want to pursue carbon neutrality and sustainable infrastructure programs,” said Monica Reid, CEO of Kestrel Verifiers. “Certified Climate Bonds are the gold standard for debt financing to support environmental projects and 91ֱ�� has met that standard in excellent fashion.” </p> <p>Kestrel’s assessment of the 91ֱ�� offering determined that the debt financing aligns with the Climate Bonds Standard (V3.0) and Low Carbon Buildings Sector Criteria. Critical metrics used in the evaluation included how the proceeds will be used and managed, the process for project evaluation and selection, and the effectiveness of reporting procedures. In its evaluation, Kestrel cited the 91ֱ�� project’s alignment with climate change response actions required by the Paris Agreement, as well as with multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The relevant SDGs include: 7: Affordable and Clean Energy; 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; and 13: Climate Action.</p> <p><a href="https://go.oberlin.edu/green-bonds">Read Kestrel's verification report</a>. </p> <p>The college’s partners on the project include Ever-Green Energy, which has been advising 91ֱ�� on implementation of its Carbon Neutrality Resource Master Plan since 2016. Community partners include the City of 91ֱ��, First Church of 91ֱ��, First United Methodist Church of 91ֱ��, 91ֱ�� City Schools, and Mercy Hospital. Design, construction, planning, and technical advisory partners include M.A. Mortenson Company, Salas O’Brien, Makovich & Pusti Architects, Rafter A Surveyors, Frost Brown Todd, and Ernst & Young. </p> <p>91ֱ�� was one of the first signatories of the Carbon Commitment (previously American Colleges & University Presidents Climate Commitment) in 2006. The college’s commitment to environmental sustainability is longstanding and broad-based, ranging from faculty and student research and environmental curriculum to green buildings to joint environmental planning with the City of 91ֱ��. For more information, please see 91ֱ�� College’s <a href="/sites/default/files/content/about-oberlin/mission-values/environmental_and_social_responsibility_report_2020-21.pdf">Environmental_and_Social_Responsibility_Report_2020-21</a>.</p> <p><strong>About 91ֱ�� </strong></p> <p>Ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts schools, 91ֱ�� College is known for its exemplary academic and musical pedagogy and its commitment to social justice, sustainability, and creative entrepreneurship. The college, founded in 1833, holds a distinguished place among American colleges and universities as the first to grant bachelor's degrees to women in a coeducational environment and was a leader in the education of African Americans. The Conservatory of Music, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, was founded in 1865, making it the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-08-03T12:00:00Z">Tue, 08/03/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><ul> <li> <h5>Bond enables 91ֱ�� to initiate substantive progress on four-year project to build new geothermal energy system for the campus</h5> </li> <li> <h5>New energy system will be a critical component in College’s ability to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025</h5> </li> <li> <h5>Certified Climate Bonds status verifies alignment with the goals and targets of the Paris Climate Agreement </h5> </li> </ul></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">An aerial view of sustainable infrastructure work in Wilder Bowl.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">William Bradford</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Carbon-neutrality project becomes more visible with temporary tree removal</h1> <p>swargo — Fri, 14 May 2021 17:05:40 +0000</p> <span>Carbon-neutrality project becomes more visible with temporary tree removal</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-05-14T13:05:40-04:00" title="Friday, May 14, 2021 - 13:05">Fri, 05/14/2021 - 13:05</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ��’s march toward carbon neutrality will become a little more visible this week as crews begin removing a limited number of trees and bushes, making possible the multi-year, campus-wide heating and cooling overhaul that will make 91ֱ�� a national leader in clean energy.</p> <p>The <a href="/news/ambitious-geothermal-project-make-oberlin-national-leader-clean-energy">$140-million project</a> will ultimately include a conversion to a geothermal energy source, retrofitting buildings for maximum efficiency, and replacing century-old steam pipes with efficient hot and chilled water lines that dramatically reduce the loss of thermal energy and water.</p> <p>91ֱ��’s facilities team has been working with an arborist to find the least disruptive way to excavate the deteriorating steam pipes and ensure that the campus achieves a net benefit to its trees and vegetation by the time the project is complete.</p> <p>In this phase, crews expect to remove and examine 97 trees from across the 440-acre campus, including 25 small trees. Those that are healthy enough to be transplanted will be moved to other parts of campus. Trees that have already reached the natural end of their lifecycle will be replaced, one for one, with varieties that improve the longevity, biodiversity, and canopy of the campus environment. A few old trees may find new life on campus, such as two large white oaks that will be milled and seasoned for future use in projects such as outdoor furniture.</p> <p>“In consultation with the Committee on Environmental Sustainability, our project team is working to make sure not only that we achieve our ambitious long-term goals for a greener 91ֱ��, but that we undertake this construction in a way that respects our campus and the daily life and work of our community,” said Meghan Riesterer, assistant vice president for campus energy and sustainability.</p> <p>Though this first phase of landscaping will continue into June, to minimize disruption, much of the work will take place during the next two weeks. For more information and regular updates on construction, please see the project website <a href="http://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu/">CarbonNeutral.oberlin.edu</a>.</p> <p>Having reduced its carbon footprint by more than half over the last 15 years, 91ֱ�� plans to reduce net carbon emissions to near zero by 2025, which would make it one of the first college or university campuses to approach that milestone. The geothermal energy project getting underway this summer represents the most important remaining element in that push for environmental sustainability—a project also made necessary by the age and condition of the existing heating infrastructure, some of which dates to the early 20th century.</p> <p>In an email to students, faculty, and staff in April, President Carmen Ambar said the project “will show other large institutions across the country that it is possible to improve living and working conditions for students, faculty, and staff, while addressing a global challenge that touches all of us.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-05-17T12:00:00Z">Mon, 05/17/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>