I recently came across this write up on the Arizona State University news site and am proud to share it. Kudos to the Princeton review for this category of rating to encourage healthy, positive competition between universities and kudos to ASU for taking some great initiative and striving to be proactive when it comes to solving some of the biggest environmental issues we are facing.

Princeton Review rating based on environmental practices, policies and course offerings

Arizona State University has been named one of the nation’s “greenest” universities by The Princeton Review in its first-ever rating of environmentally friendly institutions.

The “2009 Green Rating Honor Roll” is a numerical score on a scale of 60 to 99 that The Princeton Review tallied for 534 colleges and universities based on data it collected from the schools in the 2007-08 academic year concerning their environmentally related policies, practices and academic offerings.

The Green Rating scores appear in the website profiles of the 534 schools that posted on The Princeton Review’s site (www.PrincetonReview.com) today.

Click here to read the full article on the ASU News site.

This information is from Local First AZ, an excellent resource for everything local in urban Arizona (specifically the Phoenix and Tucson areas). Their search engine is a great tool when you want to go somewhere new and be sure it is local. Not all local places are listed here as not every local business knows about it yet. If any of your favorite spots are not listed you might recommend to the management that they visit the site, LocalFirstAZ.com so they can show their local pride and be seen by more folks who care about supporting local business.

Think Outside the Big Box
Save Money, Avoid Salmonella: Go Local!

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to avoid raw jalapenos and serrano peppers grown, harvested or packed in Mexico, due to fears of salmonella contamination.

With food-borne illness warnings and skyrocketing prices, providing fresh, safe and affordable produce for your lunch box has become a challenging pickle for thoughtful consumers. Once again, there are a bounty of LOCAL SOLUTIONS for your table!

1. Though visiting a farmer’s market won’t innoculate you from germs, you will be able to talk with the producer and learn about their practices – and get the freshest fruits and veggies for your table.
2. The Arizona Farm Bureau can help you find Arizona farmers that sell direct to consumers. Check out www.fillyourplate.org – where you can find what’s in season as well as tips on stretching your food dollar.
3. GROW YOUR OWN! At the start of the outbreak in June when tomatoes were the culprit, the FDA said homegrown varieties were considered safest! From classes to nurseries to containers, Local First members can help you start your own garden.
4. GO ORGANIC – Pick your poison: Salmonella vs. Pesticide or BOTH! Local First has restaurants and suppliers that specialize in organic food!
5. BE A LOCAVORE – Chef James Porter of Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar with special guest Chef Payton Curry from Digestif are whipping up LOCAVORE 3 – a dining extravaganza of Arizona grown delicacies. So popular is this event they have added an extra night – Tuesday, August 5 and Wednesday, August 6 at 6:30 PM. Reservations required: 480.991.6887.Remember, you have a choice where to spend your hard-earned dollars, and by eating locally, you’re not only providing a healthy option for your family, but also THREE TIMES the revenue stays in-state to support our Arizona schools, parks and libraries!