UMaine Earns Princeton Review Acclaim for Sustainability Efforts
ORONO — A new Princeton Review guide ranks the University of Maine as one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges and universities.
“The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges: 2011 Edition” was released earlier today. Available for download at http://www.princetonreview.com, the guide was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council. It recognizes 308 U.S. institutions and three in Canada for outstanding commitment to environmental sustainability. UMaine was also included in Princeton Review’s first version of this guide, created in 2010.
“The University of Maine is deeply committed to environmental stewardship, and this recognition from Princeton Review affirms the effectiveness of our efforts,” says UMaine President Robert Kennedy. “This commitment is reflective of UMaine’s traditional land-grant mission in a state that deeply values its natural environment. Our students, faculty and staff all deserve great credit for helping achieve this recognition through their day-to-day efforts that make a meaningful difference in properly stewarding our precious natural surroundings.”
Kennedy was one of the original signers of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007, and the university has successfully met its goals related to the Governor’s Climate Challenge here in Maine. Numerous on-campus initiatives are aimed at enhancing sustainability. Those include the promotion and use of public transportation, the ongoing conversion of energy systems to environmentally friendly fuels, environmental design standards for new construction, and dining hall initiatives that reduce food waste and water usage.
In addition to UMaine, six other Maine institutions are included in the guide. They are Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, College of the Atlantic, Unity College and the University of Maine at Farmington.
Contact: Joe Carr, joe.carr@umit.maine.edu
(207) 581-3571