Green-college ranking: UCSD makes top 10

An annual ranking of America's greenest colleges and universities in terms of environmental sustainability is listing the University of California San Diego near the top.

UCSD was ranked No. 7 by Sierra magazine, the official publication of the Sierra Club, in an edition of the magazine devoted to green trends on college and university campuses.

Schools were graded on a 1,000 point scale that took into consideration energy practices, investments, transportation, waste and more.

UCSD said it reduced water use by 30 million gallons a year since 2009, and recycled 400,000 gallons over the past year.

Eco-groups at UCSD include Aquaholics Anonymous, which hosts water-saving competitions in dormitories. The university's vehicle fleet got high marks for its use of plug-in battery and biofuel technologies.

UC Irvine ranked No. 1, thanks in large part to on-campus solar projects, a low-pollution cogeneration plant and advances in energy efficiency.

In its survey, Sierra magazine said it took note of dining halls that serve organic, locally grown food; waste systems that divert trash from landfills; and academic programs that emphasize sustainable ecology. Access to car- and bicycle-sharing services were part of this year's report card.

Sierra acknowledged that its "Cool Schools" ranking is not a comprehensive list of campuses that care about the environment.

"That said, our ranking aims to act as a guide for prospective students," the magazine wrote to readers. "It also serves to spur competition."