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Sustainability Initiatives

Endicott has one of the largest solar canopy parking lots in the Northeast, totaling nearly 1MW and providing 10 percent of the College’s electricity needs. There is an additional rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) array on the Raymond J. Bourque Arena that provides around 10 percent of its electricity use, and new solar panels on the College's parking garage. Our composting, recycling, and waste management plan diverts more than half of materials from the waste stream each year, and is supported by an undergraduate student work-study program. An on-campus garden provides fresh vegetables for our dining hall and an opportunity for students to learn firsthand about growing and harvesting produce. Our new buildings and existing spaces are being designed and constructed or renovated with a focus on energy savings, water conservation, and healthy materials. Sustainable practices are evident in everything from the food we eat, the water we use, and the buildings and land where we work, live, and study.

In Pictures
Endicott Announces Groundbreaking Sustainability Plan to Steward Institution Through 2030
ÐÜèÔÚÏßÊÓƵ has announced an ambitious goal to achieve net zero emissions by the College’s 100th anniversary in 2039—and it’s just the start of a groundbreaking new Sustainability Plan that outlines a bold future for the institution.
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In Pictures
Sophia Gosselin-Smoske ’24 Named 2023 AASHE Sustainability Award Finalist
Sophia Gosselin-Smoske ’24 has been recognized as a finalist for the 2023 AASHE Sustainability Award for her work with Endicott’s Environmental Justice Working Group.
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In Pictures
The Fruits of Their Labor
Sydney Williams ’27 and Matthew Wright ’26 traded the prospect of cubicle life and coffee runs for compost and carrot tops while interning as fieldhands at Ramblin Roots Market Garden in Wenham, Mass. this summer.
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In Pictures
Summer School: Wilderness 101
For three months, Matt Sweitzer ’16 lived off-the-grid in the Bridger-Teton National Forest as a volunteer educator, showing campers how to reduce their impact on the wilderness around them.
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In Pictures
When the Ocean Is Your Calling
As a Hollings Scholar with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Faith DaSilva ’25 is narrowing down how and where she wants to make a career out of working with the ocean.
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In Pictures
Doing Their Part to Protect the Planet
As Earth Day nears, we spoke with Endicott alumni who are making the world greener through careers in sustainability.
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Climate and Energy

Understanding and combating climate change is vital to a coastal institution. Adaptation and resiliency are important considerations as temperatures increase, sea levels rise, and precipitation events become more frequent and intense. Mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing campus energy use and greenhouse gas emissions is a top priority.
  • Decarbonization & Renewable Energy
    • Annual greenhouse gas inventories are completed to track the College’s emissions and measure reductions, according to our status as a signatory to the to reach carbon neutrality.
    • Endicott’s 1 MW solar canopy parking lot provides electricity to three residence halls- Stoneridge, Marblehead, and Bayview.
    • The Raymond J. Bourque Arena has a 157 kW solar rooftop PV array, providing power to both the Hockey Arena and the Center for Nursing and Health Professions.
    • New solar panels have been added to the College's parking garage, covering about 30% of the annual electricity use for the Wax Academic Center and Hempstead Commons.
    • The College pursued a wind feasibility study and continues to review potential renewable opportunities on campus.
       
  • Green Building
    • Buildings and infrastructure throughout campus have been retrofitted or are being constructed with energy-efficient LED lighting and controls.
    • The Curtis L. Gerrish School of Business and Ginger Judge Science Center is a model of green design with lighting, temperature control, ventilation, and water fixtures to maximize efficiency.
    • Endicott was awarded the MassCEC grant under the Commercial-Scale Air-Source Heat Pump Program for the implementation of a VRV system in the Samuel L. Wax Academic Center.
    • A green roof is located on the Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, which serves to absorb and treat stormwater, reduce the urban heat island effect, and provide green space.
    • The College participates in Demand Response programs to help contribute to a more reliable grid system by managing peak demand, and to lower energy costs.
  • Climate Preparedness and Campus Resilience
    • The majority of Endicott’s coastline is protected by a newly improved seawall, designed to deflect wave force in order to protect our campus from storm damage and flooding.
    • Stormwater discharge is slowed through the campus lakes and rain gardens.
    • Permeable pavement was utilized in Lot 12 to limit runoff into surrounding sensitive area.
    • The City of Beverly, Mass., and Endicott are working to understand coastal resiliency and climate vulnerabilities.

