Skip to Content Skip to Footer
Goshen College
  • Give
  • Get Info
  • Visit
  • Apply
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Majors & Minors
    • Academic Catalog & Courses
    • Goshen Core
    • Global Education
    • Adult & Continuing Studies
    • Nursing (RN to BSN)
    • Business Management (BS)
    • Communication (BS)
    • Social Work (BS)
    • Transition to Interpreting
    • Transition to Teaching
    • English Learners License
    • Academic Catalog & Courses
    • Graduate Programs
    • Business Administration (MBA)
    • Environmental Education (MA)
    • Nursing (MS, FNP Track)
    • Master of Social Work (MSW)
    • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
    • Academic Catalog & Courses
    • Online Programs
    • Nursing (RN to BSN)
    • Business Management (BS)
    • Business Administration (MBA)
    • Master of Social Work (MSW)
    • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
    • English Learners License
    • Transition to Teaching
    • Transition to Interpreting
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Costs & Financial Aid
    • Scholarships
    • Net Price Calculator
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Admitted Students
    • Committed Students
    • Adult & Continuing Studies
    • Financial Aid
    • Graduate Programs
    • Financial Aid
    • Student Life
    • Health & Safety
    • Housing
    • Dining Services
    • Clubs & Activities
    • Spiritual Life
    • Bookstore
    • About GC
    • Quick Facts
    • Offices
    • Outcomes
    • Employment
    • Who We Are
    • Mission, Vision & Values
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Faith Identity
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    • Global Education
    • Sustainability
    • Institutes
    • Where We Are
    • Map & Directions
    • City of Goshen
    • Virtual Tour
    • Alumni
    • Alumni Directory
    • Transcripts
    • The Bulletin
    • Homecoming Weekend
    • Contact Us
    • Parents
    • Parents of Prospective Students
    • Parents of Current Students
    • Current Students
    • Moodle
    • Registrar's Office
    • Library
    • Job Bank
    • Accounting Office
    • Pay Bill
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Offices
    • Human Resources
    • Department Forms
    • Quick Links
    • MyGC
    • GC Online
    • Event Calendar
    • Bookstore
    • News & Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Latest News
    • GC in the News
    • Social Media Directory
    • Alumni Magazine
    • Photo Albums
    • Current Blogs
    • President's
    • Ecuador SST
    • Tanzania SST
    • Quick Links
    • Box Office
    • Music Center
    • E-Subscribe
    • Live Streams
    • Men's
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women's
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Quick Links
    • GoLeafs.net
    • Live Stream
    • Online Store
    • Rec-Fitness Center
    • Intramurals
  • Map & Directions
  • Bookstore
  • Employment
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • linkedin
Goshen College
  • Academics
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Majors & Minors
    • Academic Catalog & Courses
    • Goshen Core
    • Global Education
    • Adult & Continuing Studies
    • Nursing (RN to BSN)
    • Business Management (BS)
    • Communication (BS)
    • Social Work (BS)
    • Transition to Interpreting
    • Transition to Teaching
    • English Learners License
    • Academic Catalog & Courses
    • Graduate Programs
    • Business Administration (MBA)
    • Environmental Education (MA)
    • Nursing (MS, FNP Track)
    • Master of Social Work (MSW)
    • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
    • Academic Catalog & Courses
    • Online Programs
    • Nursing (RN to BSN)
    • Business Management (BS)
    • Business Administration (MBA)
    • Master of Social Work (MSW)
    • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
    • English Learners License
    • Transition to Teaching
    • Transition to Interpreting
  • Admissions & Aid
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Costs & Financial Aid
    • Scholarships
    • Net Price Calculator
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Admitted Students
    • Committed Students
    • Adult & Continuing Studies
    • Financial Aid
    • Graduate Programs
    • Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • Student Life
    • Health & Safety
    • Housing
    • Dining Services
    • Clubs & Activities
    • Spiritual Life
    • Bookstore
  • About
    • About GC
    • Quick Facts
    • Offices
    • Outcomes
    • Employment
    • Who We Are
    • Mission, Vision & Values
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Faith Identity
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    • Global Education
    • Sustainability
    • Institutes
    • Where We Are
    • Map & Directions
    • City of Goshen
    • Virtual Tour
  • Give
  • Get Info
  • Visit
  • Apply
    • Alumni
    • Alumni Directory
    • Transcripts
    • The Bulletin
    • Homecoming Weekend
    • Contact Us
    • Parents
    • Parents of Prospective Students
    • Parents of Current Students
    • Current Students
    • Moodle
    • Registrar's Office
    • Library
    • Job Bank
    • Accounting Office
    • Pay Bill
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Offices
    • Human Resources
    • Department Forms
    • Quick Links
    • MyGC
    • GC Online
    • Event Calendar
    • Bookstore
    • News & Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Latest News
    • GC in the News
    • Social Media Directory
    • Alumni Magazine
    • Photo Albums
    • Current Blogs
    • President's
    • Ecuador SST
    • Tanzania SST
    • Quick Links
    • Box Office
    • Music Center
    • E-Subscribe
    • Live Streams
    • Men's
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women's
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Quick Links
    • GoLeafs.net
    • Live Stream
    • Online Store
    • Rec-Fitness Center
    • Intramurals
GC › Sustainability at Goshen College
  • Academic Programs
  • Our Green Campus
    • Our Green Campus
    • Solar
  • Environmental Learning Facilities
    • Environmental Learning Facilities
    • Merry Lea
  • Student Projects
    • Student Projects
    • SunShower Solar Collector
  • Contact

