Ithaca College

Ithaca College has again been named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada. The education services company Princeton Review, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), has included Ithaca in the 2011 edition of “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges.”

The free, comprehensive guide profiles institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The schools were selected for inclusion based on a survey that asked institutions more than 50 questions about their sustainability related policies, practices and programs.

The guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.aspx/ and www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide/. Ithaca College’s profile can be found on page 84, which is in part two of the guide.

This is the second year that the Princeton Review has compiled the “green colleges” list in conjunction with the U.S. Green Building Council, which is best known for developing the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard. This past fall, USGBC launched its Center for Green Schools to increase its efforts to drive change in how campuses and schools are designed, constructed and operated so that all educational facilities can enhance student learning experiences.

“College-bound students are increasingly interested in sustainability issues,” said Robert Franek, senior vice president of publishing for Princeton Review. “Together with the USGBC, we are pleased to make this free resource available to all students seeking to attend colleges that practice, teach and support environmentally responsible choices. We highly recommend the colleges in this book.”

Ithaca’s profile notes that — with the Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprise and the Peggy Ryan Williams Center — the college is one of only two academic institutions in the world to have two newly constructed Platinum LEED buildings on their campus. Other highlights include the dining services energy and resource reduction efforts and the college’s commitment to promoting sustainability in its curriculum, operations and outreach efforts.