UMd. Ranked 20th on Sierra Club List of Green Schools

The University of Maryland ranks 20th among 118 colleges and universities for green-ness, according to a bimonthly publication by the Sierra Club environmental organization.

UMd. scored 68.7 points out of a possible 100 in sustainability. The university scored highest in the category of "academics," which considers the number of environment-related majors; classes about clean technologies; standout professors in such fields, and more.

UMd.'s lowest score was in the category "financial," which considers how universities invest funds. In this category, UMd. scored three of 10 possible points.

According to UMd.'s completed survey, the university does not have an investment-responsibility committee that considers and acts on environmental issues, and it does not have or plan to implement a formal policy that restricts or prohibits investment in fossil fuel.

One to 2 percent of the University System of Maryland overall endowment is invested in companies or funds that further renewable energy and clean technology, according to the UMd. survey answers.

The University of Maryland's completed survey is available online.

The University of Washington had the highest score with 81.2 points. At the bottom of the list was University Nevada-Reno with 30.8 points.

This was Sierra's fifth annual ranking of the greenest, four-year universities and colleges, dubbed "America's Coolest Schools." Only 118 were considered, because they were the schools that responded to the survey.