Green Initiatives

The Talloires Declaration on Sustainability

In October 1990, Tufts University’s president Jean Mayer convened a meeting of 22 university presidents, chancellors, and rectors at the Tufts European Center in Talloires to discuss the importance of committing to environmental sustainability in higher education.  This historic meeting resulted in  The Talloires Declaration, a ten-point action plan, signed by over 500 university leaders in over 50 countries, for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. The declaration emphasizes the crucial role of universities in shaping a sustainable future through education, policy formation, and community engagement.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

At the Tufts University European Center in Talloires, France, the Talloires Declaration on Sustainability continues to guide us. We are dedicated to fostering and promoting sustainable practices among our staff, students, faculty, and guests ensuring that our activities contribute to a more sustainable world.  Our commitment to sustainability is woven into our daily functions, and we have implemented a variety of measures to ensure that our operations and activities are as eco-friendly as possible.

Our Daily Sustainable Practices

In addition to respecting the local regulations around sustainability and environmental protection, we include the following practices:

• Composting: At the European Center, we maintain a compost site with all the food waste that we generate. This allows us to recycle organic waste into valuable compost that we can use to enrich our gardens, even as we reduce the amount of waste destined for landfills.

• Recycling: Recycling plays a big role in our waste management strategy. Our region of France has a very developed recycling system that accepts many different household materials. At the European Center, we have designated barrels that make it easy for us and for our guests to recycle these eligible items.

• Reducing Trash Production: We work hard to limit the amount of trash that we produce at the European Center. In addition to recycling, we make careful consumption practices, choosing reusable items over disposable ones.

• Energy and Water Conservation: Conserving energy and water is a very crucial aspect of our sustainability efforts. We are very attentive to our energy consumption, specifically around water and electricity. While the European Center has no built-in heating system, the thick stone walls of the Priory keep us cool in the heat of summer and retain warmth when it starts to get cold outside. Our extensive gardens are filled with autonomous plants that require no watering.  Our daily practices include turning off lights, quick showers, unplugging electrical items, and making good use of public transportation. These are all small actions but ones that make a difference in our overall energy consumption.

• Donating Unwanted Items: We collect any unwanted items that are left by students, faculty, and guests and donate them to appropriate charities or recycle them. This helps extend the lifecycle of these items and reduce the demand for new products. It also allows us to support the needs of the communities around us.   

Our Call to Action for Greener Future

The Tufts University European Center encourages all the members of our community to integrate some -- or better yet all -- of these green practices into their everyday lives here in Talloires and beyond.  Together, our collective efforts can lead to meaningful change and help create a healthier planet for future generations.