Sustainability
Sustainability is a core value at HWS. The Office of Sustainability engages faculty, students, staff and the Geneva community on all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. This requires a cross-disciplinary approach that works with multiple departments to generate innovative ways to make Hobart and William Smith more sustainable. We have a unique program that uses the physical campus as a laboratory to explore different strategies and that encourages students to link classroom learning with real world applications. In 2007, the Colleges were a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, committing Hobart and William Smith to climate neutrality by 2025.
CAMPUS
Our campus is situated in a unique setting on the edge of a small city, a few blocks from vast agricultural lands and on the shores of one of the deepest lakes in the United States. The applied sustainability opportunities are endless and act as a microcosm of the complex issues of the 21st century.
Awards
In 2019, Environment America found that Hobart and William Smith Colleges was a top-10 school nationwide for renewable electricity purchased per student.
HWS continues to be recognized as a "Cool School" for sustainability by Sierra Magazine.
As part of a new land management strategy developed by the Office of Sustainability and Buildings and Grounds, the Colleges have designated new Grow Zones. By design, patches of grass…
This summer, Hobart and William Smith Colleges took possession of approximately 27 acres adjacent to the arts campus at Houghton House. Funded through a donation from HWS Trustee Edward R.…
Environment America has ranked Hobart and William Smith as No. 2 in the nation among higher education institutions for producing or purchasing renewable energy. The Colleges ranked first place in…