Health and Equity

Students, staff, and faculty interact with our campus and local surroundings daily. We have a key role in ensuring their personal well-being and health. Whether it is the opportunity to explore the campus through hiking trails, offering sustainable food options, or incorporating healthy materials into our indoor spaces, helping to create a healthy community is vital.

View the Trail Guide

  • Equity & Wellness
    • The Sustainability Office hires a student Research & DEIB Fellow each year to help develop strategies focused on making sustainability work more equitable and inclusive on campus, and to integrate DEIB into our campus operations.
    • A student-led Environmental Justice Working Group, made up of faculty, staff, and students, works to create action for environmental justice in our local community; the founding student was recognized nationally as an award finalist for this work by AASHE.
    • The Wellness Center on campus works to address both physical and mental wellness needs of students.
    • The College has been consistently rated one of the top places to work in higher education in the region.
    • Endicott’s three miles of trails offer a great place to explore. Witch Lane provides a relaxing and educational hike with glimpses of large rocks scraped up from the Laurentide Ice Sheet and human-caused forest succession.
    • Employees are encouraged to participate in local Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs to support local food systems and increase employee health with locally produced, nutritious foods.
    • Faculty and staff receive free access to athletic facilities on campus.
     
  • Food and Dining
    • Endicott partners with Sodexo to offer complete vegetarian options for every meal.
    • The Center for Inclusion and Belonging features a small food & hygiene pantry for Gulls in need of these items.
    • We use sustainably harvested Red’s Best fish, fair-trade coffee and tea, and a large percentage of our produce comes from local sources.
    • Students and staff manage two raised beds on campus, where they tend to the garden and harvest produce, which has included everything from cherry tomatoes to kale, lettuce, cucumbers, garlic, carrots, beets, radishes, sage, basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
    • In 2010, we started a tray-less program in the dining hall and reduced food waste by 30 percent.
    • Since 2012, we have eliminated the use of thousands of Styrofoam containers through the use of reusable to-go containers. Students who wish to take out food can provide a deposit for a reusable container, and they can return the used container for a clean one on their next visit.
    • The subscription service allows all Gulls to take advantage of leftover food from events, reducing food insecurity on campus while also reducing food waste.
     
  • Healthy Materials
    • Endicott is expanding the use of green cleaning products and technologies.
    • Endicott is exploring pilot opportunities to purchase furniture that complies with the Healthier Hospitals Initiative Safer Chemicals Challenge: Healthy Interiors.
    • Materials utilized during new construction and renovations are reviewed. 
     

Campus Operations

As part of the College’s Facilities Management, we will work to enhance our facilities and operations in a manner that conserves resources and reduces waste. We will work to institutionalize operations and improve our community’s health while reducing our impact on the climate.
  • Procurement
    • We partner with the College’s business office and outside vendors to review options and prioritize sustainable purchasing.
    • College-wide procurement guidelines are being developed.
    • Endicott uses Sustainable Forestry Initiative certified copy paper and FSC certified paper and soy inks for College publications.
    • Biodegradable supplies are utilized for some automobile repair products.
       
  • Transportation
    • We encourage students to consider using , a shared car program available on campus and located on level 5 of the parking garage. Endicott students can create a membership account and register Endicott as their location to receive a discount off the monthly fee. 
    • Bike racks are located throughout campus, and there are three miles of trails for recreation.
    • Endicott is located near historic Cabot Street, which is lined with restaurants and shops.
    • The (MBTA) makes it easy to travel around the region, and Endicott is a short ride to the Beverly Depot where you can take the commuter rail () into Boston.
    • We provide daily shuttles from our main campus to downtown Beverly, local malls, and the commuter rail. This off campus shuttle service, also used for some special events, is run by Joseph's Transportation, who has partnered with to plant a tree for every 100 miles driven!
    • We provide six electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on campus, located on the ground floor and levels 2 & 3 of the campus parking garage.Only EVs are allowed to park in these spots, and can charge at a low rate of $0.50/hour.
       
