Greenest University: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Over the past four years, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has invested $48 million in energy-saving projects, resulting in a 16% decrease in greenhouse gases. Thanks to water-saving measures, per capita water use has dropped by 29% since 2005. There's an environmentally oriented dorm, GreenHouse in Cole Hall, and extensive green education. The university invests part of its endowment in renewable energy projects.

See all the 2011 Heart of Green Award nominees for greenest university.

— Brian Clark Howard