Chico in elite company

Grist, a respected online environmental news and commentary Web site (Grist.org), put Chico State University in the company of Harvard and Yale, giving all three colleges top marks for their environmental efforts.

Chico State ranked No. 8 on Grist’s list of the top 15 green campuses in the world. Chico, which won the National Wildlife Federation’s grand prize for its battle against global warming, was recognized for its solar array, energy-saving projects and sustainability programs.

Harvard came in at No. 6. The university was credited for its major investments in energy conservation in campus buildings and integrating local and organic produce into school cafeterias. At No. 12, Yale was acknowledged for its pledge to reduce campus greenhouse-gas emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2020.