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In 2008, the College joined the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a network of higher education institutions committed to promoting sustainability. Since its first greenhouse gas report in 2008, ������̳ has reduced emissions by 56.4 percent. 

In 2010, the dining halls went tray-less. Associate Director for Administration, Dining Services Richard Clow estimates that thousands of gallons of water are saved by not cleaning trays. Food is eaten off ceramic plates with stainless steel flatware, cutting down on waste. 

“The biggest challenge has always been with composting,” Clow says. Because some composting companies have closed or shifted to residential-only, the College has changed vendors a couple of times but remains committed to composting food waste in the dining halls and Wyndham Alumnae House.  

The College has been purchasing its electricity with Renewable Energy Certificates from wind power since 2014. It started with 50 percent of electric usage, and increased to 100 percent the following year. In 2022, the College began prioritizing the sourcing of green electric energy from the most local sources available. 

The renovation of Park Science Building kicked off in 2017 and was designed to meet LEED silver standards. That included integrating features such as LED lighting, high-efficiency HVAC equipment, and rainwater harvesting. 

Since 2018, all dining halls and cafés have featured directly traded coffees, meaning the coffee growers receive a fair price for their coffee and negotiate directly with our suppliers. The creation of a plant-based hot bar called RootED in New Dorm Dining Hall offered minimally processed options to support the growing number of vegetarian and vegan students. 

OZZI containers—recyclable and reusable—were introduced in 2021 to replace disposable to-go containers. Students have virtual tokens on their OneCard that allow for the check out (and require the return) of the durable compartmentalized containers. 

More than 144,625 trees have been planted in Altoona, Pa. by the College. The goal is to plant 400,000 trees on the legacy mine land that was formerly deforested for coal extraction, to fight erosion in the area and offset the College’s carbon footprint. 

In spring 2023, ������̳ replaced two utility vans with electric versions. In 2024, the Bi-Co unveiled a new electric Blue Bus, partly funded by a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant suggested by Professor Victor Donnay’s Math Modeling and Sustainability class. As of spring 2025, the College now has six electric vehicles and the goal of replacing the rest of the fleet with electric vehicles over time. EV car chargers have also been installed around campus in the Radnor and Erdman parking lots. 

The College joined SEPTA’s Key Advantage UPass program, providing a free transportation pass to encourage students to explore the region on SEPTA’s bus and train lines.