Washington and Lee University Recognized for its Sustainability Efforts The university earned high marks in the Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges and is highlighted in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s 2024 Sustainable Campus Index.

By Brian Laubscher
October 21, 2024

Washington and Lee University was recently cited by two separate organizations for continued emphasis on its campus sustainability initiatives.

The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges surveyed nearly 600 colleges and universities worldwide, assigning a “Green Rating” on a scale of 60-99 for 511 total schools. The ratings are based on students’ quality of life; how well the schools prepare students for employment and citizenship in a clean energy economy and society; and how environmentally responsible a school’s policies are. W&L received high marks from the Princeton Review, producing a 91 overall rating.

“There are so many ways for students to connect with sustainability at W&L – as a business major looking at corporate social responsibility, in an earth and environmental geoscience class learning about global climate change, studying ethics and the environment with the philosophy department, as one of the 145 current members of the Student Environmental Action League (SEAL), as Compost Crew staff or a volunteer in the Campus Garden – there are meaningful opportunities for learning and engagement across the campus and curriculum,” said Jane Stewart, director of sustainability and co-chair of the University Sustainability Committee. “Our inclusion in the Guide to Green Colleges will help spread the word to perspective students about all W&L has to offer, which is great.”

W&L was also cited in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) 2024 Sustainable Campus Index, which recognizes top-performing colleges and universities by country, institution type and in 17 sustainability impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

W&L was featured in the highly regarded publication for its community engagement through a partnership with the Indigenous-led nonprofit NDPonics that resulted in the creation of the Kihkǫspé:hla Living Lab.

“The AASHE Sustainable Campus Index highlights schools engaged in sustainability work that is especially noteworthy for its quality and innovation,” said Stewart. “We are proud to be included this year for our collaboration with NDPonics, which represents not just new academic opportunities but new pathways for substantive work with an important community partner.”

W&L established a long-term Climate Action Plan in 2010 and updated the plan in 2019 with strategies to achieve carbon neutrality as a campus no later than 2050. The university has made major progress in its efforts, recently creating an offsite solar array to offset carbon emissions, composting a portion of its dining waste, eliminating disposable water bottles and implementing an energy reduction program that has cut campus greenhouse gas emissions from electricity and natural gas by 50%.

“I find it gratifying that W&L is being recognized for its commitment to sustainability,” said Megan Hess, associate professor of accounting and co-chair of the University Sustainability Committee. “The progress that we have made in reducing our emissions, minimizing waste and embedding sustainability into the curriculum shows that being ‘not unmindful of the future’ is not just our school motto, it is a way of learning and living.”