Lewis & Clark is the #1 Greenest Law School

Lewis & Clark has been ranked the #1 greenest law school by National Jurist magazine. Schools were ranked for their sustainable practices and environmental curricula. The law school has long been known for its top environmental, natural resources, and energy law program, but the sustainability efforts stood out in this particular ranking. Here’s what they had to say about Lewis & Clark:

1. Lewis & Clark Law School

Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Ore., abuts a state park that is home to a wide variety of wildlife. “Students come to Lewis & Clark and to Portland to study in an environment that cares deeply about people and planet,” said Sustainability Manager Amy Dvorak. “Our students are often very interested in what we do as an institution to demonstrate these ideals in our programs, policies and buildings.”

The law school is certified as LEED Silver, and future buildings will be designed with the goal of obtaining Gold certification. “Technology, building codes and our understanding of green building approaches have increased to the point that LEED Gold is a very achievable standard.” Dvorak said. “Oftentimes ‘We are exceeding this level of green building on our projects and have begun to explore other opportunities such as passive house and net zero energy.

Situated between two large urban parks, the campus drains into two watersheds, so the school obtained Salmon-Safe certification to protect the habitat of the fish associated with the area. This included a three-year invasive plant species removal project. Law students will find free electric vehicle charging stations on campus and parking options that include a solar carport. There are also facilities for those cycling to campus, and a new bike-sharing program launching soon.