• “I feel admiration and hope knowing that L&C is actively working toward reducing its impact on the planet and fostering a culture of sustainability.”
    Kiara Gonzalez BA ’27
    Moca, Puerto Rico
    Biology major Kiara appreciates that students are offered resources and support to conduct research and promote sustainable practices on campus.
    More about Kiara
  • “L&C students and faculty advocate for sustainability, and there are a lot of great ways to get involved in that work.”
    Clover Sinning BA ’26
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Clover, who is majoring in biology, is the president of Students Engaged in Eco-Defense (SEED) Club, which works to make campus more sustainable.
    More about Clover
  • “Sustainability at L&C is inclusive and promotes the well-being of the entire community.”
    Tanner Lee BA ’27
    Taipei, Taiwan
    Tanner, a world languages and international affairs double major, is the communications manager for the Office of Sustainabilty.
    More about Tanner
  • “The Bates Center Sustainability Internship gave me experience working in the energy field, and I gained skills that have helped me be more competitive now that I’m a graduate.”
    Elijah Black BA ’23
    San Francisco and Pacifica, California
    Economics alumnus Elijah started the Tiny House Club. His ultimate goal is to build a 16-foot tiny house to donate to a local nonprofit all while learning about alternative, more sustainable dwellings and lifestyles.
    More about Elijah
  • “Sustainability can be found in L&C’s commitment to recycling/composting, green spaces, transportation, energy conservation, dining initiatives, and more.”
    Elise Son BA ’27
    Salinas, California
    Environmental studies major Elise says the best part of being involved with Students Engaged in Eco-Defense (SEED) Club is the opportunity for learning about sustainability on campus and in Portland.
    More about Elise
  • <a href="/live/image/gid/677/width/650/103234_DSC03762_introcrop.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"> <picture class="lw_image lw_image103234"> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/677/width/500/height/500/crop/1/103234_DSC03762_introcrop.rev.1711674252.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/677/width/500/height/500/crop/1/103234_DSC03762_introcrop.rev.1711674252.jpg 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/677/width/550/height/550/crop/1/103234_DSC03762_introcrop.rev.1711674252.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/677/width/550/height/550/crop/1/103234_DSC03762_introcrop.rev.1711674252.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/677/width/550/height/550/crop/1/103234_DSC03762_introcrop.rev.1711674252.jpg" alt="Students engaging with a bee hive while wearing bee-protection suits." width="550" height="550" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/677/width/550/height/550/crop/1/103234_DSC03762_introcrop.rev.1711674252.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1100" data-max-h="1100" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a> <figcaption class="homepage-intro_image_caption">Our Bee Garden is just one of the ways our students are able to appreciate the natural world around them.<br/>Credit: Suhail Akram BA ’24</figcaption>

It’s Greener Here

Our campus is as green as it gets. Sure, there are trees and moss galore, but our deepest green is our commitment to sustainability in all its forms. Our environmental studies major and Earth system science minor put issues such as climate change and conservation at the forefront of your academic studies, and both our graduate school and law school offer ways to continue environmentally focused academic pursuits. We’ve got clubs, internships, and a symposium that highlights sustainability. We have beehives! And we’ve put our money where our mouth is through an institutional net zero investment policy that has us on track to reduce our carbon footprint by 100 percent by 2040. Join us as we make our campus—and our world—a better place.

Explore More

  • Local

    Bon Appétit focuses on utilizing fresh ingredients through the Farm to Fork initiative, supporting local Pacific Northwest farmers.

  • Green

    Our commitment to sustainability has earned us a spot in the top 50 on Princeton Review’s 2024 “Green Colleges” list.

  • Net Zero

    Lewis & Clark’s institutional net zero investment policy has us on track to completely eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from our portfolio by 2040.

Video Spotlight

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