A student helps pump a tire at WSU's Bike Week.

A student pumps his tire at WSU’s Bike Week. 

Winona State University is one of the country’s most environmentally-responsible colleges according to the 2013 edition of “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges.” This is the fourth consecutive year WSU has been named to the list.

The Princeton Review, a nationally-known education services company, selected WSU for inclusion in its fourth annual edition of the guide, which recognizes institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.

Of the 322 colleges named to the list, only eight are in Minnesota. Of those eight Minnesota schools, WSU is the only member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

WSU and other outstanding universities and colleges nationwide are leading the “green” movement. WSU was one of the early signatories of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007. The university participates annually in the nationwide “Recyclemania” competition and supports various programs encouraging the use of bicycles as a viable alternative to automobile transportation. For more information, visit http://www.winona.edu/green/.

“The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges” was created by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).  Schools included in the guide were selected based on a 2012 survey of administrators at hundreds of colleges. The college profiles included in the guide provide application information plus facts, stats and write-ups reporting on the schools’ environmentally related policies, practices and academic offerings. The free guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.