COA was the first college to go carbon neutral.

In 2006, President David Hales pledged to make COA the first carbon-neutral college. This pledge was followed by intensive research, investment and hard work to make his goal into a reality. COA switched to hydroelectricity, which helped reduce emissions by 22%, and invested in The Climate Trust, a company based in Portland that optimized traffic lights to reduce emissions from idling cars. In December of 2007, the school achieved its goal of carbon neutrality, a pioneering example for colleges around the globe. Though this was a good first step, neutrality isn't the end goal. Today, COA is committed to net-zero emissions by 2030.