Green Campus Initiatives

We have been and continue to be on a journey at Goshen College to go green. The roots of our ecological stewardship journey are Christian faith and the belief that God calls us to care for all of creation. Read on to learn how we are encouraging sustainable practices and reducing use of fossil fuels on campus.

Recent Initiatives

100% Renewable Energy

In 2013, President Jim Brenneman announced that Goshen College would begin voluntarily purchasing 100% of electricity from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power. This single action reduces the college’s carbon footprint by about 45 percent.

Read more about Goshen College’s commitment to renewable energy.

13_wildflowers8_bys

Native Laboratory Prairies

In recent years Goshen College has converted 12 acres of its approximate 55 acres of lawn to native landscaping, establishing several areas of low-profile native grasses and perennial wildflowers. In addition to creating a more diverse landscape, this project has led to an improved habitat for birds, small mammals and insects; a reduction in mowing and chemical herbicides; less irrigation; and improved air quality.

Reith Village at Merry Lea

LEED Certification

Rieth Village is an ecological field station for undergraduate programs at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center. Two cottages provide housing for up to 32 students, and a third cottage serves as the initial classroom and office building. In 2007, Rieth Village was awarded the platinum LEED certification (55 points) from the U.S. Green Building Council, the highest level possible.

Solar power

A 924 solar panel array on top of the Rec-Fitness Center roof completely meets the energy needs of the campus’ Church-Chapel building. As well, the SunShower Collector System is a student-driven and faculty-supported project that uses solar energy to heat the shower water in the Rec-Fitness Center.

Smart lighting

Goshen College uses LEDs in many locations around campus, including the elevator lights and major parking lot areas. The college also has motion light sensors in many of its buildings and in outdoor lighting facilities to cut down on amount of energy used for lighting when not needed.

Geothermal power

The college uses geothermal heat pumps for the Student Apartments, Recreation-Fitness Center, Good Library, Umble Center and a portion of the Union Building. Geothermal heat pumps use moderate temperatures in the ground to boost efficiency and reduce the operational costs of heating and cooling systems.

Climate neutrality

In 2007, President Brenneman signed the President’s Climate Initiative, making Goshen College the second higher education institution in Indiana and the first Mennonite college to sign the landmark commitment to climate neutrality.

 

Tree Campus USA

Goshen College has been honored for the third consecutive year with 2017 Tree Campus USA® recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Bike Friendly Campus (honorable mention)

Goshen College is on its way to becoming an officially certified Bike Friendly Campus. In 2016, the League of American Bicyclists gave out the Bike Friendly University (BFU) awards, including honorable mention to GC.

Bee Campus USA

Goshen College has been named Indiana’s first Bee Campus USA and is just the second college in the Midwest and 27th nationally to be recognized for its work in supporting pollinators such as bees.

Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions

The Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions (CSCS) is a collaborative initiative of Eastern Mennonite University, Goshen College and Mennonite Central Committee to lead Anabaptist efforts to respond to the challenges of climate change.

 

Read up on more of the latest sustainability news at GC!

SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

Goshen College’s Sustainability Committee is comprised of students, faculty and staff who lead the campus in collaborative efforts to encourage sustainable practices and reduce use of fossil fuels. The committee usually has about 15 members with approximately equal numbers of faculty, students and staff, with representation from multiple academic disciplines.

The committee’s responsibilities include educating the campus community about sustainability and raising awareness of best practices, individually and collectively. These goals are achieved through special events, communications on the sustainability website and print media, making policy recommendations to college administration, and supporting student clubs and student-led sustainability initiatives. Our work is guided by the 2016 revision of the Climate Action Plan. 

» See the Goshen College Climate Action Plan

In 2019-20, the committee was responsible for guiding the campus through a thorough audit of our sustainability practices using the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) which is managed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Goshen College is a charter member of this organization and submitted STARS reports in 2009 and 2014 achieving Bronze and Silver rankings, respectively. (Our current ranking is pending review for our 2020 submission.)

 

Goshen College

At Goshen, our integrated approach and best-in-class programs educate the head and heart, creating globally-minded graduates who lead with courage and compassion.

  • Map & Directions
  • Bookstore
  • Employment
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • linkedin
1700 S Main St, Goshen, IN 46526
  • Privacy Policy
  • Login
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Website Feedback Form