  • Landscaping and Grounds
    • Fifteen percent of the campus is organically landscaped, paying special attention to areas like our beaches and the Endicott Lakes.
    • Our staff and volunteers are always working to fight back invasive plants with natural methods, as well as native plant species wherever possible.
    • Our campus features apple trees, pear trees, and two raised beds that provide herbs and vegetables to the dining hall.
    • Compost from the dining hall is used in the garden beds, creating a full circle food production.
    • Managed by the student Beekeeping Club, we host two beehives on campus located behind the Samuel L. Wax Academic Center to support local pollinator populations and educate our community about their significance.
  • Water
    • Low-flow fixtures are utilized across campus to reduce water use.
    • 50 filtered water bottle fill stations (and counting) across academic, administrative, and residence buildings provide an alternative to single use water bottles. This program will continue to expand until each building on campus has at least one water bottle fill station. 
     
  • Waste Reduction and Recycling
    • Waste is diverted via single stream recycling, composting at all dining locations, and specialty recycling streams such as plastic film, electronic waste, books, mattresses, tires, cooking grease, and more.
    • Campus waste diversion rate annually averages over 50%, meaning Endicott is able to prevent over half of the waste produced from landfills.
    • We are piloting office composting in administrative and academic buildings to capture food waste from faculty and staff, and are also piloting undergraduate composting in residence halls with summer students.
    • Electronic waste is collected across campus and sent to a local R2 Certified facility.
    • Used tires are collected and repurposed for local communities.
    • Up to 94 percent of construction waste is diverted from landfill for projects on campus.
    • Books are collected and donated through Better World Books.
    • The first Cradles to Crayons donation bin located on Massachusetts’ North Shore is hosted on campus. This bin, along with a Red Cross bin, are located in Lot 28 to facilitate reuse and recycling of textiles.
    • The College Cleanse Move Out Donation Collection initiative recovers between 5,000-8,000 lbs of items donated for reuse at the end of each academic year. These items- books & school supplies, non-perishable food, clothing & shoes, and dorm supplies/housewares- are then donated to local shelters, thrift stores, and community organizations, both giving the items new life by diverting them from the landfill while providing needed resources and items to people in the community.
    • Learn more about traditional and specialty recycling, as well as composting, at Endicott on our Recycling at Endicott page

    Look for these signs around campus:

         Compost  Recycle  Landfill

    Click here to download

      

Experiential Learning

Following the mission of the College, we will work to develop and support firsthand opportunities for student involvement. We will drive student engagement that utilizes the campus and surrounding community as a living lab.
  • Courses and Curriculum
    • The Sustainability Office supports student research projects and thesis work by providing resources and data to students and faculty.
    • We integrate sustainability across disciplines and work with faculty and deans to develop programs, such as our new MBA and ABA Sustainability Concentration programs.
    • Further education is provided through guest lecturers, events, and programming in classes of varying disciplines and as campus-wide opportunities.
     
  • Living Lab
    • Living lab opportunities are provided to apply learned skills in settings on campus and in the local community.
    • Student Sustainability Fellows are hired to help develop and implement initiatives and programs, and help the Office of Sustainability with important tasks such as data entry and analysis, communications and outreach, programming, research and DEIB incorporation, and waste management.
    • Student Sustainability Fellows are hired to help develop and implement initiatives and programs focused on procurement, athletics, student activities, and dining. These students help the Office of Sustainability with important tasks such as data entry and analysis, communications and outreach, programming, research and DEIB incorporation, and waste management. 
    • Work-study students assist with recycling collection across campus.
    • We partner with the student-led Endicott Environmental Society, the Beekeeping Club, Outdoor Adventure Club, and many other student groups on campus.
     
