Carleton has named sustainability across the curriculum an institutional priority and has committed to deepening living laboratory experiences on campus and in our community.

Carleton has many departments and programs that incorporate sustainability into the curriculum, including the interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Major. As part of the Sustainability Working Group input and a recent Arboretum Review we heard that there is substantial interest in increasing teaching and learning using campus and our nearby community and interest in more coordinated support to share resources and support collaboration.

Recent collaborations with student clubs, classes, and research groups have explored the geothermal system, food, consumption and product choices, transportation and more. During Climate Action Week 2023, an interdisciplinary group of faculty and staff including Chloé Fandel, Dan Maxbauer, Dan Hernández, Kate Meyer, and Sarah Fortner shared examples of their approach to climate action, sustainability, and environmental justice. This included evaluating the efficiency of our geothermal wells, soil amendments that enhance mineral weathering and carbon drawdown in agricultural fields, regenerative agriculture, ecological modeling, and art-science collaborations.

Future strategic investment in sustainability across the curriculum will include new support for sustainability and environmental justice curriculum development and building connections across the environmental issues that matter to us and the community around us. We imagine new resources to coordinate participation and action developing a shared agenda for action and learning informed by guiding frameworks, local opportunities, and the expertise and interests participants bring.