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Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action at Hamilton

Overview

Hamilton College’s organized environmental movement began in the late 1980s with the founding of the Hamilton Environmental Action Club (soon renamed HEAG — the Hamilton Environmental Action Group), which became the college’s primary vehicle for student environmental advocacy across four decades. From early campaigns around Earth Day 1990 and the county-mandated recycling program, through food-waste audits and composting proposals in the late 1990s, HEAG activism accelerated alongside the college’s institutional sustainability program in the 2000s. The keystone institutional document is the 2009 Hamilton Climate Action Plan, which set a carbon-neutrality-by-2050 goal and benchmarked total campus energy use at 24.8 million kWh annually. That target was revised dramatically in 2022, when the Board of Trustees moved the deadline forward to 2030. The sustainability effort has been managed institutionally through Steve Bellona (Associate Vice President for Facilities and Planning, arrived 1997) and Brian Hansen (Director of Environmental Protection, Safety and Sustainability, titled variously across the period).

Key Points

HEAG and Student Environmental Activism (1972–2001)

• Pre-HEAG environmental activism (1972). Environmental organizing predates HEAG by at least two decades. In April 1972 the Spectator reported on the Environmental Ecology committee of Hamilton (“EECHK”), which urged students to write state legislators about environmental bills before Albany — including the Environmental Impact Statement bill (A9245a) and measures governing nuclear power plant siting — documenting an early tradition of student lobbying on environmental legislation. (The Spectator, April 28, 1972)

• HEAG’s founding and early activism (1989–1990). By fall 1989 a student environmental organization was operating under the name “Hamilton Environmental Action Club.” Beth Fuller ‘90 described the club’s collaboration with the national Student Environmental Action Coalition (S.E.A.C.) to encourage students to write Congress in support of the Global Warming Prevention Act — already framing climate change in terms of fossil-fuel combustion and deforestation, concerns that would define HEAG’s agenda for three decades. (The Spectator, October 27, 1989)

• Earth Day 1990 and recycling program origins. The twentieth anniversary of Earth Day in April 1990 was a pivotal moment. The Environmental Action Club organized tree planting, an “Earth Day Pledge” signature drive, film screenings, and tabling on Minor Field. A campus recycling program moved from feasibility into operation (paper and aluminum bins), soon becoming mandatory under an Oneida County recycling ordinance. An April 1990 lecture by journalist Michael Brown, who broke the Love Canal story, linked environmental toxins to public health. (The Spectator, April 20, 1990; The Spectator, April 27, 1990; The Spectator, April 6, 1990)

• HEAG in the early-to-mid 1990s. Through 1991–1995, HEAG maintained weekly meetings and appeared regularly in campus activity calendars, advocating for energy conservation with the Physical Plant, monitoring lamp installations, and co-sponsoring Earth Day events with the Campus Activities Board. By the mid-1990s the group’s focus included pesticide controls, ozone policy, and expanded recycling — building the institutional relationships with Physical Plant and dining services that would define its most productive campaigns. (The Spectator, November 2, 1990; The Spectator, April 14, 1995)

• Albany lobbying on Earth Day 1996. By spring 1996 HEAG had developed a multi-front Earth Day program combining campus petitioning with state-level lobbying. Three members (Maria Gara ‘98, Chris Snow ‘98, Jeff Evans ‘99) attended EarthFest ‘96 at Mohawk Valley Community College, while five others lobbied Albany legislators on five bills: a Maine Woods National Park, opposition to Governor Pataki’s plan to log the Allegheny State Forest, a Pepsi boycott over investments in Burma, Superfund expansion, and a composting bill. The group collected 800+ signatures requesting elimination of fluorescent paper on campus. Professor of Environmental Studies Bill Pfitsch was quoted: “Everyday is Earth Day.” (The Spectator, April 26, 1996)

• Food-waste audit and composting proposals (1997–1998). HEAG’s most concrete late-1990s campaign was a 1997 food-waste measurement project at Commons and McEwen. Jeff Evans ‘99 measured 251 pounds of waste from Commons and 242 from McEwen over two days — extrapolating to ~34,510 pounds per semester. Bon Appétit general manager Joe Cappa cooperated with the project; Evans proposed composting, reducing pre-made sandwiches, and limiting paper cups. Hamilton piloted a post-consumer organic composting program in 1998–1999, though it was discontinued before later reinstatement. (The Spectator, November 7, 1997; The Spectator, November 21, 1997)

