The ranking is based off of things such as the LEED certification of buildings, waste diversion rates and learning outcomes among other things.
The ranking is based off of things such as the LEED certification of buildings, waste diversion rates and learning outcomes among other things.
Loyola was ranked 12th in The Princeton Review’s top 50 Green Colleges for 2024 The list, which assesses the sustainability of universities across the country, was released Oct.15.
The Princeton Review uses a combination of university-reported data and student opinion polling to investigate 10 key areas in each institutions to evaluate their sustainability.
The areas include food usage, transportation, existence of a sustainability committee, the LEED certification of buildings, waste diversion rate, if the school offers environmental science degrees, sustainability as a learning outcome, greenhouse gas mitigation, renewable energy and existence of a sustainability officer.
The intent of the list is to identify schools pursuing sustainability across the board and incorporating the principle into every aspect of the school, according to the Princeton Review.
“It covers a really broad range of sustainability related topics from natural resource use, how much water we use, how much waste we’re sending to landfills, to our diversity and equity initiatives, to our endowment and investment,” Sustainability Manager Conway said. “It really runs the gambit.”
The broad and complex reach of sustainability efforts across Loyola make projects challenging, but Conway said these aspects are crucial. She said though projects may take longer, the efforts are stronger and more resilient in the long run.
Conway said there are many things to consider when it comes to sustainability, including Loyola’s complex system of cisterns, retention basins and permeable pavements to control run-off water without overburdening sewer systems, and the availability of public transportation.
George Karamouzis, a first-year undecided business major, said he’s noticed university-wide incorporation of sustainability in his business classes.
“I take a supply-chain class and we’ve talked about sustainability a lot,” Karamouzis said. “Like how to maximize efficiently and how different methods affect the environment.”
Conway said she thinks it’s important to incorporate sustainability across the university and teach sustainability in school outside of the SES.
“It’s just going to be environmental scientists that are needed when it comes to the challenges faced with climate change in the future,” Conway said.
Conway said she thinks it’s meaningful to place so high on the Princeton Review’s list because it’ll increase the visibility and recognition of sustainability at Loyola.
“Sustainability is already something students associate with Loyola,” Conway said. “I find that to be a very important responsibility to live up to.”
Coway said she hopes this recognition will continue to attract students and faculty to the university who are interested in sustainability.
Applied mathematics major Charles Clevenger said the School of Environmental Sustainability was one of the reasons he chose to enroll at Loyola over other universities.
“Loyola is a school that places a high amount of importance on ethics, and I’m glad that that also involves an environmentally friendly program,” Clevenger said. “I think it’s super awesome to go to a school that places such importance on sustainability.”
In 2020, the Institute of Environmental Sustainability became the SES and has continued to grow, now boasting a population of 470 students, according to the SES website. Growing the SES has been crucial to Loyola’s success in the field, according to Conway.
Loyola’s urban location has provided a complicated setting for their sustainability efforts, according to Conway. The limited space and difficulties such as stormwater runoff can make projects challenging.
As Loyola celebrates their recognition in The Princeton Review and the completion of their first Climate Action Plan, the SES is set to celebrate its four-year anniversary Dec. 14.
“I’m really excited to see this next step in climate action at Loyola and having a lot of people be involved,” Conway said.
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