Hint: Three of them are in Upstate New York.
Binghamton University (SUNY) was named one of the top 15 in the country, earning a place on the prestigious "2010 Green Rating Honor Roll" with the highest possible score of 99, on a ranking of 60 to 99. The Princeton Review's second annual Green Ratings of colleges assessed 697 institutions based on data concerning environmentally related policies, practices, and academic offerings. Only 15 colleges were selected for the “2010 Green Rating Honor Roll” – a list that salutes the institutions that received the highest possible score – 99 – in this year’s rating tallies.
The criteria for the green rating covered three broad areas:
1. Whether the school’s students have a campus quality of life that is healthy and sustainable;
2. How well the school is preparing its students for employment and citizenship in a world defined by environmental challenges, and;
3. The school’s overall commitment to environmental issues. The institutional survey for the rating included ten questions on everything from energy use, recycling, food, buildings, and transportation to academic offerings (availability of environmental studies degrees and courses) and action plans and goals concerning greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Binghamton University made the list of the top 15 colleges in the country -- the "Green Honor Roll" -- for recycling or composting more than 90 percent of its current service ware. Approximately 2,500 pounds of compostable waste is collected around campus every year. The State University of New York at Binghamton campus encompasses almost 900 acres of land, of which a large proportion is undeveloped and in its natural state. The core of this undeveloped land is officially designated the Nature Preserve, and includes hiking trails and a 20 acre wetland.
Cornell University and Clarkson University in Upstate NY also both received a very high green ratings in the Princeton Review green ratings, with Cornell earning 96 points and Clarkson earning 95 points out of 99.
Find info on how colleges nationally scored on the green ratings reviews:
http://www.princetonreview.com/green.aspx
