Davidson is implementing many sustainability initiatives in an effort to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The programs we are working on now or have recently implemented are outlined below. Previous sustainability initiatives can be found here.

Operations & Infrastructure

• Physical Plant updated the steam plant with new boilers, reducing natural gas use by more than 15%.
• Cunningham Fine Arts Facility received LEED Silver status.
• In addition to eliminating phosphate products, and using low-VOC detergents, the Laundry has replaced chlorine bleach with activated oxygen bleach.
• Vail Commons cafeteria was retrofitted with LED lighting.
• Upper lights in Vail Commons cafeteria remain off on sunny days to save energy. 
• Nisbet Fitness Center now has a set of energy-generating elliptical machines.

Consumption & Waste 

• Both the admissions and first-year housing processes are now paperless.  
• The Davis Cafe made local, pasture-raised beef a permanent item on its menu.
• Patterson Court houses now use compostable cups at parties.
• PawPrint, a print management system, has reduced paper consumption by 23% campus-wide.
• WDAV adopted sustainable fundraising premiums, like porcelain travel mugs and foil-lined grocery totes.
• The Davidson Journal now uses 100% recycled paper and fits on fewer pages.
• Athletics purchased reusable ice packs for the training room.
• Most varsity teams have a team-set of  re-useable water bottles.
• ITS is consolidating electronic office equipment (copiers, printers, fax machines) into single units.
• Routine vendors are paid electronically instead of by check.
• Montly and bi-weekly employees no longer receive printed pay-stubs. 
• As a member school of The Duke Endowment, Davidson has developed a sustainable, joint purchasing group to secure better pricing for "green" office, custodial, and facilities supplies.
• Office Max deliveries products to campus in re-useable totes, instead of cardboard boxes.

Transportation

• The College continues to add hybrid vehicles and electric golf-carts to its fleet.
• All campus mowers are diesel-powered.

Curriculum, Research, & Student Outreach

• The Environmental Studies major was approved by the faculty in 2010.