The Princeton Review, renowned for ranking of colleges and universities, recently put out its latest annual list of “green” colleges and universities. This year there are 322 institutes of higher education covered in the guide, all but two of which are in the United States. The list is based on schools “that demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation.”
Working in conjunction with the U.S. Green Building Council, the Princeton Review compiled this year’s list. The Sierra Club had partnered with the Princeton Review on earlier versions of the guide.
Schools that made the cut are listed on Princeton’s Review’s website. The full, alphabetical list can be viewed here, with an overview of the methodology available online. Some of the factors that went into the list are whether students’ quality of life is healthy and sustainable, preparation for living in a world engaged in environmental issues, training for employment in the clean energy economy, and the extent to which a school’s policies exhibit environmental responsibility.
Designed for students researching colleges, the guide includes the following information:
- School profiles with application, admission, financial aid and student enrollment information
- “Green Highlights” write-ups detailing each school’s most impressive environmental and sustainability initiatives
- “Green Facts” sidebars reporting statistics and facts on everything from the school’s use of renewable energy sources, recycling and conservation programs to the availability of environmental studies programs, and green jobs career guidance
- A glossary of 40+ green terms and acronyms from AASHE to “zero waste”
- Lists identifying schools in the book with various green distinctions – among them: those with LEED-certified buildings and those that are signatories of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.
As with last year’s compilation, a download of the schools is available, but for personal use only. However, as a result of their partnership with USGBC, the 232 page document is also being offered on the USGBC’s site. For comparison sake the 2011 Green Guide is available in last year’s post.
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