Sustainability at Carleton – Carleton College

Wind turbines and solar panels on a foggy morning

illustrated text reading: sustainable futures. Five illustrated icons are below.

In the face of an urgent climate crisis, Carleton’s bold new Sustainable Futures framework advances the College’s leadership in emissions reduction with a focus on collective action, education, and infrastructure investments.

Read the Framework

Sustainable Futures supports the advancement of three key goals:

Professor talking to three students in an arboretum

Goal 1: Curricular Innovation

Equip Carleton students with the skills and knowledge needed to advance sustainability and environmental justice in their current and future communities.

illustrated icon of a plant, beaker, and rocks

Two Carleton students measuring river water flow, one recording notes in a notebook

Goal 2: Student Leadership in Climate Justice

Deepen Carleton’s commitments to climate action, nature, resilience, and environmental justice by expanding high-impact opportunities for students.

Two men looking at a geothermal system monitoring screen

Goal 3: Sustainable Operations

Continue Carleton’s leadership in emissions reductions and collaborate on and beyond campus to accelerate climate action.

illustrated icon of an energy efficient house

Campus Initiatives

Net-Zero Student Housing

The Lilac Hill residential community opened in fall 2024 as the first group of PHIUS-certified student housing buildings in the U.S. The townhomes are net-energy neutral and a model for sustainable housing, with thick exterior walls, energy recovery ventilation, geothermal heating and cooling, and rooftop solar panels.

Green Building Projects

Lilac Hill Student Housing on an autumn morning

Rob Hanson, energy manager at Carleton College, talking to two students in the geothermal space.

Geothermal Campus

Carleton was the first college in Minnesota and one of the only in the nation to transition to sustainable heating and cooling. Since installing the first geothermal district energy system in Minnesota in 2021, Carleton’s natural gas usage has been reduced by 70%, and overall energy usage has decreased by 64% since 2018.

Geothermal Energy at Carleton

Hands-On Learning

With support from Carleton’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement, Luisa Cichowski ’24 works with Sharing Our Roots Farm to further its mission of advancing a resilient agriculture system that demonstrates the power to heal our lands, nourish our communities, and prepare emerging farmers.

Community Partnerships

Student Leadership Opportunities

Group of students and educators gathered around a table, laughing. Presentation on a screen.

Become a Sustainability Assistant

STAs focus on outreach and action projects related to energy conservation, zero waste and ethical procurement, food systems, transportation sustainable policies and guidelines.

Student packaging up food as part of a Food Recovery Network effort

Join the Food Recovery Network

Carleton student volunteers recover surplus food from campus dining halls and local retailers, transport it, and donate it to community partners.

Amanda Sames, farm manager, with students, George and Aley, at the student farm, sorting produce

Volunteer with the Student Farm

Carleton’s student-run 1.5 acre organic farm strives to grow food in sustainable and experimental ways. The produce is sold to our campus dining halls, and the profits pay summer farm interns.

More Opportunities for Engagement

Find volunteer, employment, and internship opportunities and learn about student environmental & justice organizations.

Sustainability in the News

Carleton has long been recognized as a leader in sustainability efforts, regularly appearing on lists of “Greenest Colleges” and frequently lauded for our leadership in decarbonization and green building projects.