The Sierra Club laughably came out with a list of the greenest college campuses across the United States, called its “Cool Schools” ranking, and guess who wasn’t number one? CU Boulder wasn’t. But, guess who beat CU Boulder? Colorado State University. Yes, you read that right. CU Boulder, despite its kvetching about the environment, is not, in fact, the greenest school in Colorado. In fact, it didn’t even make the top ten. Our thought: “You mean there are towns of people more annoying than Boulder? Not possible.”
The schools were judged on 62 categories ranging from sustainability programs to LEED certifications to campus divestment. If only the University of Colorado could have divested from oil and gas investments. The horror! CU Boulder earned just 58% of the possible 1,000 points on the scale, putting it in 81st place out of 227 schools. This year, CU Boulder dropped 12 spots from 69th place. Even Arizona State University beat out CU Boulder.
Other Colorado schools ranked in the rankings included University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 83rd place, Colorado College in 138th place, University of Denver in 153rd place, and Western State Colorado University in 192nd place.
Sounds like CU Boulder, for all its hype, is full of hot cold hot climate changed air.