  • Partnerships
    • The Sustainability Office is a resource for students to help connect them with sustainability-focused internship opportunities, and continue as a resource during their internships.
    • Partnerships are developed with likeminded organizations, such as Green Beverly, Beverly Waste Reduction Committee, Salem State and Gordon College, and New Entry Sustainable Farming Project.
    • The Office of Sustainability highlights a selection of interesting jobs and internships related to sustainability on our website below, as well as in our monthly newsletter, to expose students to the wide variety of careers available in sustainability to students of all majors. 

Sustainability Jobs and Internships

Sustainability is an inherently multi-disciplinary field. At the Office of Sustainability, it is our goal to connect students to meaningful job and internship opportunities that cater to their specific interests while supporting sustainable development. 
  • Internships
     Title Application deadline Description 
     Rolling Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts is a power-building and grassroots organizing group that is dedicated to making democracy work for all. Environmental Justice is just one of many focuses N2N takes on. Neighbor to Neighbor is very willing to take on interns and is very flexible both in terms of hours and role opportunities. Contact Gabriel Cohen-Gilnick at gabe@n2nma.org or by phone at 401-603-6058 for more information.
     Rolling Student PIRGs are actively looking for campus internships. This entails giving students the opportunity to take their education out of the classroom and do hands-on work to make an impact on causes they're passionate about. Current campaigns for student PIRGs include but are not limited to, 100% Renewable Energy campaign, Break Free From Plastics campaign, Stop the Overuse of Antibiotics on Factory Farms campaign, Save the Bees campaign, and the Zero Hunger campaign. Interns are eligible to get course credit in a variety of departments depending on your campus. 
     Rolling  The Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program is matching college students and recent graduates with an employer for a Mass-CEC sponsored internship. Three sessions are offered per year: spring (January-May), summer (June-August), and Fall (September-December).

    Open until filled MassDEP’s Municipal Waste Reduction Branch works to promote recycling, reuse, composting, and the reduction of waste, by implementing grant programs, providing technical assistance, and fostering best practices. This internship will allow an intern to learn about all facets of solid waste management in Massachusetts and will work on reuse and engagement with the public via our Recycle Smart MA program, and on solid waste and recycling program processes through our Sustainable Materials Recovery Program. Time period of employment is from January 2025 - May 2025.
  • Jobs
     Title Application deadline

    Description


    Open until filled The Ipswich River Watershed Association is seeking a motivated Part-Time Curriculum Development Assistant who will assist with the development and implementation of a new science enrichment program targeting seventh grade classrooms. The Curriculum Development Assistant will report directly to the Environmental Educator. Candidates should have three years of experience or demonstrated success in curriculum coursework. 
    Open until filled  The Climate Action and Circularity Manager will lead efforts to monitor, report and manage operational progress toward Lafayette College's carbon neutrality goal of 2035 and track broader sustainability performance. The position will ensure that low carbon, regenerative and closed loop material usage are integrated into campus operations and business practices while also supporting experiential learning opportunities for students. Applicants should have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and at least three years of sustainability experience.
    Open until filled The Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse District is seeking a motivated and environmentally conscious Project Manager who is interested in pursuing a career involving the responsible management of solid waste & recycling as valuable resources.
  • Professional Development Opportunities
    Title Date  Description
    Rolling Join Leading Green for their upcoming virtual LEED Green Associate trainings this fall. The course comes with 400 realistic practice exam questions, study guides, and live assistance from LEED AP+ staff. 
    December 7th C2C workshops are for undergraduate students and recent graduates who want high impact sustainability careers that can change the future, in policy, business, NGOs, education and politics. C2C trainings focus on key leadership skills: vision, courage, developing your network, telling your story, and raising funds.
    Register by January 12th This 15-week Climate Advocacy Certificate Program is for anyone interested in learning and applying CCL’s methods for climate action. Participants learn how to lobby their members of Congress, use social media for climate advocacy, write and submit letters-to-the-editor, perform grassroots and grasstops outreach, and more.