• Recycling at only 14% — well below national average (2002). A spring 2002 Earth Day feature framed Hamilton’s recycling performance critically: the college recycled only 14% of its waste, compared to a national average of 30% and Middlebury College’s nearly 60%. Physical Plant had recently introduced a three-bin system (Container, Paper, Garbage) with clear bags to enable sorting; HEAG members were listed as contacts under the moniker “Captain Planet’s Helpers.” (The Spectator, April 19, 2002)

• Green Week institutionalized, ~50-member HEAG (2004). By fall 2004 HEAG had institutionalized an annual Green Week under a co-presidency model (typically three presidents), with approximately fifty members. The fall 2004 edition included a Super Size Me screening (with discussion on the environmental impact of the American diet), a Campaign for Clean Energy, and distribution of recycling travel mugs in partnership with Physical Plant. Jen Kleindienst ‘09 also chaired the Recycling Task Force under Physical Plant supervision, tracking Hamilton’s performance in the national Recyclemania competition. (The Spectator, October 22, 2004; The Spectator, November 19, 2004)

Early sustainability foundations (2001–2007)

• Early environmental awareness and advocacy: A 2001 Spectator editorial criticized Hamilton’s environmental record and favorably compared Connecticut College’s commitment to sourcing 100 percent of electricity from renewables. This framing — Hamilton lagging peer institutions — reappeared periodically over the following two decades. (Spectator, April 27, 2001)

• Skenandoa House: LEED Silver, oldest certified building in upstate NY (2007): The former Psi Upsilon fraternity house, built in 1922 and rededicated as Skenandoa Hall in 2004 after a three-year renovation, received LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2007. At the time of certification, only 12 other buildings in upstate New York held Silver LEED status, and Skenandoa was the oldest structure among them. The building uses a geothermal heating and cooling system and was, at the time, the only air-conditioned dormitory on campus. (Spectator, January 25, 2008; Spectator, September 10, 2009; Spectator, April 27, 2007)

• ACUPCC signing and early renewable energy commitments (2007): On April 26, 2007 — the day before Al Gore delivered his “An Inconvenient Truth” presentation on campus — President Joan Hinde Stewart signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), pledging Hamilton to develop a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality and to commit at least 15 percent of new electricity consumption on campus to renewable sources. Hamilton was also, prior to this signing, already a member of the EPA’s Green Power Partnership. (Spectator, April 27, 2007)

• Brian Hansen as Director of Environmental Protection, Safety and Sustainability: By at least 2007, Brian Hansen held the title “Director of Environmental Protection, Safety and Sustainability” and served as the college’s lead sustainability administrator. He is referenced in this capacity consistently from 2007 through at least 2023, when he is identified as the Director of Environmental Protection Safety and Sustainability and overseer of the Sustainability Working Group. His role included managing emissions data, heading the Sustainability Working Group, and advising on the Climate Action Plan updates. (Spectator, September 7, 2007; Spectator, November 13, 2014; Spectator, April 21, 2022)

• Grenergy League and REC campaign (2008): Three students — Melissa Balding ‘09, Devin Farkas ‘10, and Liz Kessler ‘10 — formed the Grenergy League and campaigned to have Hamilton purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to cover 100 percent of its electricity consumption. The cost was estimated at an $65–$80 per-student tuition increase. Hamilton at the time purchased only 15 percent of its electricity from renewable sources through National Grid. The students met with Physical Plant, VP of Administration and Finance Karen Leach, and were preparing to meet with President Stewart. Their campaign intersected with the broader campus “Grenergy Initiative” referenced in the fall 2008 editorial board letter. (Spectator, April 18, 2008; Spectator, October 3, 2008)

Hamilton Climate Action Plan (2009)

• The 2009 Climate Action Plan (August 2009): The Climate Action Plan, published in August 2009, formally documented Hamilton’s carbon neutrality goal of 2050 and provided baseline data: 27 percent of greenhouse gas production in 2008 came from heat fuel use. The plan set a renewable energy production target of 750,000 kWh annually (approximately 3 percent of total campus energy use of 24.8 million kWh). A 2012 article described it as the operative framework under which Physical Plant continued to reduce energy consumption. (Spectator, January 26, 2012; Spectator, February 11, 2016)

