Princeton Review Names Elon University a Green College | Today at Elon

The Princeton Review has once again recognized Elon University as one of the most environmentally conscious colleges and universities in the country.

The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges 2025 Edition profiles colleges with the most exceptional commitment to sustainability based on their academic offerings and student career preparation, campus policies, initiatives, and activities. The list was published on October 15th.

“This recognition demonstrates Elon’s continued commitment to sustainability through operational and educational initiatives,” said Elaine Durr, senior director of sustainability at Elon.

The profiles in the guide contain information about each school's admission requirements, costs and financial aid, and student body statistics. They also include “green facts” about the schools with details on the availability of transportation alternatives on campus and the percentage of the school food budget spent on local and organic food.

“Since we created our Green Guide in 2010, we have also seen a dramatic increase in the number of colleges committing to sustainability practices – from sourcing food locally to constructing LEED-certified buildings to committing to divesting from fossil fuels forego,” said Rob Franek , editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “We are proud to shine our light on these exceptional schools and recommend them to students who want their “best fit” college to also be an environmentally friendly school.”

In announcing the Green Colleges list, Franek noted that 61% of the nearly 8,000 college applicants who participated in The Princeton Review's 2024 College Hopes & Worries Survey said they needed information about a college's commitment to the Environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend school.

Elon has been included in the Princeton Review’s “Guide to Green Colleges” in each of the 15 years the guide has been published. This year, Elon received a “green rating” of 90 out of 99 possible points.

Elon's initiatives and policies that contributed to its recognition as a Green College include:

• 67 percent of academic departments offer courses on sustainability.
• The Eco-Reps program offers students the opportunity to learn about sustainability issues from their peers in a variety of ways (e.g., through neighborhood programs, sustainable living lessons, guided campus sustainability tours).
• Twenty-one percent of annual food and beverage spending comes from plant-based foods.
• Elon's net greenhouse gas emissions in fiscal 2023 were 26% below fiscal 2008 levels.
• Since 2008, energy use per square foot has fallen 32%, even as square footage has increased by more than 60%.