Variations of environmental analyses in the performance of American universities

Variations of environmental analyses in the performance of American universities
This essay seeks to compare and contrast two academic articles concerned with the issue of university endeavors in promoting a more environment-friendly institution. Revolving around five key points which will be examined in the two articles, this essay will look on the ways by which the articles discuss and delve into the general topic. The two articles I chose are as follows: Green, Greener, Greenest by Kate Zernike and The Green League table: How environment-friendly is your university?
First, we will look at how the two articles proceeded with the discussion of the rankings among universities in terms of environment-friendliness. The first implied the sense of competitiveness that is always tarrying among universities and here it is talking not just about academic criteria but also in facilities and other factors tangent in the credentials of a university. It then went to the booming issue of environmental awareness that prompted the Princeton Review to add a new criterion in its annual guide to colleges: the so-called green criteria. From here, the article elaborated on the standings of some universities and the notable generalizations that can be made from these conclusions. Meanwhile, the second was more outright in heading towards its main topic. Its first sentence already directs not just the readers to the kernel of the discussion but also concerned students on where to go to college if environmental factor is one of the principal things they consider in choosing where to study.
Second, let us look at the criteria which formed the basis of what is environmentally-friendly. In the two articles, several universities were mentioned, both the ones that perform well and otherwise in the assessment of each university`s environmental-friendliness. These criteria do not exactly harmonize with each other so it is vital that we compare and contrast them here. In the first essay, the primary criteria include reduction of carbon and emission of greenhouse gases and sustainability. However, the article even made further disputes within these criteria which appear really hazy and tenuous on the surface. For instance, sustainability is too broad a term and it can be manifested in various ways in the daily operations of a university and the activities they promote and sanction among their students. Recycling can be claimed to be included in the sustainability factor and although the first essay recognizes this, it would be fair to assert that it does not properly delimit the broadness of the term "sustainability." For the second essay, there are only two clear criteria: the amount of recycling and carbon dioxide emissions. On closer analysis, it is being pointed that the greater the amount of the former and the lesser of the latter, the more environment-friendly a university is. In contrast to the first essay that invokes criteria that appear more technical and hard to appraise, the second essay focuses on the more practical and tangible, and hence, easier to measure
Third, we will look into the impacts of the examinations conducted as discussed in the two academic articles. In the first article, one of the more telling among the stated impacts of the examination of environmental factors is the fact that the results of this series of tests affect the decision of a lot of students on where to study in college. For instance, out of more than 10 college applicants, 63% affirmed that the results of the environmental tests would affect their decision. This is very glaring since this somewhat squares with the supposition that the premium enjoyed by environment issues is not confined in the civic movements but also in other key institutions like the academy. On the other hand, the second article identifies as impacts of the environmental tests the sense of urgency the universities take to them...