College of Wooster celebrates planting of native black gum trees outside Kauke Hall
On Tuesday, Sept. 30, The College of Wooster celebrated the planting of two striking rows of Black Tupelo “wildfire” (black gum) trees outside Kauke […]
There are many ways we’re working to model sustainability here at The College of Wooster. See below for a few projects that demonstrates some of the diverse ways we’re prioritizing environmental stewardship on campus.
Learning Garden – This large garden, located on Pine St. across from Williams Hall, serves as a learning laboratory for students interested in sustainable agriculture and gardening. Students play a significant role in managing the garden, both as part of existing courses and as a student club.
More InformationScot Solar – The 20,000 square-foot solar array on the roof of the LEED Gold certified Scot Center annually produces around 250,000 kWh of electricity, equivalent to powering 24 homes for a full year with clean energy!
Princeton Review Green Campus – The College of Wooster was named a “Green College” in The Princeton Review’s “Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition.” The recognition cements the College as an environmentally responsible institution and allows prospective college students to see what the College has to offer in terms of sustainability and career options with environmentalism. Evaluating 25 data points from 401 institutions in the 2024-2025 academic year, the College’s total green rating was 85/99, ranking among 388 institutions.
Swanson-Harbage Green Revolving Fund – This $100,000 Green Revolving Fund (GRF) is a self-sustaining fund that enables the college to internally finance campus projects that provide both environmental and economic benefits to the college. Eligible projects must both save the college money (with a less than 10-year return on investment) and deliver positive environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, increased renewable energy, reduced pollutants, etc. Examples of potential projects for GRF funding include LED lighting retrofits, HVAC upgrades, small-scale renewable energy installations, campus grounds improvements that decrease maintenance needs, water conservation investments, etc. We anticipate the first GRF funding in late Spring 2024.
Any College of Wooster student or employee may recommend a project for funding. Please contact the Director of Campus Sustainability, Brian Webb, for more information. The fund was created through a generous donation by two Wooster alumni, Robin Harbage and Katie Swanson-Harbage.
Tree Map – The Grounds Department has created a comprehensive map of all 2,800 trees on campus. The map includes data on tree species, diameter, planting date (for some trees), carbon sequestration, stormwater benefits, and more.
More InformationCommunity Resources – In addition to what we’re doing on campus, there are many opportunities to get involved in sustainability around the Wooster community. See below for a few useful resources:
- Wooster farmer’s market (open May-Oct)
- Local Roots Market and Café (our local sustainable coop)
- Wayne County Sustainable Network
- Citizens’ Climate Lobby – Wooster chapter
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Biology and education major combats food insecurity in urban areas
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Geology major develops field mapping skills through summer field camp with OSU
During the summer before her senior year at The College of Wooster, Lauren Segura ’26 attended a Summer Field Camp with the School of […]
Wooster wins Transportation Emissions Reduction award for successful electric carshare program
The College of Wooster and ScotShare, the College’s electric carshare program, won the 2023 Transportation Emissions Reduction award presented by the U.S. Green Building […]