Loyola Marymount University is No. 8 on The Princeton Review’s list of “Top 50 Green Colleges,” which spotlights schools sharing “superb sustainability practices, a strong foundation in sustainability education, and a healthy quality of life for students on campus.”
As a group overall, “Top 50” schools share impressive statistics; 16% of their total food purchases are from local and/or organic sources; 48% of their waste is diverted from incinerators or solid-waste landfills; 98% offer a sustainability-focused undergraduate major or degree; and all employ a sustainability officer.
“Sustainability is a team effort that is only possible through the dedication of the entire LMU community and beyond with our partners,” said Ian McKeown, LMU’s campus sustainability officer. “It is our duty to address climate change, work to build a better future, and lead the way through education, innovation, and stewardship initiatives.”
LMU’s commitment to social justice, sustainability, and environmental intersectionality is well-documented; the university placed first in the categories of food organics, diversion, and per capita recycling in the 2022 Campus Race to Zero Waste Competition (formally Recyclemania).
LMU is as an observer to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, providing opportunities for students and faculty members to participate in discussions about global warming, greenhouse gases, and other environmental issues, and is a signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. The university produces more than one megawatt hour per year of clean energy from solar panels, and recently opened three new LEED-certified silver buildings on its Westchester campus: Palm North, Palm South, and Howard B. Fitzpatrick Pavilion.
The Princeton-Review’s “Top 50” list is based on data from surveys of administrators and students at 713 colleges during the 2021–22 academic year. More than 25 data points were analyzed in the selection of schools for the “Top 50” list and the “2023 Guide to Green Colleges,” which offers sustainability information from 455 schools.
“Since we debuted this project 13 years ago, we have seen an increasing interest among college applicants in attending colleges that are committed to the environment and to green practices,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor in chief.
“Over the years, we have also seen a significant growth in the number of colleges pivoting to sustainability-related policies and programs,” Franek added. “We are proud to shine a light on these schools and to continue serving as a unique resource for students who want their ‘best-fit’ college to also ideally be a green one.”
The “Top 50 Green Colleges” can be found here; the 455 schools included in the “Guide to Green Colleges” can be found here.