Each year HEAT, the Hillwood Environmental Action Team, reflects on the previous year and sets a goal for the year ahead. HEAT, was formed as a multi-department working group to collaborate and enact environmental changes at Hillwood. We are pleased to present the annual State of Sustainability, featuring achievements and outreach from the preceding year and outlining those for the upcoming one. 

Hillwood has made great strides in our environmental stewardship, ensuring the institution remains vital, healthy, innovative, and current, building a sustainable future for our communities and the world around us. We remain committed to protecting and maintaining the health of the environment. 

Review the annual report and related yearly accomplishments below. 

2025

State of Sustainability 

Focus:

• Campus-wide waste reduction
• Transition to peat-free potting soil
• Create a new compost facility to continue and grow Hillwood's composting program
• Replace a diesel horticulture tractor with an electric UTV
• Continue to remove invasive plants in the woodlands and gardens
• Continue the existing recycling program
• Increase the use of clay pots with the orchid collection to further reduce the need for plastic pots
• Replace an area of poor grass with low-mow lawn

2024

State of Sustainability

Highlights:

• Campus-wide plastic reduction
• Installed two EV charging stations
• Prevented over 154 pounds of disposable gloves, batteries, corks, and stationery items from ending up in a landfill
• Completed a comprehensive waste stream audit, resulting in actionable goals (see 2025 waste reduction goal of increasing waste diversion)
• Removed a full acre of English ivy in addition to over 1,000 invasive plants in woodlands and gardens
• Restored give areas identified in the formal gardens, removing monocultural groundcovers and replanting with a more diverse plant palette
• Composted 1,119 pounds of pre-consumer food waste from Merriweather Café and 260 pounds from staff break rooms
• Installed an erosion mat and plants to address erosion along the access road near the Adirondack building and the dacha 

2023

State of Sustainability

Highlights:

• Reduced paper usage by 14.7%
• Replaced asphalt garden paths with porous pave
• Prevented over 200 pounds of ballasts, batteries, and disposable gloves from ending up in a landfill
• Removed a full acre of English ivy in addition to over 1,000 invasive plants in woodlands and gardens
• Composted 1,100 pounds of pre-consumer food waste from Merriweather Café and staff break rooms

2022

Highlights:

• Reduced campus water usage by 700,000 gallons
• Prevented over 400 pounds of ballasts, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and more from ending up in a trash bin via the recycling program
• Composted 14 cubic feet of used coffee grounds from campus break rooms
• The horticulture team used 73% less gas for equipment
• Replaced 80% of mansion lighting with LED bulbs
• Introduced biodegradable visitor stickers and a digital visitor guide
• Replaced paper and plastic products with washable, reusable dishes and flatware in staff break rooms

2021

Highlights:

• 86% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions
• 100% natural gas carbon offset
• 100% renewably sourced electricity
• 25% reduction in site use energy
• 1,500 new campus LED lights (a 200% increase since 2020)
• Hillwood's Environmental Action Team (HEAT) was featured in the Phipps Conservatory Climate Toolkit blog. Read more about the work Hillwood is doing to be more sustainable.