March 24, 2026

For more than a century, Chewonki has explored what it means to live thoughtfully on the land. In the late 1990s, that exploration took physical form with the construction of the Center for Environmental Education, a building designed not just to house programs, but to make energy, materials, and systems visible. Around the same time, experiments began appearing across campus, from student-built solar panels to biodiesel production and early wind and hydrogen systems. Some of those efforts evolved or faded as technology changed, while others laid the groundwork for what came next. Together, they shaped a campus where sustainability is something you can see, question, and take part in every day.