FARMINGTON — University of Maine Farmington was named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the nation by the Princeton Review. The publication, known for assisting students with tutoring and test preparation, released a list of 455 colleges across the country as a guide for the greenest schools.

Joining UMF in the ranks of environmentally friendly colleges in Maine were College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Colby College in Waterville, Bowdoin College in Brunswick, University Maine in Orono, Bates College in Lewiston, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish, Unity College in Unity, and University of New England in Biddeford.

The charge of keeping UMF environmentally friendly goes to UMF’s Sustainability Campus Coalition, led by Mark Pires. According to Pires, the SCC was founded in 2001 and first focused on the design of the Kalikow Education Center, a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified building.

Since then, the SCC’s mission has expanded to include addressing food insecurity among UMF students and in the local community, promotion of composting and recycling, and public education and activism on issues related to sustainability, Pires said.

Pires joined the program in Sept. 2020 and said his primary objective was maintaining campus sustainability engagement through the disruptions brought upon by the COVID pandemic in 2020.

He stated he was pleased one of the SCC’s “signature” projects, composting pre- and post-consumer food waste from their dining hall, is back up and running smoothly thanks to dedicated student employees and partners in the Town of Farmington Public Works Department.

When asked about other ways in which UMF stays eco-friendly, Pires highlighted UMF’s principal energy efficiency projects that include the central biomass heating plant which runs on locally sourced wood chips, ground source (geothermal) heat pumps, and energy-efficiency lighting improvements in various buildings.

He also mentioned a computerized energy efficiency monitoring system housed in UMF’s Facilities Management Department which permits them to measure energy performance in real time on a building-by-building basis.

Pires was very pleased with the acknowledgment UMF received from the Princeton review. “What is striking to me about UMF’s recognition as a leader in environmental stewardship is the fact that this campus punches far above its weight as a small rural Maine public institution,” he noted. “What UMF has achieved over the years is quite impressive when compared to other, much larger institutions of higher education.”

Moving forward, Pires said SCC members are working on a reexamination of their recycling practices and how to improve recycling rates and reduce waste.  The SCC is also working with state and local partners to explore the possibility of expanding their compost operation to include community food scrap drop-off at their compost site located near the town transfer station.

Pires also said their planning committee is gearing up to begin preparations for the annual Maine Fiddlehead Festival, which celebrates local foods and rural living.  The 2023 edition is slated for April 29.

“We enjoyed great success in bringing the festival back to UMF this past April after a two-year lapse due to the pandemic and look forward once again to bringing the town and campus communities back together,” Pires said.