Principia College

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Principia College has interwoven sustainability into all aspects of managing its operations, especially in the area of food service. 35% of the waste generated from the cafeteria is composted and 54% of waste is recycled, making a stunning 89% total of waste that is diverted from the landfill.  The composting is especially impressive – in 2020 alone, Principia College composted 59,797 pounds of organic material, transforming food waste into useful, fertile soil. That number is even more astounding considering that they use an in-house pulping system to remove excess water from compostable items, reducing the overall weight of the materials sent to the composting facility. The Illinois Food Scrap Coalition recognizes the college as a Gold Member for composting 100% of pre- and post-consumer waste.

Of course, “reduce, reuse, recycle” is in that order for a reason – reduction is the most important step in lowering your waste footprint, and Principia College has taken that to heart. Their plastic water bottle use has declined by over 83% since 2010. They have a reusable to-go container program, helping to reduce the amount of single-use waste from students, who often need to grab their food and eat on the run, and the rest of their to-go materials are compostable or recyclable.

Principia College has a history of student-driven innovations that provide salad greens to Dining Services, including an aquaponics project (2013-2015) and a green roof (2016-present) where they grow veggies like spinach, butter lettuce, microgreens, chives, radishes, basil, and kale to supplement their menu.  They pride themselves on their vegan options – many of which are protein balanced – available every day in the cafeteria and the Grab ‘n’ Go section. As a caffeine-free campus, they don’t drink much coffee, but the decaf they offer is Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certified, and they sell fellow GDA member Fitz’s root beer on campus. An orchard provides apples and cider on campus, and a 14-acre Food Forest was planted in 2013.

Their Hobart Air Flight dishwasher saves food scraps from going down the drain by catching particles in the strainer, which can then be saved and composted. Metals are separated from glass, and they have their own crusher to minimize the space taken up in their dumpsters. Even their commercial carpet tiles are sustainable, made with Cradle-to-Cradle™ principles, so that when the carpet is worn out, it is returned to the manufacturer to be remade into new carpet.

Their software controlled, energy-efficient HVAC system saves the college money while reducing their carbon footprint. Through their purchase of Renewable Energy Credits, Principia College has operated on 100% renewable energy since 2009.

To safeguard nature areas, the Science Commons (a 5,500 ft² native garden) was planted in 2016 and native prairie restoration programs include regular burn regimes. To encourage pollinator health, students maintain an onsite apiary. Bike paths and minimal use of pavement help reduce traffic, protect the watershed, and prevent flooding, which is crucial, as they are located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River.

Principia College is a founding member of the St. Louis Higher Education Sustainability Consortium, and they made it into Sierra Club’s Cool Schools, a ranking for the greenest colleges in the United States. The college holds a SILVER rank from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) for institution-wide sustainability achievements. Check out their website to learn all about their many efforts in making sustainability a priority for their students and administration!