• Early renewable energy on campus (pre-2009): By May 2009, Hamilton already had solar panels and a wind turbine installed, and used geothermal heating. A 2009 energy-themed opinion piece noted that HEAG’s “Do it in the Dark” dorm competition that year reduced dorm energy use by 17 percent — approximately $14,000 in savings. (Spectator, May 8, 2009; Spectator, September 17, 2009)

LEED-certified buildings and green construction (2009–2012)

• Kirner-Johnson Building: LEED Gold (2010): The renovated Kirner-Johnson Building was certified LEED Gold — the highest level then achievable under the standard — in 2010. The certification process added over $73,000 to the renovation project, including a $3,500 fee paid to the U.S. Green Building Council. Bellona noted in 2010 that all campus building and renovation projects were now being designed to LEED certification guidelines. A 2009 reduction in carbon footprint of 16.2 metric tons was attributed to campus renewable energy sources. (Spectator, January 21, 2010; Spectator, April 27, 2007)

• Sadove Student Center LEED Gold candidacy (2010): The renovated Sadove Student Center (formerly ELS, later renamed) was submitted for LEED Gold certification in fall 2010. The building used 26 geothermal wells for heating and cooling — one of several buildings on campus, alongside Skenandoa and the Science Center, using geothermal systems. Steve Bellona estimated it would receive between 38 and 40 LEED points, potentially putting it at Gold (like KJ) or Silver (like Skenandoa). The article confirmed KJ as already LEED Gold certified. (Spectator, September 2, 2010)

• Kirner-Johnson LEED certification as policy driver: A 2007 article confirmed that all campus building and renovation projects — including the KJ renovation planned for that summer — were being designed with full LEED certification guidelines. Bellona helped three buildings earn LEED certification for New York State during this era of his tenure. (Spectator, April 27, 2007; Spectator, March 30, 2017)

• Energy savings and carbon reduction benchmarks (2010–2012): By 2010, Bellona reported Hamilton had saved approximately 370 metric tons of CO2 over the prior year — 125 from building projects and 245 from energy system improvements. By 2011, Hamilton spent $1.2 million less on electric and natural gas than it had in 2007. Physical Plant undertook numerous incremental efficiency measures: insulation upgrades at Bundy halls (reducing energy use 25 percent), new LED lighting at Saunders Residence Hall, retro-commissioning of the Science Building (saving 12 percent of that building’s energy use), and new lighting in the Field House, Sage Rink, Alumni Gym, and Burke Library. (Spectator, April 22, 2010; Spectator, January 26, 2012)

Steve Bellona and the drive for carbon neutrality

• Steve Bellona (Associate Vice President for Facilities and Planning): Bellona joined Hamilton in 1997 following a 24-year Coast Guard career. He oversaw construction and renovation of prominent buildings including the Taylor Science Center, Blood Fitness and Dance Center, Kirner-Johnson Building, Sadove Student Center, and Wellin Museum of Art. He helped three buildings earn LEED certification for New York State. His principal legacy, according to a 2017 profile, has been leading the college’s sustainability program — particularly the drive toward carbon neutrality. (Spectator, March 30, 2017)

• 2016 emissions progress: By the 2016 fiscal year, CO2 net emissions stood at 13,765 MTCO2e — well below the projected 16,000 MTCO2e and, as the 2017 article noted, already meeting the college’s projected 2030 emissions goal ahead of schedule. The majority of 2016 CO2 emissions came from heating fuels (natural gas and oil), electricity, and solid waste. Two solar projects and a wind turbine together generated over 40,000 kWh of renewable energy in 2016. Hamilton’s fossil and electric BTU per gross square foot (approximately 95,000) placed it well below the college and university average of 130,000 BTU/gross square foot. (Spectator, March 30, 2017)

• Carbon credits: Bellona described purchasing carbon credits as a strategy for older campus buildings (e.g., Root Hall) that lack the infrastructure for direct sustainability retrofits. Each credit represents the right to emit one tonne of CO2 or equivalent; the funds flow to the carbon trading market and fund other sustainability initiatives. (Spectator, March 30, 2017)

• “Relentless incrementalism”: A phrase Bellona credited to David Smallen (Vice President of Library and Information Technology) and used to articulate the sustainability philosophy: the sum of many small individually-conscious actions — lower thermostats, unplugging devices, avoiding unnecessary vehicle use — contributes meaningfully to long-term carbon reduction goals. (Spectator, March 30, 2017)

