Office of Energy and Sustainability
Governance and Policy
Environmental Policy and Implementation Plan
In 2004, the Board of Trustees adopted the Environmental Policy.
In Fall 2015, General Faculty adopted the Environmental Policy Implementation Plan. This document was a culmination of a multi-year effort by the Committee on Environmental Sustainability (CES) to update and revise the Environmental Policy. Building upon the principles laid out in the 2004 policy, the Implementation Plan clarifies progress and charts strategies to achieving stated goals.
Carbon Neutral by 2025
Oberlin College took a leadership role in environmental stewardship when former President Nancy Dye established Oberlin as one of the nation's first institutions of higher education to accept the goal of climate neutrality by signing the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (formerally ACUPCC; now "Carbon Commitment").
As a charter signatory in 2006, Oberlin was one of the first four schools in the United States and the first in its peer group to sign the commitment. Oberlin College selected the year 2025 to achieve carbon neutrality.
In 2015, Second Nature added an additional commitment opportunity to their framework - resilience . Oberlin signed this commitment in the charter signatory period taking leadership to work alongside the greater Oberlin community to increase our community resilience.
Carbon Commitment + Resilience Commitment = Climate Commitment
Oberlin College is a signatory of the climate commitment.
Oberlin College and Conservatory reinstated the ban on the sale of single-use plastic water bottles in August 2024. The college is also working to eliminate other single-use plastics on campus more broadly in the coming years as part of the commitment to zero waste.
The Green Cleaning and Custodial Products Purchasing Policy aims to regulate the purchase of products used for cleaning at Oberlin College and Conservatory by outlining the requirements and the encouraged actions for such purchasing. All cleaning and custodial products purchased for on-campus use must have at least one of the listed 3rd party certifications. The Policy supports the Environmental Policy adopted by the Board of Trustees in March 2004.
The Post-Consumer Recycled Content Paper Purchasing Policy aims to regulate the purchase of copy paper at Oberlin College and Conservatory by outlining the requirements and the encouraged actions for such purchasing. The Policy states all 8.5 x 11 white copy paper purchased for on-campus use, including letterhead, must contain a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content. Copy paper must also have Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification. The Policy encourages purchasing paper in bulk quantities, such as in 8 or 10-ream packs, to offset costs and reduce environmental impact. The Policy supports the Environmental Policy adopted by the Board of Trustees in March 2004.
The Green Electronics Purchasing Policy aims to regulate the purchase of electronic devices at Oberlin College and Conservatory by outlining the requirements and the encouraged actions for sustainable purchasing. All electronic equipment listed in the Policy, including IT equipment, cell phones, imaging equipment, and servers, purchased for on-campus use, are required to be registered in the EPEAT system. EPEAT is a 3rd party certification designed to help large volume purchasers evaluate, compare, and select electronic products based upon their environmental attributes. The Policy supports the Environmental Policy adopted by the Board of Trustees in March 2004.
Promotional items, or swag, can be a great way to connect with prospective students, make events on campus more attractive, and offer gifts to the college community. However, the production process and life cycle of these products can be problematic. Swag items are usually mass produced, low quality, and highly reliable on non-recyclable plastics and exploitative labor practices. Frequently, these items end up being discarded soon after they are distributed. A key part of achieving carbon neutrality commitments as an institution involves rethinking the environmental cost of our purchasing, including swag. This guide can help guide your purchasing decisions related to swag.
In June 2006, the Oberlin College Board of Trustees adopted a policy that all new construction and major renovations on campus have to be designed and built in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver standard. The adoption of this standard will significantly reduce the use of resources on campus in the future, as the built spaces will both be built more efficiently and perform more efficiently.
Please see our Buildings page for additional information.
Oberlin College's newest Strategic Plan 2016-2021: Institutional transformation through an inclusive approach to academic and musical excellence includes "Directions for the Future" includes the following:
Define and set in motion the necessary steps to achieve sustainability—educational, financial, and environmental.
Strategic Recommendation 3.9: Reaffirm and take tangible action toward meeting Oberlin’s commitment to environmental sustainability. This includes creating an actionable and financially feasible plan for achieving Oberlin’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2025.
Oberlin's core mission is education. Oberlin College's General Learning Outcomes include sustainability, such that an Oberlin education:
"Should develop an enduring commitment to acting in the world to further social justice, deepen democracy, and build a sustainable future."