When you visit a campus on a college visit, be sure to ask about that school's environmental policies. Many colleges are improving their green practices and offering more sustainability-related classes, majors, and student organizations. Is your dream college going green? Here are some questions you can ask potential schools to learn if they're on an environmentally friendly track.

Bikes parked on sidewalk

Quality of Life

  1. How much of your food is fresh, local and organic?
  2. Have your dorms and classrooms been retrofitted to be more energy efficient?
  3. What does the school do to make it easy for students to get around without a car?
  4. Do you use pesticides and herbicides on campus grounds?
  5. Are the cleaning products used by the janitorial crews Green Seal certified?

Academics and Career

  1. Have professors been trained on how to integrate green concepts into their coursework?
  2. What opportunities do you have for me to get involved in university decisions affecting my quality of life?
  3. What research opportunities do you offer for undergraduates in areas associated with the green economy ?
  4. How are you preparing students for the green economy?

Institutional Commitment

  1. Has this university signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment on carbon neutrality?
  2. Does the university require that new buildings meet green building standards?
  3. How do I find out what the university is doing to make itself greener?

Check out our Guide to Green Colleges for schools that make a strong committment to sustainable practices.