Solar farm proposal (2016)

• SolarCity partnership and the College Road solar farm (2016): In early 2016, Hamilton sought approval from the Town of Kirkland Planning Board for an 11.9-acre, 8,370-panel solar farm on Campus Road near the golf course, developed in partnership with SolarCity under a 20-year power purchase agreement. SolarCity would build and own the installation while selling the electricity to Hamilton. Projected annual output: 3.7 million kWh, representing nearly 15 percent of Hamilton’s total energy needs — far exceeding the 750,000 kWh target in the 2009 Climate Action Plan. Bellona served as primary spokesperson and expressed optimism about Planning Board approval. (Spectator, February 11, 2016)

• Town of Kirkland opposition: Some residents of the Town of Kirkland voiced opposition at public hearings, citing landscape impact along Griffin Road. Bellona acknowledged the project would “impact people” and committed to reducing that impact. (Spectator, February 11, 2016)

Sustainability office, working group, and student involvement

• Sustainability Office (founded by 2011): A 2023 article noted that the Sustainability Office had undertaken a reusable mug program as early as 2011, indicating a formal Sustainability Office existed at least by that year. Brian Hansen operated variously under the titles “sustainability coordinator” (2014 citation), “head of sustainability” (2012), and “Sustainability Director” (2018). (Spectator, November 13, 2014; Spectator, January 18, 2018; Spectator (YHM), September 21, 2023)

• Sustainability Working Group (SWG): By 2019, the primary governance body for carbon neutrality planning was the Sustainability Working Group, chaired under Hansen and reporting to President Wippman, VP of Administration and Finance Karen Leach, senior staff, and the Board of Trustees. The SWG is broken into subcommittees focusing on energy management, natural resources, and education. As of 2019, student representatives were calling for a full-time sustainability director, noting Hamilton was “one of maybe three other colleges that do not have a sustainability director.” (Spectator, October 24, 2019; Spectator, April 21, 2022)

• Sustainability Coordinators (student staff): By 2022, the college employed eight to ten sustainability students each semester, and “Hamilton Sustainability Coordinators” organized campus Green Week events. (Spectator, April 21, 2022)

• HEAG’s energy dashboard and dorm competition: HEAG was credited with developing Hamilton’s energy dashboard — a real-time energy monitoring system published on the Hamilton website. HEAG also ran recurring annual dorm energy competitions, including the “Do it in the Dark” contest that reduced dorm energy use by 17 percent (saving approximately $14,000) in the year it was first run. (Spectator, September 17, 2009; Spectator, May 8, 2009)

Carbon neutrality goal revised to 2030 (2022)

• Board of Trustees advances deadline to 2030 (March 2022): At its March 2022 meeting, Hamilton’s Board of Trustees voted to move the carbon-neutrality target from 2050 to 2030 — a twenty-year acceleration. Hansen explained the 2050 date was set when the “college/university sector did not have a good understanding of the tools or technologies necessary to actually achieve neutrality.” The SWG only felt confident in an earlier date after thorough evaluation. (Spectator, April 21, 2022)

• Strategy for achieving 2030 goal: Plans included additional geothermal heat pumps (drawing on New York State’s low-carbon electricity grid), carbon sequestration through management of Hamilton’s nearly 1,000 acres of land (over 800 forested acres), installation of 20 EV charging points (already completed as of 2022), and purchase of carbon offsets starting in 2030. The Taylor Science Center was identified as accounting for 25 percent of campus electricity use despite occupying only 10 percent of campus square footage. A 2025 article confirmed Hamilton’s Climate Action Plan was updated between 2018 and 2020 to formalize the accelerated goal. (Spectator, April 21, 2022; Spectator (YHM), April 24, 2025)

• ACUPCC origins: A 2025 article places Hamilton’s formal climate commitment origin in 2007, when President Stewart signed the ACUPCC, which “initially aimed for carbon neutrality by 2050.” The Climate Action Plan was created in 2009 as the operationalizing document for that commitment. (Spectator (YHM), April 24, 2025)

Food and dining sustainability

• Bon Appétit and low-carbon food: Hamilton’s food provider Bon Appétit participated in sustainability programming in cooperation with HEAG. During the 2013 Green Week, Bon Appétit offered “Low Carbon Diet Day” cooking displays and information on low-carbon food options. The Slow Food group and the Real Food Challenge initiative sought to increase the percentage of “community-based, ecologically sound, fair, and humane food” in campus dining halls. (Spectator, May 2, 2013)

Intersection with fossil fuel divestment

• Sustainability reporting and coverage of the Climate Action Plan intersected closely with the fossil fuel divestment campaign. The 2019 Spectator coverage of the SWG reported concurrently on student representatives meeting with President Wippman about both divestment and general sustainability. See the Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement topic for that thread.

