Campus Sustainability

Zero Waste

The Sustainability Office strives to engage the campus community and beyond in zero waste initiatives. Macalester has a goal to achieve zero waste by regularly diverting 90% of all waste from a landfill or incinerator.

Carbon Neutrality Efforts & Goals

Over the past few years Macalester has made multiple pledges and commitments towards carbon neutrality. Macalester believes in transparency as they go through the process of creating a road map towards carbon neutrality on campus.

Gardens & Landscape

In 2011 Macalester began to pursue a sustainable landscape plan. Over the years Macalester has many to achieve the objectives in the plan and has continued to pursue new ones.

Water

Macalester continually evaluates best practices to improve water efficiency on campus.

Data & Reporting

Macalester collects data from various parts of campus to be used for research and measure sustainability efforts.

Purchasing & Investments

In April of 2021, the Board of Trustees of Macalester College announced its decision to divest of all dedicated, publicly traded oil and gas assets, including all shares of Enbridge, Inc., and adopt a college investment policy that prohibits new investments that are solely invested in oil and gas assets.

Transportation

Being an urban campus allows Macalester to provide various options for sustainable transportation.

Education

The Sustainability Office staff often gives tours of programs and initiatives related to sustainability throughout campus. Macalester believes in using the college as a living laboratory to assist students in furthering their understanding of sustainability and the environment.