ASU is top performer in 2018 campus sustainability ratings

Arizona State University continues to make progress in sustainability ratings. ASU was recognized as No. 5 overall by the Sierra Magazine Cool Schools report and a top performer in the 2018 Sustainable Campus Index, achieving a No. 7 overall rating.

Each year, Sierra Magazine highlights environmental practices of colleges and universities in its Top 20 Cool Schools report. The Sustainable Campus Index is a publication of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. The index highlights top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System.

“As a leader in higher education that is shaping the next leaders of business, government and society, it is critical that ASU provide a campus environment and education rooted in sustainability,” said Mick Dalrymple, ASU Sustainability Practices director. “It is nice for Sierra Magazine’s Cool Schools and AASHE to recognize the broad efforts across the university to do just that.”

ASU achieved top-performer AASHE status by earning a high score overall in the STARS campus engagement subcategory. STARS recognize ASU’s efforts to empower and engage the campus community in sustainability via University Sustainability Practices’ efforts including student educators and integrating sustainability throughout orientation.

ASU ranked as a top performer in the following STARS categories:

• No. 2 in campus engagement.
• No. 4 in investment and finance.
• No. 7 in public engagement.
• No. 7 overall among all institutions.

ASU’s STARS report is available on the STARS website. 

ASU also is featured in the PDF report for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication/Arizona PBS collaborative project, "Elemental: Covering Sustainability." Launched in 2018, the partnership networks public television and radio stations in key Western cities, and is producing multimedia reports on four sustainability issues: water, renewable energy, climate change and urbanization.

"Our students and our employees want ASU to be sustainable," said Nichol Luoma, University Business Services associate vice president and sustainability operations officer. "Some of our best sustainability initiatives come from this culture in which innovation in sustainability is diffused throughout the ASU community."

Join ASU Sustainability Practices and Campus Student Sustainability Initiatives on Sept. 24 for the fourth annual State of Sustainability at ASU.