HEAG Environmental Activism and Campus Climate Culture (2005–2013)

• HEAG’s Green Week was the primary vehicle for student environmental advocacy in 2005–2007, held each semester with escalating scope. The Hamilton Environmental Action Group organized a week-long series of events each fall and spring. The spring 2005 Green Week (April 28–May 2005) featured a “Trash Mountain” pile on Martin’s Way to dramatize campus waste production — approximately 60 tons per month — along with a Farmer’s Market, film screenings, t-shirt and mug sales, and a push for Recyclemania participation. HEAG installed 25 motion-sensor light switches as an energy experiment and worked with Bon Appétit to reduce paper cup use. (The Spectator, April 29, 2005)

• HEAG’s fall 2005 Green Week featured a Farmer’s Market and framed local food purchasing as an environmental strategy. HEAG organized the event in the Event’s Barn, hosting multiple food vendors. The Farmer’s Market became a recurring Green Week staple. Hamilton’s Recyclemania participation had already produced a 6 percent increase in recycling, with the college recycling 27 percent of its total waste stream by fall 2005. (The Spectator, October 7, 2005)

• A fall 2005 Levitt Center lecture by Jan Mazurek directly engaged the campus with the politics of global warming. Mazurek, Director of the Progressive Policy Institute’s Environmental Policy Program and former EPA advisor, delivered “Public Policy Responses to Global Warming” as part of the Levitt Center’s “Responsibilities of a Superpower” series. She presented global warming as established science, criticized the Bush administration’s withdrawal from Kyoto, and noted a Gallup finding that 77 percent of Americans rated global warming as “serious” or “very serious.” She linked Hurricane Katrina to global warming as an example of storm intensification, but noted the storm had not led to sustained government attention to climate change. (The Spectator, November 4, 2005)

• Spectator editorial opinion in fall 2005 framed the record-breaking hurricane season as evidence of global warming, directly connecting environmental politics to campus discourse. A November 2005 opinion piece (“It’s time to warm up to global warming”) cited 2005 as the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record and argued that the Bush administration’s refusal to address global warming was irresponsible; the piece cited the Kyoto Protocol negotiations and noted the U.S. rejection of mandatory greenhouse gas controls. (The Spectator, November 18, 2005)

• The UN Climate Change Conference (Montreal, November–December 2005) was covered in The Spectator, with the United States’ isolation on Kyoto noted prominently. Coverage reported the first meeting of 140 Kyoto Protocol signatories and agreement to reduce emissions to 5.2 percent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. The U.S. had not ratified and was described as the major problem at the conference, with Greenpeace International’s Bill Hare quoted: “When you walk around the conference hall here, delegates are saying there is only one real problem, and that’s the United States.” (The Spectator, December 2, 2005)

• Hamilton’s Recyclemania participation was a recurring HEAG-affiliated sustainability initiative. By the 2005–06 academic year, Hamilton was in its second year of competing in the national Recyclemania contest (93 colleges and universities in 35 states). The competition ran 10 weeks and measured per-capita recycling and waste minimization rates. A Spectator feature article explained the competition context and encouraged greater campus participation. (The Spectator, February 3, 2006)

• NASA climate scientist James Hansen’s suppression controversy was reported in the campus paper in spring 2006 as an example of anti-science politics. A March 2006 Spectator editorial noted that “NASA scientist James Hansen resigned last year over the mandate that he redact portions of their environmental reports that mention the obvious effects of global warming.” The editorial also reported that the phrase “to understand and protect our home planet” had been removed from NASA’s mission statement. (The Spectator, September 1, 2006)

• The March 2006 Spectator Science section reported climate change findings directly, treating it as established science. A science article covered a study by University of Arizona researcher Jonathan Overpeck published in the journal Science predicting ocean temperatures four degrees warmer and seas 13–20 feet higher within 100 years. The article also reported on the NASA censorship controversy regarding Hansen’s research. Overpeck called on people “driving big old S.U.V.s to their favorite beach or coastal golf course” to “start to think twice.” (The Spectator, March 31, 2006)

