Drew's Eco-Friendly Initiatives Honored

's green initiatives are being recognized by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and its nonprofit partner TransOptions in the form of a platinum rating for its green commuting programs and a "champion" title for the school's campus sustainability officer, the university announced Wednesday.

The platinum rating, the highest possible, is given as part of the state's New Jersey Smart Workplaces program for "eco-friendly practices and policies related to travel and commuting," such as biking, carpooling and Madison Avenue Direct, a shuttle service connecting downtown Madison and nearby universities that Drew , according to a news release from the school.

“Drew is doing a lot to encourage students, faculty and staff to commute to campus in ways that lessen our overall environmental impact,” Tina Notas, the campus sustainability officer, said in the news release. “We give them the tools they need to arrange car pools, use mass transit or bike to campus.”

Notas has been named this year's TransOptions College Champion for "her leadership in the university’s effort to reduce its carbon footprint," the news release said.

Interim Drew President Vivian A. Bull said the accolades "reflect the Drew community’s commitment to environmental stewardship."

“It is a collective effort shared by students, faculty and staff, whose continued teamwork will help us retain our national leadership in campus sustainability,” she said.

Sustainability is taught in the classroom at Drew, too. Its undergraduate major in environmental studies and sustainability is popular with students, the news release said.