(Photo: Crystal Wylie ’05)
Berea College is one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review’s 11th annual Guide to Green Colleges. The guide, which profiles 416 colleges, is a resource college applicants can use to identify schools with exemplary commitments to the environment and sustainability.
The Princeton Review chose schools based on a survey of administrators at 695 colleges in 2019-20 about their institutions’ commitments to the environment and sustainability. The company’s editors analyzed more than 25 survey data points in the process of choosing schools for the guide.
“We strongly recommend Berea College to students who want to study and live at a green college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. The colleges in this guide offer excellent academics and exemplary evidence of environmental commitment, he added.
Sustainability is central to Berea College, which has Kentucky’s first LEED-certified building (Lincoln Hall), first gold LEED-certified hotel (Boone Tavern) and first Ecovillage to house students and families in an eco-conscious environment. Berea’s campus also is home to the world’s first Living Building—certified student residence hall, which is the only building in Kentucky that meets the rigorous Living Building Challenge green standards. Berea’s Deep Green residence hall earned Living Building Challenge Petal Certification, meeting all imperatives in four of the petals the College hoped to achieve.
All of Berea’s operations meet high “green” standards by using solar energy in several buildings, operating campus-wide recycling and participating in other sustainable practices. Certified organic produce and meat from the College’s farm are served in Dining Services and Boone Tavern, and are sold to the public at the Berea College Farm Store.
“Berea College is proud to be listed in The Princeton Review’s for Guide Green Colleges with so many other institutions working to make a tangible difference when it comes to combating the impacts of climate change.” said Joan Pauly, sustainability coordinator at Berea College. “Now, more than ever before, is the time to think creatively, act boldly, and invest in our students’ futures. Berea College works hard to align our sustainability goals across operational and academic sectors, and receiving this recognition helps amplify our deep commitments.”
In addition to its annual Guide to Green Colleges, The Princeton Review is known for its dozens of categories of annual college rankings and books, including The Best 386 Colleges, The Best Value Colleges, Best Southeastern and Tuition-Free Schools, all of which feature Berea College.