EcoPotential

University of Arkansas Included in the Princeton Review and USGBC 286 Green Colleges Listing

Posted on May 04, 2010

The Princeton Review recently partnered with USGBC to create the first comprehensive guide exclusively concentrated on the sustainability efforts made by colleges and universities across the United States.  “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges” is a free guidebook listing 286 colleges that have proven an exceptional commitment to sustainability. This guidebook provides information about each university’s on campus transportation alternatives, Green majors, Green job preparation and placement, and campus activities pertaining to the environment and sustainability.

As a University of Arkansas alumnus, I am happy to announce that the U of A was included as one of the “Green colleges” and we have quite a bit to be proud of!  The University of Arkansas has not only committed to become a zero solid waste establishment, but has also made a public pledge to develop into a carbon neutral institution. In addition, they have just recently concluded a baseline greenhouse gas inventory that will be shared publicly on the University of Arkansas website.  The U of A also has seven buildings on campus that are built to meet the university’s green building policy and the U of A Enterprise Center is on target for LEED certification.

The University of Arkansas has its own formal Sustainability Council as well as a “Students for Environmental Sustainability” group that hosted the University’s Earth Day Celebration and Mullins Creek Cleanup.  One of the U of A’s most notable “Green Highlights” is that they provide 45 sustainability related research programs offered to students and have extensive partnerships with Tropicana, Frito-Lay, and PEPSICO that provide funding to support sustainable products research.

“The Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges” is not meant to rate or rank colleges against each other, but rather to highlight the main sustainability practices and green efforts made by each of these universities committed to incorporating sustainability principles into higher education. This is a great guidebook for families of perspective college students and gives us University of Arkansas alumni another reason to be proud of our Alma Mater!