College of Saint Mary (CSM) is one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to the Princeton Review.
The education services company features CSM in its online resource, “The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition,” published Oct. 25. The guide is accessible for free at princetonreview.com/green-guide.
The Princeton Review chose the schools in the guide based on its survey of administrators at 713 colleges during the 2021-22 academic year and surveys of students attending the colleges. The company editors analyzed more than 25 survey data points to select the 455 schools chosen for the guide. CSM had a green rating of 80 out of 99.
“College of Saint Mary is committed to sustainability and green practices,” said Dr. Ganesh Naik, director of chemistry and the environmental sustainability program. Naik noted that care for the environment is one of the five critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy, which founded the University. “It’s important for everyone to realize there is a limit to available resources, and we want to make sure it is available for future generations.”
“We strongly recommend College of Saint Mary to the increasing number of students who care about the environment and want their ‘best-fit’ college to also ideally be a green one,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review.
CSM has long viewed the environment as an important issue and has a solid history of green-focused and sustainability programs and projects. As part of its commitment, CSM conducts an annual campus-wide emissions survey, has adopted short-term tangible actions to reduce its carbon footprint and is committed to climate neutrality by 2050.
Sustainability has been integrated into the curriculum and made a part of the educational experience. CSM offers an environmental sustainability minor for students and the opportunity to get involved through the Green Team, which focuses on inducting sustainable practices on a campus-wide scale. The eco-friendly group fundraises for these projects and raises awareness about different environmental issues and practices by hosting events for students.
Other points of sustainability include:
- Centralized waste and recycling bins located in various areas on campus
- CSM composts food waste from the dining hall
- No Styrofoam is allowed in campus dining facilities or catering
- CSM Dining Hall is tray-less, which cuts down on food waste and water usage
- Various places on campus have water filling stations to encourage using personal drink bottles instead of plastic water bottles
- CSM students maintain a community garden on campus
- CSM 2 Go program, which allows current CSM students and employees to use their college ID as a Metro Transit bus pass
- A Heartland B-Cycle bike kiosk is located on campus to encourage people to bike to local areas instead of driving
- The University hosts an annual electronic recycling event
- CSM hosts cooking workshops to promote healthy eating and sustainable practices
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