• HEAG’s fall 2006 Green Week (October 17–21) featured Trash Mountain, the film “The Future of Food,” a Farmer’s Market, and a barbeque — and used the occasion to publicize a 17 percent drop in Hamilton’s recycling rate. Jen Kleindienst ‘09, a president of HEAG and also president of the Recycling Task Force, reported that Hamilton’s recycling rate had dropped to 17 percent in 2006 from 27.9 percent in 2005. She proposed a compost facility and reported discussions with Terry Hawkridge (Assistant Director of Grounds, Horticulture and Arboretum) about potentially re-implementing a composting program that had existed in 1998–99. HEAG also organized a screening of “The Future of Food,” a documentary on genetically engineered agriculture, for over 60 students. (The Spectator, October 27, 2006)

• Student Assembly voted to give HEAG $0 in its fall 2006 budget cycle, directing the group to seek funding from the Environmental Studies Department or the President’s Office. This funding decision appeared in the Student Assembly minutes reported in the November 3, 2006 Spectator, with no explanation beyond the notation. (The Spectator, November 3, 2006)

• Al Gore was announced as the 2006–07 Sacerdote Great Names Series speaker in November 2006, with his “An Inconvenient Truth” lecture scheduled for April 26, 2007. The November 10, 2006 issue gave extended front-page coverage to the announcement, describing Gore’s book and film as arguing that “global warming has surpassed the level of a political issue and has become the biggest moral challenge facing our global civilization.” Previous Great Names speakers included Tom Brokaw, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. (The Spectator, November 10, 2006)

• The February 2007 IPCC report — giving 90+ percent likelihood that humans are causing climate change — prompted student editorial calls for greater campus environmental awareness and concern that Hamilton students were apathetic. A February 9, 2007 Spectator science piece reported the IPCC’s collaboration of over 17,000 scientists signed off on by 113 governments, predicting a 3.2–7.8°F temperature rise and 7–23 inch sea level rise by 2100. The writer lamented that mentioning “global climate change” on campus was “a surefire way of ending said conversation” and described the response of many students to recent lectures by David Suzuki and other scientists as dismissive. (The Spectator, February 9, 2007)

• A 2007 student letter campaign sought a tenure-track position for Visiting Professor Peter Cannavo, linking his work in environmental political theory to Hamilton’s growing sustainability identity. Cannavo had been a visiting professor of Government for five years, specializing in environmental theory. The letter, signed by students from across the ideological spectrum, argued that growth in HEAG, the development of Skenandoa House, the Environmental Studies concentration, and Recyclemania participation made Cannavo’s work central to the college’s environmental mission. Under AAUP rules, Cannavo would be forced to leave after the following year if not given a tenure-track position. (The Spectator, February 9, 2007; The Spectator, February 16, 2007)

• Hamilton alumnus Jonathan Overpeck ‘79, a lead author of the 2007 IPCC report, was profiled in an extended interview in the February 16, 2007 Spectator. Overpeck, a professor at the University of Arizona and professional paleoclimatologist, explained the difference between natural climate cycles and human-caused warming, and argued that the 2007 IPCC consensus was definitive evidence that the current warming was unprecedented and human-caused. He was identified as a Hamilton ‘79 alumnus. (The Spectator, February 16, 2007)

• A March 2007 student opinion piece published Hamilton’s “C” grade from the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s sustainability report card and called for the community to improve it. The article noted Hamilton received an “A” in Food & Recycling (crediting Bon Appétit as “one of the more environmentally and socially progressive food management companies”), a “B” in Climate Change & Energy and Green Building (aided by Skenandoa’s LEED certification), but a “D” in Administration and “F” grades in Endowment Transparency and Shareholder Engagement. The overall grade was “C.” The author noted the results were “presented yearly to HEAG” but had never been published in the Spectator. (The Spectator, March 9, 2007)

• A detailed April 2007 article on Skenandoa’s LEED Silver certification documented its status as the only LEED-certified building on Hamilton’s 64-building campus — and noted Hamilton student Noah Fisher ‘07 was revising LEED regulations for smaller buildings. The article explained that Skenandoa (built 1922) received LEED certification three years prior (approximately 2004) and was “the oldest building in New York State to be so certified.” Fisher ‘07, a public policy major, was leading a team to provide the U.S. Green Building Council with new, realistic regulations for smaller buildings nationwide. The article also announced planned new buildings (theater, museum, studio arts) by 2012 and expressed hope they would be LEED certified. (The Spectator, April 13, 2007)

