About

Founded in 1856, St. Lawrence University is a small and selective liberal arts institution located in Canton, New York, in the United States. Surrounded by natural beauty, St. Lawrence is located north of the Adirondack Park and south of Canada and the St. Lawrence Seaway, the University’s namesake. St. Lawrence offers 37 major fields of study at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It enrolls approximately 2 300 undergraduate and 100 graduate students.

St. Lawrence is proud of its focus on international and intercultural learning.  More than half of its students participate in semester or year-long study abroad such as the well-established programs in Europe, Australia, South America, India, China, Japan, Kenya and Thailand. St. Lawrence students are very active in the local community with more than 70 per cent of the student body participating in volunteer work. About one-third of its students participate in one of the 32 intercollegiate athletic teams. 

A core value at St. Lawrence, environmental sustainability is integrated into the curriculum, university operations and campus culture. Students can study environmental issues through 10 interdisciplinary majors, attend classes in the LEED Gold-certified Johnson Hall of Science, rent a bicycle from the library or shop at our student-run thrift store for reused items. A tripartite Conservation Council, multiple student organizations and the sustainability coordinator continue to guide the university toward environmental sustainability and climate neutrality.  

Strategy

In 2006, the University’s Board of Trustees approved a resolution that included environmental awareness and pursuit of environmental sustainability as one of the institution’s core values. In 2007, St. Lawrence became a charter signatory of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. By signing this initiative, St. Lawrence joined other North American institutions of higher education in striving for climate neutrality, operations with zero-net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and education across the curriculum and within the local community on the issues and solutions of global climate change.

St. Lawrence conducts annual GHG audits and continues to invest in technology to allow greater monitoring and control of campus energy use. Over 80 per cent of St. Lawrence’s GHG emissions come from building operation, heat and electricity. Transportation, grounds maintenance and waste contribute the remaining 20 per cent of university emissions. 

GHG emissions reductions have been realized through a variety of efforts, including:

•    Insulation of steam pipes;
•    Increased efficiency of central heating plant operation (including higher condensate return and use of heating oil only when needed);
•    Reductions of university temperature set-points by two degrees;
•    Increased energy efficiency by Information Technology (including computers, copiers, power strips and servers);
•    Purchase of renewable-energy credits;
•    General changes in behavior (including turning off lights and computers, and reporting overheating); 
•    Purchase of hybrid vehicles for the university fleet;
•    Designation of certain areas of campus as no-mow zones; and
•    Reduction in dining hall waste through removal of trays

To address future greenhouse gas emissions reductions efforts, a group of faculty, staff and students, the Climate Commitment Working Group, developed the Climate Action Plan. Some of the current GHG reduction initiatives:
•    Energy efficiency projects on and off campus;
•    Reduction in employee commuting via automobile (walk, bike, carpool);
•    Conversion of all diesel fleet vehicles to biodiesel;
•    Geothermal heat for selected buildings;
•    Reduction in fertilizer use (use of compost or less fertilizer); and
•    Reduction in waste (recycling or decrease in waste)

 As further analyses of alternatives to current operations are completed, details of St. Lawrence’s efforts to reach climate neutrality will become clear.

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