This is the time of year where universities are bombarded with high school juniors and seniors looking into the universities they want to apply to or have already been accepted to. Parents and students alike come prepared with tons of questions to ask campus representatives. One question that previous representatives haven’t had to prepare was the sustainability question: Is your campus a green campus?

This is the time of year where universities are bombarded with high school juniors and seniors looking into the universities they want to apply to or have already been accepted to. Parents and students alike come prepared with tons of questions to ask campus representatives. One question that previous representatives haven’t had to prepare was the sustainability question: Is your campus a green campus?
The leaders of tomorrow have realized they’re inheriting a world that needs a major facelift in the environmental department. In fact, according to a 2006 MTV/CBS poll, most Americans aged 13-24 think environmental degradation will be the biggest challenge their generation will face. A huge chunk of that population is now looking into a collegiate career. Being an eco friendly campus has developed from a mere afterthought to a very important aspect in recruiting students.

The green campuses that are taking hold of this trend have recognized there is a difference between having recycling bins outside classrooms and a full-fledged sustainability campus initiative.

What are some tips that colleges have learned from readings and studies? When looking for an eco friendly campus, take these into consideration…

• Both the visible and non-visible evidence that a campus is a green campus is essential, but not necessarily equal. Studies have shown potential students look for visual proof of an eco friendly campus. However, it is just as important to highlight the invisible green efforts produced by the school like carbon footprint reduction measures.
• Digging below the surface of what is seen at a campus visitation is important – colleges have educated their staff to know all the environmental issues their school has prevented or been a part of, so make sure to ask them!

Here are some questions to ask representatives about how green their campus is. The following questions were put together by the research of the Rocky Mountain Institute, a group who recently published the book “Accelerating Campus Climate Initiatives”.

• Has the college signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment?
• Are they completing or have they completed a carbon inventory?
• Have they developed an actionable sustainability plan?
• Does the school have any achievements or recognizable qualities for environmental commitment?

Remember, if the campus reps for the green campus initiatives don’t know the answers to those questions, ask someone else! Making sure your university is a green university will not only help your generation take what they were given and turn it into something better, but make a mark for future generations to enjoy Mother Earth.

With the added sense of environmental awareness, The Princeton Review, a program dedicated to helping students succeed by giving them information on tests, college prep and college statistics, has added a list to the countless amounts of information they have on colleges; The Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges.

The Princeton Review took surveys of parents, students and college employees and found out in 2009 having an eco friendly campus and living an eco-lifestyle was important to 66% of high school-age college applicants. Students today feel the urge to learn more about environmental issues and to make their college a green campus.  Rachel Gutter, director for the Center for Green Schools at the Green Building Council said students realize the environmental problems they are inheriting and feel empowered to make a change.

The Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges covers all the aforementioned aspects as well as countless others in its detailed report. The ranking is on a 60-99 scale; the colleges receiving above 80 being profiled in the report. The rankings were based on the green universities ability to excel in the following factors:

•    Ability to provide students a healthy and sustainable quality of life
•    Ability to prepare students for green jobs and responsible green citizenship
•    How well the school used environmentally responsible policies

Colleges around the country are heeding the call of their eco friendly students and creating aspects of their college to turn it into a green university. Universities have the largest number of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings, outnumbering any other industry. Turning into a green campus includes recycling programs, green buildings, natural fuel for green transportation and serving natural foods at campus diners.

The green campuses that flourished the most under the Princeton Review’s guide received a score of 99 and are as follows:

1.    Arizona State University (Tempe, Az)
2.    Bates College (Lewiston, Maine)
3.    The College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, Maine)
4.    Colorado College (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
5.    Dickenson College (Carlisle, Pa)
6.    The Evergreen State College (Olympia, Wash)
7.    Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Ga)
8.    Harvard College (Cambridge, Mass)
9.    Middlebury College (Middlebury, Vt)
10.    Northeastern University (Boston, Mass)

The full 200-page report is available online at the Princeton Review site. Each review has the same categories so as to make the report fair. A sampling of the different data fields are as follows:

•    Percentage of food budget spent on local/organic food
•    Available transportation alternatives
•    New construction must be LEED certified or comparable third-party rating system
•    Waste diversion rate
•    School provides guidance on green jobs
•    Percentage of school grounds maintained organically
•    Percentage of school energy from renewable resources