EUGENE, Ore. -- (Aug. 14, 2012) -- The University of Oregon has been named one of the “Coolest Schools” in the nation by the Sierra Club, which recognizes U.S. colleges that are helping solve climate problems and making significant efforts to operate sustainably.
The university placed 13th in the sixth annual ranking of America’s greenest schools by SIERRA, the official publication of America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. Others include the University of California, Davis, Stanford University, the University of Washington, Duke University and Yale University.
The UO consistently ranks among the top environmentally-friendly institutions in national surveys but this is the first time it has been recognized by the Sierra Club, said Steve Mital, UO sustainability director.
“This year we focused on more robust data collection to better capture what faculty, staff and students are doing,” Mital said. “Recent additions to our green inventory include the new sustainability residence hall which opens this fall, our new green building policy and a graduate certificate program in sustainability leadership.”
SIERRA found that actions taken by top colleges address energy sourcing, infrastructure, transportation, and academics. Schools are also working to quantify their progress toward environmental goals.
Bob Sipchen, SIERRA magazine’s editor-in-chief, said: “With their ever-growing emphasis on environmental responsibility, these schools are channeling the enthusiasm of their students – who consistently cite climate disruption and other environmental issues as the most serious challenges their generation must confront – while demonstrating leadership for other civic institutions.”
For more information, visit www.sierramagazine.comor to see the complete rankings, go to www.sierraclub.org/coolschools.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.
MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cooper, media relations, 541-346-8875, mattc@uoregon.edu
SOURCE: Steve Mital, sustainability director, 541-346-0709, smital@uoregon.edu
Note: The University of Oregon is equipped with an on-campus television studio with satellite uplink capacity, and a radio studio with an ISDN phone line for broadcast-quality radio interviews.