Sierra Club ranked AU as the ninth “coolest school” in the nation for its environmental efforts during the 2012-2013 academic year.
The grassroots environmental organization annually selects 10 universities that exhibited strong green efforts for their “Ten Coolest Schools” list, according to its website. Rankings are based off of an extensive survey that four-year universities can voluntarily fill out.
This is the seventh year that the list was published in Sierra Magazine.
AU’s campus-wide composting program, e-waste drives, annual Campus Beautification Day, 2020 carbon neutrality goal and D.C.’s largest solar hot-water system were among AU’s winning traits, according to the article published in Sierra Magazine. The University scored a 759.34 out of 1,000 in categories ranging from energy to investments, according to the Sierra Magazine’s “Complete Ranking” list.
The University of Connecticut claimed the No. 1 spot with 850.14 points, followed by Dickenson College and the University of California, Irvine. Other notable schools in the top 10 list included Cornell University at No. 5 and Stanford University at seventh.
The “Complete Ranking” list featured 162 colleges and universities. Fellow D.C. schools, George Washington University placed 23rd and George Mason University placed 69th.
AU’s Office of Sustainability could not be reached in time for publication.
shogan@theeagleonline.com
