This week Princeton Review, the popular college prep company, released its new Green Ratings in the latest edition of The Best 368 Colleges. 534 schools were scored on a scale of 60-99 points that measured their environmentally-friendly practices in three areas:
- The campus quality of life that is healthy and sustainable,
- How well the school prepares students for employment and citizenship in a world defined by environmental challenges,
- And the school's overall commitment to environmental issues.
In this initial Green Rating, UNC scored 96 of 99 possible points! This is the highest score of any rated university in the state and reflects the sustainability leadership that UNC brings to the local, regional, and national level. Notable accomplishments included in the Princeton Review’s scoring include:
- A wide variety of curriculum and research across the disciplines that supports sustainability;
- University Career Services counselors who specialize in the non-profit and environmental career areas;
- Fare-free local transit and the Commuter Alternatives Program, in which UNC invests over $6 million dollars annually;
- Organic, local, fair-trade, and vegetarian dining options available on campus;
- A strong recycling program that diverts more than 43% of waste from the landfill;
- Master planning for a sustainable community at the new Carolina North campus;
- Operation of an award-winning, 32 MW cogeneration facility that actively reduces emissions and produces twice as much energy per pound of coal as a typical coal plant;
- And support for sustainability from top university leadership, including the Vice Chancellor's Sustainability Advisory Committee, which includes faculty, staff, administrators, and students.
In addition to this high Green Rating, UNC was also given the designation “College with a Conscience,” which was given to 81 schools that practice outstanding community involvement.
For more information about the Princeton Review’s new Green Ratings, visit http://www.princetonreview.com/green/press-release.aspx
For more information about sustainable practices at UNC, visit http://sustainability.unc.edu/
