Purchase Named One Of The Top "Green" Colleges

PURCHASE, N.Y. – Purchase College, SUNY was selected as one of the top American environmentally-friendly colleges in The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges.

“I signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007 and since then, we have made environmental sustainability and conservation priorities in all aspects of campus life,” said Thomas Schwarz, president of Purchase, in a written statement. “We are proud to have been selected once again for the Guide, and I salute all members of the college community for this wonderful accomplishment.” 

Purchase was commended by The Princeton Review for “notable commitments to sustainability in its academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation.” The non-ranked guide was based on a 50-question survey in which all of the schools received a score of 83 or higher, the statement said.

Students can learn about how “green” Purchase is through the classroom with an environmental studies B.A. program or “green” lecture series and presentations. They could go to the student-run garden “that uses compostable waste from dining services to nurture the plans and soil.” When it comes to dining, Purchase offers a “refillable mug program, biodegradable napkins, to-go containers, compostable utensils, and a vegan café.”

The roof of the Visual Arts Building is “green” and meets the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design U.S. Green Building qualifications. Purchase has a convenience store that offers recycling machines for glass, plastic and cans. It also has “energy-efficient washers and dryers,” a Zipcar spot and graduation caps and gowns that “are made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

“Having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply or attend a school” for seven out of 10 prospective students, said Purchase in the written statement about the survey.

Purchase was one of 10 state schools featured on the list, including Albany, Binghamton, Brockport, Geneseo, New Paltz, Oneonta, Potsdam, Stony Brook and the College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

“The State University of New York takes great pride in the increasing sustainability efforts on our campuses, and contributing to an energy-smart New York is one of six primary focuses of our strategic plan, The Power of SUNY,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher in the written statement. “We could not be more pleased that ten of our campuses have been recognized on the Princeton Review’s List of Green Colleges. Congratulations to each campus on this much-deserved national distinction.”

Purchase also made The Sierra Club list where they were ranked 72 out of 96. 

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