• Al Gore delivered “An Inconvenient Truth” presentation in the packed Hamlin Bundy Scott Field House on the evening of April 26–27, 2007; President Stewart signed the ACUPCC the day before. On April 26, President Stewart signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) — developed by AASHE — pledging Hamilton to achieve climate neutrality and ensure at least 15 percent of new electricity from renewable sources. She noted Hamilton was already a member of the EPA’s Green Power Partnership. In her welcoming remarks the following evening, Stewart emphasized that all campus building and renovation projects — including the Kirner-Johnson renovation planned for that summer — were being designed to full LEED certification guidelines. Hamilton had already committed to purchasing 10 percent of its energy from green sources. (The Spectator, April 27, 2007)

• The fall 2007 McEwen Green Café renovation introduced recycled materials and reusable coffee cups as part of a “planned movement for green solutions across campus.” The article reported that the Green Café’s furniture was made from 100 percent recycled materials (tabletops from post-consumer recycled paper, chairs from 100 percent recycled polyester), ceramic reusable coffee cups were introduced, and Bon Appétit planned to limit bottled water and paper products across all dining halls. The article described Kirner-Johnson (then under renovation) as the expected “second LEED silver-certified building on campus.” (The Spectator, August 31, 2007)

• HEAG’s fall 2007 Green Week featured the film “Kilowatt Ours,” a Farmer’s Market, a Sandra Steingraber lecture on farming and water, and a Bill McKibben lecture at Colgate (with HEAG-sponsored bus service). McKibben argued against economic growth in favor of community-building and environmental awareness. HEAG also organized campus cleanups on Wednesday and Saturday and a barbeque. The article framed the week as encouraging students to “make Green Week into a Green Semester.” (The Spectator, September 28, 2007)

• A community garden proposal took shape in fall 2007 with students, faculty (including Peter Cannavo and Frank Sciacca), and Bon Appétit each developing plans simultaneously. Cannavo framed the garden as a way to connect students to local food production and establish “citizenship in a democracy.” The project connected to the emerging Slow Food movement and a planned “1812 Heritage Garden” / Bicentennial Garden for the college’s 2012 bicentennial. Bon Appétit’s manager Pat Raynard was also involved. (The Spectator, October 26, 2007)

• Hamilton students attended the Real Food Conference at Yale in November 2007, representing both the student co-op and the new Community Garden. Students Amelia Conlon ‘08 and Jane Barnes ‘09 attended for the co-op; Chris Sullivan ‘09 and Andrew Pape ‘10 represented the Community Garden. The conference was organized by the Yale Sustainable Food Project, Brown Sustainable Food Initiative, and The Food Project in Boston. The students returned with ideas about composting, purchasing local food, and a draft declaration for the emerging “Real Food Challenge in the Northeast.” (The Spectator, November 9, 2007)

• Peter Cannavo’s Government 285 (Introduction to Environmental Politics) held a mock Senate climate change hearing in December 2007, with students representing 13 states. Cannavo organized the hearing “to teach students the issue of climate change, to make them appreciate its complexity, and to give them some idea of how the policymaking process works.” Senators discussed transition from oil to renewable energy; presentations covered climatology, ethics, and political science. Senator from Louisiana (Katie Goodwin ‘08) cited Hurricane Katrina and coastal climate risks. (The Spectator, December 7, 2007)

• Hydrofracking protests and Powershift 2011. HEAG expanded its advocacy from campus to regional policy in spring 2011. Will Gowen ‘11 marched with approximately 500 protesters in Albany against New York State’s practice of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, citing risks to the water supply of roughly nine million state residents. That same weekend HEAG sent a larger contingent to the national Powershift 2011 conference in Washington, D.C., focused on protesting environmentally damaging energy production. HEAG’s biannual Farmer’s Market and Green Week continued as the group’s domestic programming anchor. (The Spectator, April 14, 2011)

