Berry College is one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review.

The education services company features Berry in its just-published free resource, The Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges: 2019 Edition. Released on Oct. 22, the guide can be accessed at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.

The Princeton Review chose the 413 schools profiled in the guide based on a survey conducted in 2018–19 of college administrators on their institutions’ commitments to the environment and sustainability.

“Berry’s recognition once again as a ‘green college’ should be exciting to prospective students who are passionate about sustainability and care that their college is among the top in the nation not only as an institution of academic excellence but also one that is invested in sustaining the beautiful campus for generations to come,” said Eddie Elsberry, director of sustainability and environmental compliance. “Our inclusion is validation of the hard work that so many members of the Berry community are doing to make more sustainable decisions and take more sustainable actions in day-to-day operations and living.”

Berry received a green rating score based on institutional data submitted by school administrators. Colleges are graded on a scale of 60 to 99, outlining the school’s performance as an environmentally aware and innovative organization.

Stretching across more than 27,000 acres, Berry is the largest contiguous college campus in the world. Berry’s Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability ensures compliance with EPA regulations to protect the campus’ carbon reserve, wetland banking, wetland management, and other natural resources. Campus grounds are maintained organically where possible, and ongoing research and use in biodiesel fuels, Longleaf Yellow Pine, the American Chestnut, Agroforestry, CSA natural vegetable and recycling gives students ample experiential learning opportunities.

Other green initiatives include:

Berry continues its commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by over 10 percent by the year 2020.

The college has an eight-member Green Team responsible for educating students and planning programs to lead the college in reducing, reusing and recycling.

Berry has hosted special events to highlight environmental careers, and administrators have recently established an environmental science major.

The college has a comprehensive recycling program (successfully diverting more than one-third of its waste from landfills.)

Dining services has eliminated the use of polystyrene to-go boxes and switched to tray-less dining.

In addition, all yard waste is composted or converted to biomass fuel.

The college has committed to seeking LEED certification whenever possible in all construction projects.

“We salute—and strongly recommend— Berry College to the many environmentally-minded students who want to study and live at a green college," said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's Editor-in-Chief.

Franek noted that college applicants and their parents are increasingly concerned about the environment and sustainability issues.