St. Lawrence University's grounds crews have been experimenting with new, more environmentally friendly methods of controlling weeds and pests. The photo above shows an example of campus landscaping, with the LEED Gold-certified Johnson Hall of Science in the center. (Photo by Tara Freeman, University photographer)

A List
4/26/10

St. Lawrence Included In 'Greenest Colleges' Guide

CANTON - St. Lawrence University has been named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the nation by The Princeton Review. In celebration of Earth Day, the organization published its first-ever Guide to 286 Green Colleges, which includes the University.

Developed by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC, www.usgbc.org), the Guide to 286 Green Colleges is the first free, comprehensive guidebook focused solely on institutions of higher education who have demonstrated an above-average commitment to sustainability in terms of campus infrastructure, activities and initiatives.

The guide, based on a survey of hundreds of colleges nationwide, profiles the nation's most environmentally responsible institutions. From solar-panel study rooms to the percentage of budget spent on local/organic food, the guide looks at the organization's commitment to building certification using USGBC's LEED green building certification program; environmental literacy programs; formal sustainability committees; use of renewable energy resources; recycling and conservation programs and more.

The University's entry in the publication states, "A signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, St. Lawrence is also part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership. Programs such as the Green Bikes Program which provides the campus community with an alternative form of transportation by loaning bikes for campus and local ventures, and the Reuse Initiative's ReCellar, a year-round, student-run campus thrift store, are just a few of the ways St. Lawrence demonstrates its commitment to environmental sustainability. St. Lawrence boasts the only building - the Johnson Hall of Science - on a college campus in New York State that has received LEED Gold certification. The University has also made a pledge of climate neutrality, implemented a plan to perform energy audits of all university buildings including retrofitting energy and water efficiency measures as appropriate, and planned a move to use renewable sources for electricity and heat. Several buildings have undergone energy-related retrofits or renovations within the last three years and five percent of buildings on campus have achieved or are actively pursuing LEED certification. Interested students have opportunities to participate in sustainability research and/or to complete their senior theses on a sustainability-related topic in consultation the Sustainability Coordinator. The University also administers an Outdoor Program that seeks to educate students in outdoor leadership and skills while instilling an environmental ethic."

"Students and their parents are becoming more and more interested in learning about and attending colleges and universities that practice, teach and support environmental responsibility," said Robert Franek, senior vice president and publisher of The Princeton Review. "According to our recent College Hope and Worries Survey, 64 percent of college applicants and their parents said having information about a school's commitment to the environment would have an impact on their decision to apply to or attend it. We created this guide to help them evaluate how institutions like St. Lawrence focus on environmental responsibility so that they can make informed decisions as they move through the college assessment and application process."

The Princeton Review chose the 286 schools included in the guide based on the "Green Rating" scores the schools received in summer 2009 when The Princeton Review published Green Rating scores for 697 schools in its online college profiles and/or annual college guidebooks. The ratomg is a numerical score from 60 to 99 that is based on several data points. In 2008, The Princeton Review began collaborating with USGBC to help make the Green Rating survey questions as comprehensive and inclusive as possible. Of 697 schools that The Princeton Review gave "Green Ratings"to in 2009, the 286 schools in the guide received scores in the 80th or higher percentile.

The free guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/greenguide and www.usgbc.org/campus.

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St. Lawrence University Green Pages

St. Lawrence University's Green Press Kit