BOONE – Appalachian State University is one of the most environmentally responsible institutions of higher learning in the United States, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company selected Appalachian for inclusion in the just-released second annual edition of its free downloadable book, “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges: 2011 Edition.” See the guide at http://www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.aspx and www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide.

Created by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) (www.usgbc.org), “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges” is the only free, comprehensive guidebook profiling institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The Princeton Review chose the schools for this guide based on a survey of administrators at hundreds of colleges the company polled in 2010 about their school’s sustainability initiatives.

Released on April 20, just two days prior to the April 22 celebration of the 41^st anniversary of Earth Day, the guide has profiles of the colleges that provide application information plus facts, statistics and write-ups reporting on the schools’ environmentally related policies, practices and academic offerings. Appalachian was featured in the guide’s first edition in 2010 as well.

Appalachian’s leadership in sustainability education dates back more than 25 years. The university houses the nation’s longest running sustainable development program (est. 1991) and has offered appropriate technology programs since 1984. More than 60 faculty members in more than 20 disciplines focus their research on sustainability-related topics such as food production, land use, climate change, gender issues, renewable energy and economics. For more details, see http://sustain.appstate.edu/.

The guide to green colleges cites Appalachian for building on its campus the largest energy-producing wind turbine in North Carolina, partially funded by student-endorsed student fees. The publication commends Appalachian for its commitment to pursuing LEED certification for all new construction as well as renovations to existing buildings. The guide also points out Appalachian’s Teaching and Research Farm and Agroecology Laboratory located in Valle Crucis, N.C.

Appalachian is one of 10 schools in North Carolina included in the guide. Recently, Appalachian was one of only six academic institutions recognized by the Appalachian Regional Commission for its work to train students on ways to build homes more efficiently and develop new ways to harness the power of the wind and sun. On April 11, the university reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability by unveiling a plaque along Sanford Mall in the heart of campus that reads, “We have genuine respect for the natural environment and a commitment to principles of sustainability.” The unveiling kicked off Earth Month 2011 activities that ran through April 20 at the university.

Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock said sustainability was “important to Appalachian State and what we stand by,” adding that the university is reducing its carbon footprint, as well as energy and water use, as it implements programs aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2050. “This (plaque) will remind us of our commitment to sustainability,” he said. “From energy to transportation to waste to travel to water, Appalachian State has always been a campus that adopts ambitious goals, but I am convinced this is a dream that will come true for all of us.”

The Princeton Review first created its resource for college-bound students in 2010 with the U.S. Green Building Council, which is best known for developing the LEED standard for green building certification. This past fall, USGBC launched its Center for Green Schools (www.centerforgreenschools.org) 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, publishing, The Princeton Review. “Among 8,200 college applicants who participated in our spring 2011 ‘College Hopes & Worries Survey,” nearly seven out of 10 (69 percent) said having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school,” he added. “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.”

How Schools Were Chosen for the Book
The Princeton Review chose the 311 schools based on a survey it conducted in 2010 of hundreds of colleges across the U.S. and in Canada to tally its annual ”Green Rating“ scores (scaled from 60 to 99) of colleges for its school profiles in its college guidebooks and website. The survey asks administrators more than 50 questions about their institution’s sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. The company tallied Green Ratings for 703 institutions in summer 2010. The 311 schools in this guide received scores of 80 or above in that assessment. (Note: The Princeton Review does not rank the schools in this guide hierarchically (1 to 311) according to their Green Rating scores, nor does it include those scores in this book’s school profiles.) Information about The Princeton Review’s Green Rating methodology and its “Green Honor Roll” list saluting schools that received Green Ratings of 99 is at http://www.princetonreview.com/green.aspx.

About Appalachian State University
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Appalachian State University offers a challenging academic environment, energetic campus life and breathtaking location. Appalachian combines the best attributes of a small liberal arts college with those of a large research university. Known for its value and affordability, Appalachian enrolls about 17,000 students and offers more than 140 undergraduate and graduate majors. Small classes and close interactions between faculty and students create a strong sense of community, which has become an Appalachian hallmark. Appalachian, located in Boone, N.C., is one of 16 universities in the University of North Carolina system. See http://www.appstate.edu.

Related Links:

The Princeton Review – www.PrincetonReview.com

The U.S. Green Building Council – www.usgbc.org

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council – www.centerforgreenschools.org

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