colleges

Today's cutting edge colleges and universities have gone way beyond simple recycling to starting organic gardens and farms, installing green roofs and solar panels, treating wastes with "living machines" and offsetting all emissions.

Entering the scene in force just a couple of years ago, the student movement for fair and local food on campuses and for launching college-based farms is taking off across the country.

Currently, there are more than 176 "green" colleges and universities, according to the U.S. Green Buildings Council, and the number continues to grow. Among them is Portland State University. Their newest engineering building has natural lighting, and natural ventilation. Rainwater is also captured on rooftops and treated on site to be used to flush toilets.