Princeton Review Names Eastern a ‘Green College’ 10 Years Running

Eastern Connecticut State University has recently been recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the top “Green Campuses” in the United States. Based on a review of nearly 700 colleges, the Princeton Review selected 413 schools for their sustainability efforts. This is Eastern’s 10th year in a row on the list.

In the past decade, Eastern has made it a goal to become a more sustainable campus. Under President Elsa Núñez, the university has filed its zero-carbon action plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 with the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

Eastern’s Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) is also an important element of the campus’s sustainability efforts. The ISE is spearheading the statewide Sustainable CT program, which provides a roadmap to sustainable practices to make towns more eco-friendly and is endorsed by more than 50 percent of Connecticut municipalities. The ISE also conducts educational programs with public schools and performs sustainability analyses and research for towns, state agencies and other entities.

On campus, the dining hall provides recyclable to-go containers; the Student Center has reduced is use of plastic; and left-over food is donated to the local Covenant Soup Kitchen.

According to The Princeton Review, 10 percent of Eastern’s energy consumption is derived from renewable resources including geothermal, solar power, biofuel and purchased electricity. Eastern also focuses on reducing water use and improving recycling.

Eastern has a silver rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). There are four Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings, including the Science Building which utilizes a gray-water and daylight-harvesting systems and houses native plants in its greenhouse. The building also has recycled flooring and a biofilter system to treat rainwater runoff.

To read more about Eastern’s sustainability efforts, visit http://www.easternct.edu/sustainenergy/. To read Eastern’s review, visit https://www.princetonreview.com/college/eastern-connecticut-state-university-1022995?ceid=green-colleges#!campuslife.

Written by Molly Boucher

Categories: Sustainability, Awards and Accolades