Southwestern University has been recognized as first among America’s colleges and universities in a new report on campuses with the most renewable energy. America’s Top Colleges for Renewable Energy: Who’s Leading the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy on Campus? ranks colleges in categories such as total use of renewable electricity, renewable electricity on campus, and electric vehicles.  

“These campuses’ dedication to tackling climate change has earned them a well-deserved spot among the nation’s top colleges and universities that are leading the shift to clean, renewable energy,” says Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas. “Their leadership is a shining example that should inspire higher education institutions across the country to transition to using renewable energy sources.” 

Southwestern topped the charts for use of renewable electricity and 11th for use of electric vehicles. As Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Joshua Long and Peri Kincaid ’18 describe in their journal article “A Red City Goes Green: The Renewable-Energy Partnership of Georgetown, Texas, and Southwestern University,” in 2007, SU students began lobbying the University administration to support climate change–mitigation initiatives, which led to the University purchasing renewable energy credits equivalent to 100% of its electricity use from wind-energy projects by 2010. Students have continued to serve as the primary movers behind various other sustainability initiatives on campus. 

“As with so many issues in our world, we find innovative solutions through wisdom, creativity, and balance,” says SU President Edward Burger. “Southwestern has found a way to balance its desire to keep student costs as low as possible with its desire to be good stewards of our planet through renewable energy opportunities on our campus.”

For more on how Southwestern and other Texas colleges and universities lead the nation on clean energy, see the press release posted by Environment Texas.