As students flood campuses for the new school year, universities find drive to achieve through traditional forms of competition, from athletics to academics. This school year, thanks to Sierra magazine’s ranking of “Cool Schools” in America, university administrations are engaging in friendly competition over something a little greener.

Of the 162 schools Sierra magazine profiled (those that returned the environmental questionnaire Sierra’s editors sent), nine schools with Campus Kitchens were ranked. Five of those schools made it in the top 100 of cool schools, including: Augsburg College, Elon University (Campus Kitchen opening Spring 2011), University of Florida, Washington University in St. Louis, and University of Vermont. The other schools profiled were: St. Lawrence University, Northwestern University, Washington and Lee University, and Baylor University

University of Vermont came in as the highest ranking Campus Kitchen college, with a ranking of 17. Sierra magazine’s editors rated the universities across ten categories: energy supply, efficiency, food, academics, purchasing, transport, waste, admin, investments, and other. The University of Vermont scored perfect tens in areas of efficiency, purchasing, and investments, with a 9.5 in the “other” category. In the introduction of the piece, Sierra magazine explained “other” means sustainable initiatives on campus, so schools like Vermont with a Campus Kitchen picked up extra points there.

The next highest ranking, Washington University in St. Louis at #43, scored high in areas of food, admin, and other.

In addition to the nine schools highlighted, 13 other universities who have either partnered with The Campus Kitchens Project or made moves toward opening up their own Campus Kitchen, took the time to fill out Sierra’s survey and highlight their own sustainability efforts. Those schools include: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Bowdoin College, Boston University, Duke University, George Washington University, Williams College, Binghamton University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Georgia, University of Southern California, Creighton University, Kalamazoo College, and Kent State University.

The wealth of schools who have Campus Kitchens and those who partner with The Campus Kitchens Project on this list shows that while some university’s didn’t receive Sierra magazine’s top scores, many are thinking of sustainability and continually improving their greening efforts through initiatives like The Campus Kitchens Project.

A Campus Kitchen adds value to nearly all of the categories Sierra magazine chose to evaluate. While hairnets, gloves, and aprons may not exude coolness, student-led hunger relief most certainly, and sustainably, does.

Wondering how your school measures up?

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