Princeton Review Study Points to Growing Student Demands for College Campus Sustainability
What are college students looking for when they visit campuses these days? The sports teams? The academics? Financial aid? Well, according to a recent poll by The Princeton Review, college students are also inquiring about a campus's sustainability practices when they visit.
The study was featured in a recent USA Today article. The Princeton Review surveyed 8,200 students and found that 69% of college applicants say that a college's commitment to environmental issues influences their decision on whether or not to apply to or attend the school. The findings show a significant change from 2008, when the last survey was conducted—a 64% increase from the 2008 poll.
The study found that students are asking specific questions about a campus's sustainability practices when they tour a college. Items such as whether a college sources food locally, if they have green buildings for housing and classrooms, and how a college diverts waste from landfills, are all factors that students consider when touring a campus.
A different focus in campus tours
Universities taken note of students' concerns, and they are responding. Standard on many campus tours these days are mentions of environmentally-minded academic programs, and even "Green walkabout tours" that include a visit to the school's recycling program.
How does your campus fare?
The study highlighted the changing concerns of students, and the fact that students are becoming increasingly knowledgeable on issues of sustainability. Sixty-nine percent of students is a sizeable percentage to ignore, and campuses are responding in kind.
If you are involved in waste management on your campus, make it a point to highlight your recycling and waste management efforts – but only if those efforts are real. Making them real involves practices that keep your campus in compliance with EPA and OSHA regulations, but also practices that look beyond what's required to drive forward-thinking sustainability.
Consider Implementing an Environmental Management System Designed for the Dynamic Campus Environment
You can now use an EMS approach built specifically for the dynamic environment found on college campuses. An EMS designed for the university setting will help your campus follow a framework for assessing, managing, correcting, and improving your disposal, health, and safety needs. Properly implemented, an EMS has the potential to improve your image, reduce costs, lead to competitive advantage, and provide measurable reductions in pollution and waste production.
Learn more about EMS for college campuses >
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