Purchase and Manhattanville Go Green

and have been recognized for their efforts to be environmentally friendly, being named one of the nation's top "green colleges" by the Princeton Review.

The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition honored schools from all over the country for their efforts in green programs and sustainability. SUNY Purchase and Manhattanville were the only Westchester County schools to make the cut. 

“It’s a great point of pride for us to be included among the best "green" colleges by Princeton Review,” Kevin O’Sullivan, director of undergraduate admissions for Manhattanville College, said in a statement. “This is a ringing affirmation of the work of the college's strong commitment to sustainability and we continue to look for new ways in which we can be more sustainable.”

The Princeton Review worked with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to create a 232-page guide. The educational services company selected the schools based on interviews with hundreds of school administrators about sustainability initiatives.

The 322 recognized schools scored an 83 or higher based on administrators' responses during that survey. Schools that made the cut are not listed in order. The guide was released on April 17, days before the celebration of the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day. The guide has profiles of the colleges that provide application information plus facts, stats and write-ups reporting on the schools' environmentally related policies, practices and academic offerings.

“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,” Thomas J. Schwarz, President of Purchase College, said in a 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.”

SUNY Purchases touted its environmental studies B.A. program; "green" lecture series and presentations as well as a student-run garden that uses compostable waste from dining services to nurture plants and soil as some of its successful green programs.

Sustainability and "green" initiatives are becoming an important factor for prospective students as they consider four-year colleges and universities, according to the Princeton Review.

"Among 7,445 college applicants who participated in our 2012 'College Hopes and Worries Survey,' nearly seven out of 10 told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school," Robert Franek, Senior VP/Publisher of The Princeton Review, said in a statement.

The free Princeton Review guide can be downloaded at here and here.