Eco-friendly universities: UCLA, Santa Cruz and Berkeley going greener
These days "cool school" doesn't just mean that a university has laid-back drinking policies. A "cool school" is one that recycles waste, provides transit and saves energy, according to the Sierra Club's report card for eco-friendly universities, released Thursday.
With about two-thirds of applicants reportedly taking eco-friendliness into account when choosing a college, three California schools that were among Sierra Club's top 10 have something to brag about. UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley and UCLA ranked seventh, eighth and ninth in the report, respectively.
Santa Cruz received a perfect 10 for its transportation system, which includes bike shuttles that transport up to 300 commuters and their bikes to campus each day. Many of the bikers are former drivers who just need a little help up the hill, according to Larry Pageler, Director of Transportation and Parking Services at UC Santa Cruz.
UCLA scored a 10 for waste management practices. It composts leftover dining hall food, uses biodegradable eating utensils, and recycles water from labs and air-conditioning.The university also boasts its own natural gas-fired cogeneration plant, which provides 70% of school's electricity and 100% of its heating and cooling. The plant is twice as efficient as a conventional power plant and gets 7% of its gas from a nearby landfill.
University of Colorado, Boulder, ranked first in the survey, followed by the University of Washington at Seattle, Middlebury College, the University of Vermont, College of the Atlantic and Evergreen State College.
--Amy Littlefield
Photos: Bike shuttles at UC Santa Cruz, left, and UCLA's cogeneration plant, right are examples of green innovation at California universities. Credit: UCSC and UCLA; used with permission
Kudos to the "cool schools" that made the list. I hope that schools that did not make the cut will strive to do better. I also hope that students will continue to evaluate schools based on their level of environmental sensitivity and sustainable use of resources. And I caution students to be careful of "green scamming" by some colleges that don't walk their progressive talk. For example, Northland College in Ashland Wisconsin purports to be an environmental leader, but is often timid, weak, or absent on many important local and regional "green" issues.
Posted by: Rick | August 26, 2009 at 09:04 AM
UC santa cruz may be 'green' but so are hundreds of campus acres, a small portion of which could be used for student housing instead of gorging the community with students where their carbon-footprint is indisputable and where they take up precious little affordable housing. UC santa cruz has repeatedly fought calls by the city to do more to accomodate its students.
Posted by: Tara | August 24, 2009 at 12:52 PM
It is no surprise that UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley and UCLA ranked seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively, in the Sierra Club's report card for eco-friendly universities. It is great that the university system is taking action on these issues, but it’s also time for the state of California to reignite its long-standing tradition of energy leadership. Right now, we have the opportunity to commit to California’s “Triple It” bill, which would triple our renewable energy standard to 33% by 2020. We don’t need to rely on natural gas or oil to power our universities, homes, or businesses when California has more than enough wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass to power our state and drive our future.
Kate Goltermann
Posted by: Kate Goltermann | August 24, 2009 at 10:05 AM
The ranking doesn't actually take into account the actual environmental impact of the universities with its surroundings. It seems more like a list of universities Sierra Club members attend.
Posted by: Sceptic | August 23, 2009 at 09:11 PM
Santa Cruz is econ friendly thanks to its community, faculty, and students. They have to fight the UC Regents all the friken time to keep things in order.
Posted by: Yeah G | August 23, 2009 at 06:21 PM
UC Berkeley doesn't belong in a top 10 of Eco Friendliness. In fact they are downright ecofiendly. Ever heard of the Bevatron?
http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/2002/LBNL-Bevatron-Particle-Accelerator7aug02.htm
It is a toxic clean-up in the Berkeley Hills is a nightmare for local residents. What about the proposed Department of Energy Lab that is being fought in court.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/08/21/Judge_Halts_Work_Above_UC-Berkeley.htm
Poor reporting at best.
Posted by: Sarah Keller | August 21, 2009 at 03:20 PM