HOPE COLLEGE
P.O. BOX 9000, HOLLAND, MI 49422 • ADMISSIONS: 616-395-7000
FAX: 616-395-7130• FINANCIAL AID: 616-395-7765 E-MAIL: ADMISSIONS@HOPE.EDU
WEBSITE: WWW.HOPE.EDU
GREEN HIGHLIGHTS
Hope College operates under the belief that, “We are called to be good stewards of
our resources,” and nowadays, “Sustainable Hope” is more of a reality. When
President James Bultman signed the Talloires Declaration in 2010, it was just one
step in a very organized commitment to sustainability. Hope’s efforts to conserve
energy are vast; electric is saved by motion sensors that turn off lights in many of
the larger buildings on campus when unoccupied, and many outdoor light fixtures
have been changed from mercury to metal halide to reduce consumption. Heating
has been made more efficient through temperature-limiting thermostats in all cottages and apartments, and several residence halls benefit from remodeled thermal
pane windows and better zone heating controls. Alternative transportation is
offered in the form of shuttle service and buses, with the 22,000 pounds of waste
vegetable oil produced annually used to produce biodiesel fuel. The Grounds
Department is environmentally conscious—much of the mowing equipment uses
alternative fuel sources (bio-diesel, electric, and propane), and the batteries for the
electric mowers are recharged using a photovoltaic panel. Students have a plethora
of options: they can take classes in the biology, geology, and religion departments;
they can join an Environmental Issues Group; and they can partake in numerous
research projects related to sustainability issues. And the buildings that accommodate them will only get better; all future construction will be designed to LEEDSilver standards.
HOUGHTON COLLEGE
PO BOX 128, HOUGHTON, NY 1474 • ADMISSIONS: 585-567-9353
FAX: 585-567-9522 • FINANCIAL AID: 585-567-9328
E-MAIL: GINNY.ROUTHE@HOUGHTON.EDU • WEBSITE: WWW.HOUGHTON.EDU/CREATIONCARE
GREEN HIGHLIGHTS
“Creation Care” is Houghton College’s moniker for its commitment to “change the
way we do things…in order to become better stewards of what God has given us.”
At this small, Christian college in Houghton, New York, the changes they are making are steady and significant. The Creation Care Committee leads several innovative green initiatives on campus, including sponsoring shuttle service for off-campus
faculty/staff events, tree seedling planting, and an “adopt a tree” initiative. The
campus is reducing its energy use through fluorescent and LED lighting and electronic ballasts. In conjunction with an energy consulting firm, the university has
made plans to implement a voluntary “brown out” program aimed to reduce overall
electric usage. Food services has removed trays and reduced napkin waste in cafeterias. It’s no wonder the college is posting such impressive numbers: 90 percent of
the grounds are maintained organically and 95 percent of buildings on campus have
gone through energy-related retrofits. Sustainability research opportunities are
abundant on campus, including opportunities in the natural sciences for research in
ecosystem stability, and biodegradable plastics. In psychology, students have conducted sustainability research including examining energy use and carbon sequestration in the college’s forests. In communications, students have worked on a
project which will results in a training video for other groups seeking LEED certification. Houghton is also preparing students for the green job sector by guiding
students to green job websites and posting green jobs to its “Job Shop” online
database. “Creation Care Courses,” which address environmental or sustainability
issues, are offered in no fewer than 9 departments across campus.
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THE PRINCETON REVIEW’S GUIDE TO 322 GREEN COLLEGES
Green Facts
% food budget spent on local/organic food
Available transportation alternatives:
free bus pass
School has formal sustainability committee
New construction must be LEED-certified
or comparable third-party rating system
Waste diversion rate (%)
Environmental studies degree available
Environmental literacy requirement
Public GHG inventory plan
% of school energy from renewable resources
School employs a sustainability officer
School provides guidance on green jobs
% school cleaning products that are green certified
% school grounds maintained organically
10
yes
yes
32
yes
no
yes
5
no
no
90
90
Student Body
Total undergrad enrollment
# of applicants
Average HS GPA
% of applicants accepted
Range SAT Critical Reading
Range SAT Math
3,202
3,252
3.78
80
520–650
540–650
Cost
Annual tuition
Required fees
Room and board
% of students receiving need-based
scholarship or grant aid
$26,860
$160
$8,260
53.6
Green Facts
% food budget spent on local/organic food
5
Available transportation alternatives:
Restricting parking, bike share/rent, car share, shuttle
transport to airports
School has formal sustainability committee
yes
New construction must be LEED-certified
or comparable third-party rating system
yes
Waste diversion rate (%)
20
Environmental studies degree available
yes
Environmental literacy requirement
no
Public GHG inventory plan
yes
% of school energy from renewable resources
4
School employs a sustainability officer
yes
School provides guidance on green jobs
yes
% school cleaning products that are green certified 40
% school grounds maintained organically
90
Student Body
Total undergrad enrollment
# of applicants
Average HS GPA
% of applicants accepted
Range SAT Critical Reading
Range SAT Math
Range SAT Writing
1,256
890
3.59
83.1
530–650
480–620
530–650
Cost
Annual tuition
Required fees
Room and board
% of students receiving need-based
scholarship or grant aid
$25,994
$100
$7,550
81.7