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The ranking has more to do with "green initiatives" both in and out of the classroom than it does with the school's social scene, however.
UConn offers nearly 600 sustainability-related classes and more than 40 percent of UConn's research faculty does original academic work that benefits the environment, according to the ranking.
The list goes on to laud the university for slashing its water use by 15 percent and retrofitting 13 buildings to prevent 2,640 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
UConn beat out other Northeast colleges and universities such as Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt.
The Sierra Club also makes note of UConn's dining halls for their vegetarian meal selections and local food processing.
Also made the rankings were Eastern Connecticut University came in at No. 136, Connecticut College at No. 142 and Southern Connecticut State University at No. 154.
Sierra Magazine is published bimonthly and reaches more than 1 million readers. Its mission is to "discover ways to live a greener, happier life at home and get more involved in your community," according to the website.
Click here for the complete list and methodology behind the rankings.
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