Tufts Among Top 10 Greenest Colleges in US
Tufts University’s first green dorm, Sophia Gordon Hall, is pictured at left. The new energy efficient dorm is one of several ways the university saves money and energy.
– Allison Goldsberry
TreeHugger.com, an affiliate of the Discovery Channel, has named Tufts University to its list of top ten greenest colleges in America.
TreeHugger.com praised the university for offering locally grown food, using greener cleaning products and energy efficient light bulbs, allowing students to choose wind energy to power their dorm rooms, and composting one ton of food everyday, among other environmentally friendly initiatives.
This is not the first time Tufts has been praised for being green.
From its green, energy efficient dorm to its commitment to providing locally-grown and organic food in its dining halls, Tufts has made environmental sustainability a priority and has landed on many green college lists, including one by Sierra Magazine, which called it one of the most environmentally friendly colleges in the nation.
Tufts University was also recognized last year for its green efforts by EarthWatch, a so-called “green†blog dedicated to the green movement.
In its Green College Spotlight, the blog lauds Tufts for its dedication to environmental sustainability well before it became the thing to do.
“Tufts University, in Medford/Somerville Massachusetts, has long been a leader in sustainability – since back before many people even knew the definition of the term…Tufts’ environmental efforts are nearly too numerous to name,†said a statement released to the media by blog organizers.
Tufts is also the first university in the state to sign an agreement with Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to join “Clean Energy Choice On Campus,†a green energy development program coordinated by MTC, the state’s development agency for renewable energy, that will allow Tufts students, faculty, and staff to voluntarily finance green energy projects in Medford and throughout Massachusetts.
Arguably, the crown jewel in Tufts’ commitment to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability is its green dorm, Sophia Gordon Hall. Literally from top to bottom, from the solar panels on the roof to the bamboo wood on the floor, the dorm is 61,000 square feet of energy efficiency.
Overall, the dorm uses 30% less energy. Students can check the building’s energy use in real time on a video monitor in the dorm or by logging onto its website.
Other Green Initiatives from Tufts