A living green wall, solar panels, waste-to-energy programs and a platinum STARS rating.
These are only a few of the elements that make Colorado State University the most sustainable university in the nation, according to BestColleges.com and theAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. After reviewing more than 240 institutions around the country, the list of the 50 greenest colleges was generated using the following categories: academics, engagement, operations and planning and administration. These standards were scored by the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).
The No. 1 greenest university award comes just four months after CSU was named theworld’s first platinum-rated STARS institution. Research, alternative transportation, recycling and sustainable food practices, among others, contribute toward CSU’s green initiatives.
Programs including the Student Sustainability Center, Eco Leaders, Sustainability Leadership Fellows, ASCSU Environmental Affairs and other organizations on campus helped CSU earn the platinum STARS rating. Research opportunities, educational programs and campus engagement are continuing to benefit members of the CSU community.