• Green Week 2012 and the carbon-neutral athletic travel proposal. HEAG’s spring 2012 Green Week featured a Farmer’s Market, a “Pledge to Go Veg” event, a “Lights Out, Green In” speaker, and a campus glen cleanup. HEAG also proposed requiring Hamilton’s athletic travel to use carbon-neutral transportation methods — an initiative linking environmental advocacy to the college’s operational decisions beyond the physical plant. (The Spectator, April 26, 2012)

Hamilton Divests and Climate Activism (2016–2022)

• Hamilton students organized the Hamilton Divests fossil fuel divestment campaign (2012–2013), explicitly invoking the 1986–87 anti-apartheid shantytown protest as their historical precedent and joining Bill McKibben’s global 350.org movement then active at more than 300 institutions. The Spectator documented that Hamilton held approximately $59 million in direct energy-sector investments at the time. A faculty/student/employee divestment manifesto was published in the Spectator; student organizers secured direct meetings with trustees. The December 2013 Board meeting was the first point at which trustees engaged seriously with alternative clean-energy investment funds. (The Spectator, May 2, 2013; The Spectator, December 12, 2013)

• The Student Assembly passed a fossil fuel divestment resolution 26–3 on December 9, 2013, calling on the Board of Trustees to “judiciously divest” from fossil fuel companies from the $635 million endowment “without incurring unacceptable losses.” The vote was the strongest formal institutional endorsement of divestment during the 2012–2016 campaign period. (The Spectator, December 12, 2013)

• Hamilton organized a contingent of more than 45 students, alumni, faculty, and staff for the People’s Climate March in New York City on September 21, 2014. The trip was co-organized by HEAG (Hamilton Environmental Action Group, president Risa Nagel ‘16) and the Fossil Fuel Divestment Organization. Hamilton was among approximately 400,000 total marchers. Students met 350.org founder Bill McKibben at the march. Obama cited the demonstration at the UN Climate Summit two days later. (The Spectator, September 25, 2014)

• Hamilton’s energy profile as of 2014: Hamilton used 2% renewable energy as of fall 2014 (confirmed by HEAG President Risa Nagel ‘16) and placed last in the Campus Conservation Nationals that semester. Brian Hansen held the title “sustainability coordinator” at this time. (The Spectator, November 13, 2014)

• The Student Assembly passed a resolution in fall 2016 to remove plastic water bottles from dorm vending machines, representing an early small-scale sustainability and waste-reduction action in the Trump election semester. The initiative was part of a broader Student Assembly sustainability agenda that included recycling and plastic waste reduction. (The Spectator, November 10, 2016)

• On September 20, 2019, the Hamilton Climate Strike Committee organized a rally outside the Commons drawing more than 100 community members, aligning with the global Climate Strike movement that day. Organizers Eric Stenzel ‘23, Brooke Kessler ‘22, and Mian Osumi ‘21 articulated three goals: show global solidarity with climate strikers, demand bold climate action at Hamilton including transparency about fossil fuel investments, and support campus sustainability initiatives. Brooke Kessler explicitly framed the issue as environmental justice, noting that “frontline communities” were disproportionately harmed and citing Hamilton’s endowment as invested in “millions of dollars in fossil fuels.” Clinton High School students left school on their own initiative to attend. Clinton community families also participated. The committee called on the Board of Trustees to meet publicly with the campus community about fossil fuel investments at its next scheduled meeting. The 2019 Climate Strike was the most significant documented instance of coordinated student climate pressure on the administration between the 2013 divestment resolution and the 2022 carbon neutrality goal revision. (The Spectator, September 26, 2019)

Sources added by this section

Open Questions

• Was the SolarCity solar farm ultimately approved by the Town of Kirkland Planning Board, and when (if ever) did it become operational? The corpus covers the 2016 proposal but no subsequent approval or construction reporting has been found.
• What is the LEED certification status of the Sadove Student Center? The 2010 article reports it was submitted for Gold but the final determination is not in the corpus.
• Was a dedicated full-time Sustainability Director position ever formally created, distinct from Brian Hansen’s combined Environmental Protection/Safety/Sustainability portfolio? A 2019 student called for such a hire; a 2025 article suggests the position may have been formalized by then.
• What is the current status of on-campus solar installation efforts? The 2025 article mentions ongoing conversations with solar companies and exploration of on-campus panels.
• Did any Hamilton building achieve LEED Platinum certification during this period?

Sources

Related Topics

• Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement
• Campus Buildings and Physical Plant
• Student Activism and Social Movements
• Student Government and Campus Organizations
• Campus Life and Culture