University of Puget Sound has been recognized for its strong commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition.
“It is a great honor to be recognized for the work Puget Sound has been undertaking to integrate sustainability into its strategic plan and institutional identity,” President Isiaah Crawford said. “Our ongoing effort to advance environmental justice and sustainability is a deeply held priority for our campus, and this acknowledgment reaffirms the critical importance of this commitment. It is a testament to the dedication of our campus community as we continue to work together to build a more just and sustainable future.”
The Princeton Review, a leading education services company, selected Puget Sound for the guide based on its robust sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. The guide profiles only 388 colleges in the U.S. that demonstrate a significant commitment to sustainability.
“In my interactions with students, faculty, and staff on campus, it is apparent that there is a common understanding among our community of the importance of sustainability,” said Lexi Brewer, director of sustainability. “I'm particularly proud of our programs that reduce the amount of waste we generate on campus, like Grizz's Garage and our expanded composting program, because they are programs either developed by students or carried out day-to-day by our incredible student workers.”
The university’s sustainability distinctions include numerous accolades that demonstrate its ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and climate action. Among these recognitions is a STARS Silver rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), one of several benchmarks that highlight Puget Sound’s progress toward its sustainability goals. Key accomplishments include:
Launching the Department of Environmental Studies & Sciences, which provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to environmental issues.
Being recognized as a Tree Campus USA for 11 consecutive years, preserving native tree canopy, and maintaining one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.
Expanding food recovery efforts through partnerships with local organizations, donating over 800 pounds of food in 2024.
Implementing campus-wide composting in dining halls, residences, and cafes, and replacing plastic to-go ware with compostable alternatives.
Supporting student-led projects like Grizz’s Garage, which diverts more than 1,500 pounds of textiles from landfills, and organizing Earth Month events like the Sustainable Food Festival.
Finalizing its first campus Climate Action Plan to guide future sustainability efforts.
“Among the hundreds of schools we surveyed for this project, University of Puget Sound, which offers excellent academics, is also a stand-out for its record of environmentally-responsible practices. We are delighted to recommend it to college applicants who want their 'best-fit' college to also be a 'green' one,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief.
To learn more about Puget Sound’s distinctions, visit princetonreview.com/college/university-puget-sound-1023493
