URI named a 2018 Green Ribbon School by U.S. Dept. of Education

THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND was awarded a Green Ribbon award from the U.S. Department of Education.
THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND was awarded a Green Ribbon award from the U.S. Department of Education.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – The University of Rhode Island was named a Green Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, the university announced Friday.

The state’s flagship research institute, is the recipient of a Postsecondary Sustainability award from the federal organization and is the sole such recipient in New England.

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Abigail Rider, URI vice president for administration and finance, said in a statement, the school is “thrilled to receive this recognition” calling it the “result of the work of many people in the university community.”

In her prepared remarks, she added: “We have made major strides in recent years in all aspects of university life in order to reduce the university’s impact on the environment.”

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By the school’s count, URI is home to 11 U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Environmental Engineering and Design structures and has been named one of the nation’s greenest colleges by Princeton Review for eight consecutive years.

Among other environmentally-friendly achievements, the university has been on the receiving end of more than $50 million in grants between fiscal year 2013 and 2017 aimed at energy-, sustainability- and climate-related research.

Presented by the U.S. Department of Education, the Green Ribbon honor encourages schools, districts and institutions of higher education to decrease environmental impact, improve health and wellness standards and offer environmental and sustainability education.

“This award recognizes institutions that embrace sustainability as a multi-dimensional value. The work the University does to reduce its environmental impact, improve the health and well-being of the community, and prepare students to address global challenges is a true testament of the many ways URI is committed to campus sustainability,” said Marsha Garcia, campus sustainability officer, in a statement.

The university was nominated for the award by Martin Quirk, postsecondary policy specialist for the R.I. Council on Postsecondary Education.

Award recipients – 46 schools, six districts, and six postsecondary institutions – were selected from a pool of candidate schools chosen by 25 states as well as the Department of Defense Education Activity.

A list of all selected schools, districts, colleges and universities, as well as their nomination packages, can be found on the U.S. Department of Education’s website.

Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.

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