The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s long-standing legacy of sustainability has again been recognized by The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges.
UW-Stevens Point was among the 388 universities and colleges in the U.S. and 17 countries listed in The Princeton Review’s 2026 guide as environmentally responsible. The university has been included in the list for more than 10 years.
Data is collected through surveys of administrators and students at schools that have clean and renewable energy sources, diversion of waste from incinerators and solid-waste landfills, a sustainability officer and sustainability-focused undergraduate majors or degrees.
“Our consistent placement in the Guide to Green Colleges reflects the constant planning and work that is done across campus towards a more sustainable campus and region,” said Dave Barbier, director of the Office of Sustainability. “UWSP is a leader in finding new ways to reduce our carbon footprint while educating our students, employees and communities on sustainable living.”
Several new construction projects on campus have been built with high efficiency and energy saving materials and meet or exceed the requirements in the State of Wisconsin’s Sustainability Building Guidelines. The Library and Student Resource Center, opening next spring, will have a large solar array on the roof for electric power. At UWSP at Marshfield, a hydroponic garden is providing year-round produce for Marshfield Clinic patients, visitors and staff.
UW-Stevens Point has been working on a Climate Action and Resilience Plan for several years, with working groups from across campus creating recommendations and goals. Final approval is set for spring 2026, with more than 60 carbon neutral and climate resilient projects planned for the university’s future. In addition, the university is already nearly halfway to its goal of being carbon neutral by 2050.
A series of sustainability videos, shared with new UWSP employees and available for the public, provides examples of how UWSP integrates sustainability through all departments across the campus.
Through its comprehensive composting program, UWSP set records with nearly 11,500 pounds collected and diverted from landfills between August 2024 to August 2025. Compost is collected from throughout campus and delivered to the Waste Education Center where staff and student workers create nutrient-rich soil from the organic materials. The center also serves as the campus materials recycling facility for cans, bottles, plastic and cardboard.
The university also offers several stores that offer free clothing, hygiene and household items, school supplies and books to students and the public to support those struggling financially and to keep these items from landfills. The Closet, The Backpack and The Book Nook are located in Nelson Hall and are open year-round from 7 a.m.-5 a.m. except during university holidays. Donation needs include hygiene and hair products as well as note cards and notebooks. Learn more by contacting the Office of Sustainability at sustainability.office@uwsp.edu or 715-346-4696.
UW-Stevens Point was the first to offer a major in conservation, the first of the Universities of Wisconsin to offer composting in all academic buildings and the first in the state to have 100% of our electricity come from renewable sources. It was also the first UW to be certified as a Bee Campus USA school and has earned numerous Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Gold Star Ratings.