For the third year in a row, the 91̽»¨received a grade of A- on the College Sustainability Report Card, issued by the Sustainability Endowments Institute.
This is the only independent sustainability evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments.
“The 91̽»¨is committed to be all it can to minimize our impact on the environment,” said 91̽»¨President Mark Emmert. “This grade of A- reflects the work of countless people who have found innovative ways to make the University more sustainable. There is still a great deal more to do, and we continue to work hard at it every day.”
The 91̽»¨received a grade of A in six of the nine categories: administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, transportation and investment priorities. It received a B in the remaining categories: student involvement, endowment transparency and shareholder engagement. The report card identified the 91̽»¨as one of 16 Overall College Sustainability Leaders among the 300 institutions surveyed.
The report card noted that the 91̽»¨is a signatory to the Presidents Climate Commitment and is in the process of developing a campus climate plan. The UW’s electrical purchases for the Seattle campus are from 100 percent renewable sources and are carbon neutral. 91̽»¨food services emphasize local organic and natural foods. All new state-funded buildings and major renovations must meet a LEED standard of at least Silver. The 91̽»¨offers many transportation options that discourage the use of single-occupancy vehicles. The university’s investment policies state that due consideration should be given to the degree of corporate responsibility exercised by those companies considered for investment.