Why Sierra Magazine ranked Clark in the top 20
by Charlie Romanow
Contributing Writer
When one thinks of “cool,” Clark University does not usually come to mind, but in terms of being sustainable and environmentally friendly, it is one of the coolest schools in the country.
Clark was named the 17th”coolest schools” by Sierra Magazine. Also ranking in the top 20 were such prestigious institutions as Stanford, Middlebury, Cornell, Bowdoin, and UCLA. The questionnaires were sent to 940 American colleges, with 118 of them being completed and sent back. Schools were asked about sustainability in a variety of areas including energy, efficiency, transportation and waste.
After first hearing about Clark’s inclusion in such a list, it did not seem, like a big deal, as many lists of schools ranks are published in a variety of fields; but after looking further into the details of the school’s plans on sustainability, it seems that, although sustainability and environmental awareness are not as important as the school’s academic reputation and resources, it is still important and will make a difference in the community.
People are becoming increasingly aware of environmental issues, and this awareness manifests itself in students’ minds. A report by the Princeton Review found that 64% of prospective college students consider a school’s commitment to environmental issues when deciding where to matriculate. Environmental issues have taken center stage in the national and world view so the recognition of Clark’s achievements in this area will further propel Clark into prospective students’ minds.
Being a Clark student myself, I constantly hear students talking about environmental issues and how they are trying to do their part. Sustainability is seen everywhere on campus, from the bins in the Bistro to the bathrooms which have toilets with two different settings.
Sierra Magazine is the official publication of the Sierra Club, which is the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization in the United States, currently boasting 1.4 million members. The magazine cited Clark’s free bikes and bike repair, Community Thrift Store, cutting edge research, and recent campus water upgrades as evidence of its focus on sustainability.
The exact report sent in by Clark can be seen online. The report is quite detailed as it asks about specific environmental initiatives taken, the sources of heating, and electricity and specific classes and majors offered that are related to the environment. Clark ranks among the top 10 schools in academic and administrative sustainability. Some environmental or sustainability related majors that are offered at Clark include environmental science, global environmental studies and earth system sciences. On average, 20 classes related to clean technologies are offered per semester. The administration’s commitment towards being environmentally friendly is illustrated by its employment of a sustainability coordinator and sustainability interns.
The administration has also published a Climate Action Plan which contains 40 initiatives with specific deadlines, including a 20% reduction by 2015 over baseline and net zero emissions by 2030. This dedication and commitment towards keeping up sustainability will likely help Clark in the coming years in Sierra Magazine’s rankings.
This recognition of Clark’s accomplishments shows that even though Clark may not be the best athletic school, or have the best food, it does rank in the top in some important area.
