Lynn’s official colors are blue and white, but when it comes to sustainability, it’s green all the way. The Princeton Review recognized Lynn as one of the 353 most environmentally responsible “green” colleges in its sixth annual “green guide.”
Based on data from a 2014 survey of 2,000 four-year colleges concerning commitments to the environment and sustainability, Lynn earned an 83 out of a possible 100, and was named in Princeton Review’s 2015 Guide to 353 Green Colleges and Universities. Taken into consideration were academic offerings and career preparation for students, campus policies, initiatives and activities, such as:
- Utilizing reclaimed water, rather than draining aquifer water, for irrigation
- Retrofitting water fixtures and lighting equipment, and replacing more than 7,500 light bulbs
- Building a new Central Energy Plant with a complete retrofit of campus air-conditioning equipment, boilers and water heaters, and other energy-saving measures
- Providing green transportation options for students, including bike rentals and UCar Share, a green ride program.
- Engaging students in sustainable practices through the Citizenship Project, such as waste sorts; trash cleanup of the nature preserve and its adjacent canals; re-landscaping with native, drought-tolerant plants and revitalization of Lynn’s butterfly garden
- Offering sustainability-focused academic studies with a major or minor in biology or environmental studies
- Targeting LEED Platinum certification, the highest award for “green” structures, for the new Mohammed Indimi International Business Center
Lynn launched its sustainability initiative in 2009 and continues to find innovative solutions to improve its carbon footprint.
