Three Maine schools in top 50 of Princeton Review's 'green colleges' list

Photo / Courtesy College of the Atlantic Hannah Gaudet '25 works in the greenhouse in College of the Atlantic’s Davis Center for Human Ecology, a zero-emissions facility built to passive house standards of energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

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By Laurie Schreiber

Maine's College of the Atlantic, with full-time enrollment of 353 students, topped the Princeton Review's “Guide to Green Colleges” for the 10th year in a row.

The Bar Harbor school says 100% of its campus energy comes from Maine renewables and 99% of food waste is diverted from the landfill.

Princeton Review cited 388 schools based on programs, policies and practices related to sustainability and the environment.

Bates College in Lewiston, with 1,717 students, ranked No. 15 on the Princeton Review list, up from No. 20 on last year’s list.

Bowdoin College in Brunswick, 1,881 students, was No. 32, after failing to make the top 50 last year.

Another Maine school of higher education on the overall list, but not in the top 50 was Saint Joseph's College in Standish. (After No. 50, the schools are not ranked.)

‘Dramatic growth’

The annual guide is an online resource published since 2010 for college applicants wanting to attend schools that foster a culture of environmental responsibility.

Since the guide was created, there’s been “dramatic growth in the number of colleges committing to sustainability practices — from constructing green-certified buildings to sourcing food locally," said Rob Franek, the review’s editor-in-chief.

Overall, the 388 schools’ green statistics include:

18% of their energy comes from clean and renewable sources
38% of their waste is diverted from incinerators or solid-waste landfills
94% have a sustainability officer
98% offer a sustainability focused undergraduate major or degree

Hands-on programs

Founded in 1969, College of the Atlantic, which awards bachelor and master degrees in a field it has dubbed “human ecology, became the first college in the U.S. to achieve carbon-neutrality 2007. It has committed to becoming a fossil fuel-free campus by 2030.

The recognition “reflects decades of hands-on learning and institutional decisions that put stewardship first: COA became carbon-neutral in 2007 and we remain steadfast in our commitment to eliminate fossil fuel use by 2030,” said Sylvia Torti, COA’s president.

Since becoming carbon-neutral in 2007, COA has invested in on-site renewables, increasing energy efficiency, managing waste and composting, embedding sustainability in curriculum and operations, promoting active student engagement and collaborating with local partners in Bar Harbor and beyond.

The Princeton Review is a tutoring, test prep and college admissions services company founded in 1981 and based in New York City. It is not affiliated with Princeton University.