UR's commitment to sustainability getting national notice

September 27, 2017

Spider Pride

Sustainability is woven into the fabric of the University of Richmond — and The Princeton Review has taken notice in its latest guide.

From charging stations for hybrid cars to the solar array on top of the Weinstein Center for Recreation and Wellness, efforts to be “green” Spiders are evident across campus. So we’re thrilled that The Princeton Review recognized the University’s efforts in its 2017 “Guide to 375 Green Colleges.”

Schools were chosen based on “Green Ratings” from a 2016–17 survey that evaluated factors like sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs.

“At the University of Richmond, sustainability means creating environmental, social, and economic conditions that foster health and well-being for people and the natural world in this generation and generations to come,” said Rob Andrejewski, director of sustainability. “This recognition acknowledges the breadth and depth of our sustainability programs that support that mission.”

And it’s more than how we operate — it’s part of our strategic plan, and it’s in our curriculum, too. Faculty across disciplines, including geography and the environment, biology, philosophy, liberal arts, law, leadership studies, and more, incorporate sustainability into their classes.

Just one example is our honeybee hives, installed this summer as a sustainable and educational response to bee populations’ global decline. Students in biology and environmental studies are researching hive behavior, investigating environmental conditions that affect the species, and maintaining a pollinator garden.

We’re proud of the hard work across campus to #BeaGreenSpider!

Read more about The Princeton Review's latest guide